Do Whites Make Terrible Teachers?

In her article titled “Preparing Teachers for Culturally Diverse Schools”, Christine E. Sleeter argues that data-based research studies on preservice teacher preparation for multicultural schools show that Whites tend to lack knowledge, experience, and the ability that people of color naturally have in order to teach in the aforementioned schools. I found this article to have stereotypical undertones and make jabs at whites for being white.  Despite slight unease I had reading this, I did agree with a lot of it.

I actually just watched a video called “Eye of the Storm” in which a third grade teacher, Jane Elliot, introduces her class or white students to the evils racism and discrimination by treating them terribly based on their eye color.  She did the same experiment on adults in recent years.  In one of the video clips, a white woman in the “bad, stupid, and ignorant blue-eyed” group gets so upset about being treated poorly by Elliot that she leaves the room. When she tries to come back in, Elliot lays into her telling her that she is not allowed back until she apologizes to everyone.  Elliot says that what she did was basically a slap in the face to all people of color who never have the opportunity to leave a room or an area when they are being discriminated against because no matter where they go, discrimination and racism will follow. The white lady in this case could just leave the room and find refuge from being persecuted for having blue eyes.  People of color do not have that luxury.  I think that is the point that Sleeter is trying to make in her article.  No matter if a colored person has grown up in an all white, all black, or multi-cultural environments, they still are a part of a group of people that is discriminated against in some way, everyday, all day.  They know exactly how it feels and despite whatever stress, fear or hurt they feel, they have to keep pressing on in school, their career, and life in general.

That is why Sleeter says that people of color make the best teachers in multi-cultural settings, because they can relate with the students and they know how to handle situations dealing with hate and violence better than white people. Yes, there are other factors that make up great teachers, but having to live your life as a member of a minority group is an experience that cannot be taught or explained.  The lessons learned throughout their lifetime automatically put people of color a step above “normal” white people in the multicultural and culturally responsive teacher category.  I understand the message that Sleeter is sending, I just hope that I am able to relate and respond properly and sensitively to my future students despite the fact that I am white because if I cannot, why was I even allowed to enter the field of education?