“Educators for Change: Marginalization and Anti-Racist Curriculum in the Classroom”

“Educational institutions are the ONE thing that we all do for 13 years,” writes Dr. Trinity Davis in her contribution to this series. But our experiences of these institutions differ widely according to race, class, and gender. Black students find that their white counterparts are more prepared for school and tend to experience more academic success throughout their K-12 education. Meanwhile, social class differences — which often intersect with racial differences — also determine students’ academic readiness and progress, with students in lower socioeconomic classes struggling to achieve scholastic success. Gender also compounds these differences, as teachers tend to underestimate girls’ ability to succeed, particularly in math and science, no matter their race or class.