Courageous Conversations about Race

Courageous Conversations about Race have been occurring in every school in PPS.  At Lincoln, we take issues of equity seriously and it is a priority that we actively examine our practices, structures, and behaviors in light of equity.  To that end, Lincoln staff is pursuing the Courageous Conversations approach recommended by the Pacific Education Group (PEG) based in California.  The author of the book Courageous Conversations About Race, Glenn Singleton, is working closely with PPS to lead our efforts in this area.  You can view a 4 minute video introduction to Glenn with comments by teachers and administrators (some from PPS) about this program at this link. 

We are expanding our conversations to include parents and students. Courageous Conversations occur when certain agreements are made and conditions are met (scroll down to see the agreements and conditions).  You can see a powerpoint similar to one used by Glenn in addressing PPS teachers and administrators at this link.

Belowe are some videos and readings related to our Courageous Conversations:

The first of several videos can be found on youtube at this site.  If interested in seeing more, you can follow youtube links that appear when you view this.

These links are to articles the Lincoln staff has, or will be, reading and discussing:

This Reading is titled "How Do You Define Racism?"

This article is "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"

And finally, this chapter is from the book "Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?"

Parents and student are invited to join the LHS staff in a Courageous Conversation. Please contact Mariam Higgins for more information.

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The Four Agreements

Stay Engaged-- Listening for your partners’ benefit, not just for your benefit. Modeling the listening behaviors that you seek

Speak Your Truth  -- Having the courage to share your experience/perspective and asking questions of your partners that will encourage them to share theirs.

Experience Discomfort-- Searching out experiences/perspectives different from your own. Having the courage to ask your partners to ask questions of you.

 Expect/Accept Non-Closure-- Not looking to solve/answer all of the questions. Not looking for the solution/answer. Looking for a different question that will help us to find a different solution. 

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The Six Conditions

1.Focus on Personal, Local and Immediate

2.Isolate Race

3.Normalize Social Construction & Multiple Perspectives

4.Monitor Agreements, Conditions and Establish Parameters

5.Use a “Working Definition” for Race

6.Examine the Presence and Role of “Whiteness”