A Madison Teacher / Community based group with the mission to improve awareness and social justice in the Educational System

Gene Delcourt’s (a teacher at Shabazz School) quote from Monona Terrace General Teachers conference:

Aug. 4, 2008

As a teacher, my students of color were falling through the cracks. At first I thought what’s their problem? After taking the Institutes for the Healing of Racism, I began to see the problem was me. I needed to change my approach and establish more of a personal relationship so I was approaching them as a human being rather than just as an authority.

MOTIVATION:

To all beautiful people from The Madison Institutes of Healing Racism, Inc.

My research in "Racial Conditioning" reveals something that we all have witnessed in one way or another.

The few sentences below come from a book called "The First R...How Children Learn Race and Racism," a good read by Debra Van Ausdale (Ph.D in sociology) and Joe R. Feagin President of the American Sociological Association, author of many books.

"Carla, a THREE -YEAR-OLD, is preparing herself for resting time. She picks up her cot and starts to move it to the other side of the classroom. A teacher asks what is she doing. "I need to move this," explains Carla. "Why?" asks the teacher. "Because I can't sleep next to a nigger," Carla says pointing to Nicole, a four-year-old Black child on a cot nearby. "Niggers are stinky. I can't sleep next to one.” Stunned, the teacher, who is white, tells Carla to move her cot back and not to use "hurting words.” Carla looks amused but complies.”

The authors show how children as young as three have entered into and are experimenting with the tangled race ideologies of the adult world

GOALS

I, Richard Davis, will dedicate my life to combating racial conditioning with knowledge, love, compassion, fearlessness, intervention and action.

I implore you and many of your peers who might not have received this memo to join us to hasten the transformation of this country to a better place. I have an excessive amount of materials to help with the process. i.e. books articles, essays, videos and expert persons available to us.

See below for a first draft of strategy. I welcome and value your input. Spread the word.

TEACHER'S GROUP: Focused on Racial Healing

MEETINGS: Meet monthly for two hours at Richard Davis's house

PARTICIPANTS: K-12 teachers and others significantly engaged with K-12 classrooms; participants do not need to be "graduates" of the Institutes. Also welcome are community people and guest speakers

COHORTS: Teachers who are too busy might want to drop by on occasion (lighter commitments for busy teachers).

FORMAT: (adapted from the Healing of Racism Institutes): NEW CONTENT (30 min)-presentation of videos, books, ideas, history, lessons, etc.; REFLECTION (60 min-"MEDITATION/REFLECTION" (5 min), DYADS (10 m), and "witness" (45 min); DISCUSSION (30 Min)- give and take conversations about teaching anti-racism / social justice.

Please be in touch

Love,

Cousin Richard