Why Can T We Talk About Race By Noliwe Rooks

One of the main reasons why race is not discussed in the classroom is because it is an uncomfortable subject to discuss. One reason why people do not talk about race in the classroom was because they were taught that it was impolite to do so. In an article titled Why Can’t We Talk About Race, the author Noliwe Rooks asserts
Feeling uncomfortable because race or racism is mentioned in your presence just doesn’t compare to the economic, psychological, and spiritual consequences of structured racial inequality […] Of course, the problem is that many of us—black and white alike—have been taught that race and racism, like politics and money, are impolite topics best left unexplored with strangers. By the time we’ve entered the academy, many of us have already absorbed this truism.
People are taught that race is inappropriate to talk about in classrooms. People are taught at a young age that racism does not exist and that people should be color blind and not see race. Because people are avoiding the conversation the problem goes unsolved and people do not know how to properly address the

Noliwe Rooks argues “Because of that discomfort and because we haven’t learned the skills necessary to engage in deep discussions on the topic, we avoid them at all costs. And when we look for excuses to close off those discussions, we allow misperceptions to spread”. Students are taught not to discuss race because they are taught not to see race when they interact with people; sadly, that is not the case. When people are not taught what racism is and what racism is not, then misunderstandings start to spread. If teachers properly taught students how to discuss race and racism in class, then students would know how to address it when they come across it. When more people know how to properly address the problem then progress will be made on how to fix the