Presenting a Proposal to Further Research in the Field of Biracial Awareness in the LISD

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The FAB 4

• Presenting a Proposal to Further Research in the
  Field of Biracial Awareness in the LISD

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Halle Berry

• Is she Black or White?

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Nicole Richie?
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Tiger Woods?Black, White, Thai or European?
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What About Them??
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What is Biracial/ Multiracial?

• Individuals who are biologically or culturally
  from two or more races, ethnicities or cultures.

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Facts and Background

• The number of multiracial babies has increased in
  theUS by 260 percent since 1970
• Monoracial babies have only increased by 15
  percent
• Translated to 100,000 biracial birth per year
  since 1989.

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Facts

• In 2000, for the first time, the forms
  distributed by the Bureau Census to millions of
  households across America gave biracial and
  multiracial individuals the option of marking
  more than one category under the section of the
  survey marked Race.

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Facts

• The most recent US Census reported
• 2 of 199,564 persons in Lubbock
• of two or more races

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Americans Views of Our Own Culture

• In the United States we group people by broad
  pure race or single race categories, while in
  other nations across the world labels are based
  on a persons total genetic heritage

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Respected Psychologist?

• Dr. Phil's sage advice to a biracial woman guest
  was "Pick a team and play for them pick a black
  team or a white team." Saying, in effect, "You
  must choose to be black or white, you can't be
  both."

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Just Pick One

• Anglo/Other
• Hispanic
• African American

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Not Just One Fits Everyone!

• Multiracial
• Mulatto
• Mixed
• Eurasian
• Coloured
• Cablinasian
• Creole
• Anglo-Indiam
• Amerasian
• Mestizo
• Latino

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Current LISD Enrollment
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What programs do LISD currently use?

• When interviewed several teachers were unable to
  show any programs that are currently being
  implemented.
• The main things the school district does to
  increase multicultural awareness are celebrations
  for religious holidays and historical events.

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Celebrations

• Float for September 16th
• Cinco de Mayo- Individual Class
• Black History- Individual Class
• Christmas Program- Around the World

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Lack of Resources

• Material hardly exists for the information we are
  suggesting be implemented, so educators need to
  become creative and inventive of games and
  materials with adapting curriculum content.
• Two examples of existing programs (Somewhat
  outdated)
• 1. Derman-Sparks 1989
• 2. Wardle 1991

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Things Teachers Can Do!

• Support and organize conferences, workshops, and
  trainings that explore the unique background and
  needs of these children and families
• Receive training in meeting the needs of all
  children who do not fit neatly into the existing
  racial and ethnic boxes

• School staff should never be the source that
  harasses a multiracial child. Instead they
  should
• Learn more about and teach the history of
  multiracial and multi ethnic people in the US
• Learn how to provide information and support to
  interracial and interethnic families

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Focus on the Family

• During initial parent teacher conferences
  teachers can discuss with the parents issues of
  identity
• How is the child viewed at home?
• How do parents respond to negative comments
  directed at their child?
• How do they reaffirm their childs unique
  identity?

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Suggestions for Eliminating Bias

• Urging state governments to include a multiracial
  category on school forms
• Exploring alternatives to race-and
  ethnic-specific groups and celebrations
• Encouraging publishers of school materials to
  include multiracial and multiethnic people in
  their text and illustrations

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• Biracial children are a population that many
  professionals are now serving in much greater
  numbers. We need to be responsive to the
  identity needs of these children.
• The school board needs to take action in
  recognize there is a time for change and we need
  to be active in solving this ongoing problem

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New Curriculum

• Materials should include content that will cover
  when and why anti-miscegenation laws were passes,
  the genesis and continual support of the One-Drop
  rule ( whereby if a person had one drop of
  African-American blood, he or she is labeled
  African-American

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Recommendations

• Complete survey process
• Recommend changes to current LISD enrollment form
• Implement training program to increase teacher
  and staff awareness

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• Educators need to understand that these forms
  are discomforting to parents and students to
  many, the other choice is not acceptable,
  because it perpetuates the notion that
  multiracial children do not fit in and do not
  belong.
• (Benjamin-Wardle, 1994)

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For Further Information

• www.ascd.ord/ed_topics/e1199912_wardle.html
• www.psc.us.edu
• www.uah.edu/News/2000news/racial_identity.html
• www.mixedfolks.com