Short excerpt from a YouTube video in which a speaker (first-person parent perspective) argues for protecting children’s ‘racial innocence’—avoiding early instruction about race in schools because children raised in diverse environments do not naturally think in racial terms. The speaker compares protecting racial innocence to protecting sexual innocence and attributes racism to adult socialization.
As a parent, I would not want my kid who is, you know, very likely going to be black or of color. I don't want them going to school and being made to think about their race and the race of their classmates at a young age. Because I grew up in a very racially diverse environment, and as a half black, half Puerto Rican kid, I had black friends, white friends, Jewish friends, Hispanic friends, etc. I never thought of their race. And I think that racial innocence is important to protect because kids are not naturally racist until they get exposed to the toxic adult world of racism. I think it's very important to protect that racial innocence in the same way that we protect kids sexual innocence.
How to Raise Strong, Unshakable Boys in Today's Culture, with Dr. Shefali Tsabary
