It’s important that we recognise and fight against the disgusting levels of inherent racism which exists in the police force, but at the same time also remember that racism doesn’t stop at police brutality- it pervades almost all aspects of our societies, right to the level of everyday interactions. We need to look at why people display racist attitudes in the first place.
This might sound controversial, but I think the people that might have to pay the most attention to the black lives matter movement in this country aren’t police officers, judges, or prison wardens, it’s teachers.
It is easy to forget that children spend a great proportion of their formative years in school, and that a teacher’s perception of them can effect both their internal psychology and external progression. Ethnic minority children are, from the youngest of ages, perceived as less innocent and in need of protection by adults than white children.
They’re perceived as less intelligent, and they’re more likely to be disciplined. All these realities have a profound effect on a child’s development. Children internalize these external perceptions, they’re like sponges.
A teacher has, in effect, the power to reach into a child’s soul and mould it. If, as a teacher, you allow subconscious biases to effect your treatment of the children you teach, you may destroy the souls of millions of ethnic minority children before they’ve even had a chance. If there’s any class of people that need to be introspective more than anyone, it’s the teacher.