CarolineReid

IntrotoAmericanEducation
Dr.KarenRogers
11/15/11

BookCritique
Tatum:WhyAreAlltheBlackKidsSittingTogetherintheCafeteria?AndOther
ConversationsAboutRace
Tatum,BeverlyDaniel.(1997).WhyAreAlltheBlackKidsSittingTogetherinthe
Cafeteria?AndOtherConversationsAboutRace.NewYork,NY:BasicBooks.
Sectionsofthisassignment:
A. KeyPremiseofthework
Theauthorsummarizesracismandprejudiceandtalksabouttheideaofchildren
figureoutthedifferencebetweenskincolors.The author discusses how racism is
different from prejudice. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, racism is a
belief that race is the primary determinate of human traits and capacities and
that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Prejudice
is defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary is, an irrational attitude of hostility
directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics.
Racism is defined as a belief that one race is superior to another, while prejudice is
defined as an attitude directed against an individual or race.
The book discusses the way people develop and how they handle their racial
diversity as well as how people identify themselves. By being drawn to people of
their own skin color and race, people tend to segregate themselves sometimes. When
most people think of racism, they think of Black and White people, none of the other
many races around. How to embrace people of other ethnicities is also addressed in
the book. Skin color does not define someones self worth.
B. Significantpointsmadebytheauthor
1.Weshouldacceptpeopleofdifferentethnicities.
2.Childrenshouldbetaughtabouttheirraceaswellasotherraces,inordertobe
acceptingofothers.
3.Racismisdifferentthanprejudice.
4.Howpeopledevelopandaccepttheirskincolor/racialidentity.
5.Therearemoreskincolorsthanjustblackandwhite.
C. Significantimplicationsofthework
If teachers make students interact with students of different ethnicities and make a
point to include everyone in all activities, it will break up the small racial groups that

are unintentionally formed in classrooms. If parents and teachers discuss racism and
racial prejudice with their children at young ages, I feel like children will have a
better understanding of why they may look different from others but should be
accepting of everyone despite their skin color.
Teachers should plan lessons to show how each races customs evolved and why
each ethnic group does certain things that they do. These things should be taught to
small children so they can see what is unique about each culture, and instead of
avoiding people because they look different, become friends with them because they
are interesting and cool people to be around.
D. Questionsraisedbythework
1. Howcouldwefixtheproblemsofracismandprejudicewhentheyhavebeen
suchbigissuessincethebeginningofhistory?
2. Willthereeverbeadaywhenpeoplearetrulynotjudgmentalofothersandtheir
skincolor?
3. Ifpeoplefeelcomfortablearoundpeoplewiththeirownskincolor,whyarewe
tryingtogetthemtomixandminglewithothersifitmakesthemuncomfortable?
E. Personalreflection
Iknowthatalotofthetime,Iammorecomfortablearoundpeoplethatsharethe
sameskincolorasme.Idonotfeelthreatenedbythemsincewelookthesame.There
aresomanystereotypesofpeoplewithdifferentskincolors.Thestereotypesofblack
peoplearethattheypickpocketfrompeople,theyareinvolvedingangs,andarenot
typicallyasrichasmanywhitepeople.Thesestereotypesarenottrue;however,they
havebeenaroundsolongthatpeoplesimplyassumetheyareright.Thedollstudy
thatwasdonemanyyearsagogoestoshowthatevensmallchildrenhave
preconceptionsofwhatisprettyandwhatisugly.Manyofthesmallblack
childrenchosethewhitedollsbecausetheywerewhatsocietyportrayedasbeing
prettiest.Thestereotypesareincorrect,becausenoteveryfamilyisthesame,and
thereisnoreasonwhypeopleshouldjudgepeopleontheirappearance.Irealizewe
alldoit,andwetendtostayawayfrompeoplethatmaylookdifferentthanus,or
whomayseemthreateningtous,however,noraceisbetterthananother.Even
thoughthroughouthistory,slaveswereblackpeople,slaverywasoutlawedfora
reason,andblackpeoplehavefoughtforequality.Today,everyoneisseenasequal,
andtheyshouldallhavethechanceinteractwithpeopleofanyskincolor.Sometimes
ittakestimetolearnhowtoincludeeveryonefromdifferentethnicitiesintoourown
lives.
Ittakesmanychildrenawhiletofigureoutwhotheyareandwhotheywanttobe
friendswith.Withtheracialbarriersthatarearound,itisevenharderforthemto
figureoutwheretheyfitinandwhotoacceptasfriends.Althoughpeoples
appearancesmaybedifferent,ontheinside,weareallthesame.Peopleshouldnot
havetostruggletofindthemselvesandbeacceptedforwhotheyare.

F. Additionalthoughtsandpondering
Childrentendtobecomfortablearoundpeopleoftheirowndescentandculture.If
wearepushingthemtomakefriendswithpeoplethatmakethemuncomfortable,why
wouldtheyenjoybeingaroundpeopleofotherraces?Ifeellikeithastobesomewhatof
apersonaldecisiontobeoutgoingandinteractwithothers.Whenchildrenareforcedto
dosomething,theyusuallytendtotrytoavoidwhatevertheywereforcedtodo,inthe
future.
Whenpeopleareraisedinfamiliesthatareracistorhavedifferenttypesof
prejudicesagainstcertainethnicities,thechildwillinherittheseviewssincethatisall
theyareraisedwith.Itispartlytheparentsjobtobeacceptingofallpeopledespitetheir
races,inordertoshowthechildrenthatitisokaytobefriendswitheveryone,notjust
specificpeople.

RUBRICforthisassignment:
Thisassignmentisworth15points.Thesepointsaremeasuredaccordingtothe
followingrubric:
123Grammar,style/mechanics
123Executivesummaryandsignificantpointsthatclearlyarticulatesmainconceptsof
theworkwithclarityandbrevity
246 Ideaspresentedinpersonalreflectionindicatestronglevelofintegrated
knowledgeoftheprofessionandfoundationsofeducation.Theresponsesection
isarticulate,causesthereadertothinkbeyondthemeresummaryofthework.
123Doesathoroughjobofpresentingimplications,questions,andadditionalthoughts
sections