Never Again!
How I Will Use Feedback to Thwart Racism in the Classroom
As Brett’s* speech ended, time slowed down, my emotions bubbled up, and I was filled with dread. What I observed from two students: pride, smirks, and a fist bump. What I observed from the rest of the class: blank stares, mouths agape, and worse, yet, one student in isolation. Enrique* visibly shrank, crumbled, melted in fear.
In 22 years of teaching the persuasive speech, such blatant disrespect for the people in the room has never occurred. I don’t censor topics. Actually, I pride myself in encouraging the sophomores to talk about anything that interests them. They research both sides of their topic and write up their findings before speaking. So what went wrong? I let my focus slip. Feedback. Feedback is my focus this year, of my action research for the Greater Madison Writing Project. In hindsight, feedback could have prevented the horrible blanket statements that were prevalent throughout Brett’s* hate-filled speech. I check introductions one day, body paragraphs another. Every time I approached Brett, he had nothing to show me. I should have suspected something.
It was the end of the quarter, the last day of speeches, and grades were due. Brett followed my one major stipulation — the paper had to be turned in, in order to speak. He turned in his research paper five minutes before class. Unfortunately and regretfully, I let him speak — without reading his paper. I knew Brett chose the topic of “why we need to build the border wall”, and I knew it could very well be problematic, but honestly, we drilled the importance of logos, ethos, pathos, and spent time discussing embedding quotes. I guess deep down I had hoped his freedom of speech would be substantiated. Never have I been more wrong.
Talking about the “illegals”, Brett came across as insensitive, but then the insensitivity turned into racist hate. “They are taking our money. They are taking our jobs. They are taking our welfare.They are dangerous.” All blanket statements and all unfounded. Was this really happening?
When the class period ended, I waited for Brett to leave. I pulled Enrique aside and told him I was sorry this happened, that I didn’t do more, that I failed this defeated 15 year old. I walked him to his next class, as tears rolled down both of our faces — his in anger, mine in regret. Four teachers stopped us to see if everything was ok. Needless to say, it wasn’t. The words were said, the shock absorbed, Enrique’s pride in Mexican heritage stripped; the damage was done.
In the wake of a few sleepless nights, I spoke with three concerned students who were in class with Brett and Enrique. They were gracious enough to help me process what happened, making sure this never happened again. They were amazingly perceptive, warm, and insightful. I knew that I allowed this to happen, and that I should, and do, know better. Allowing Brett to speak was a rookie mistake. They assured me that I did do some things right, like verbally address the blanket statements that did not have supporting evidence, but that was after the fact. I know I have to read each and every introduction and research paper far before allowing speeches to happen. These students helped me come up with a feedback checklist, including addressing audience analysis in writing, not just in discussion. From this point forward, I will be diligent about checking each piece of students’ writing and asking for this checklist well before any speech or paper is due.
Looking back on this experience, I am changed teacher. I started out the year using feedback to encourage progress in students’ writing, but I am ending the year knowing that feedback is a tool that can also ensure safety and pride.
