Giving Compass' Take:

· EdSurge interviews Dr. Robin DiAngelo, Affiliate Faculty of Education at the University of Washington, about white fragility and its influence on the relationships between teachers, children and parents in education. 

· What is white fragility? How does white fragility impact students? How does it affect educators and parents?

· This survey of millennials reveals conflicting opinions on how race affects education.

Why do white men clam up when conversations steer toward race? Why are white women prone to crying when discussing this topic (and how can those tears silence women of color)? Why do some leaders feel uncomfortable and reluctant to get feedback on how their actions and behaviors are perceived?

If these sound like familiar reactions—or how you respond yourself—to conversations around race, you’re not alone.

There’s a term for this type of defensive reaction, and it’s called white fragility.

Inherent biases are discomforting and problematic, but it shouldn’t be a problem to acknowledge and address they exist. White fragility shapes American culture and society—in ways both obvious and unconscious. As a white woman, former teacher in a predominantly black community, education writer, and diversity manager at Google, white privilege and fragility shapes the words I say and write, the actions I take, the responses I give. So, when I think about how to address those biases and how to actively understand them—and more importantly, challenge them—what do I do?

Read the full article about white fragility in education by Mary Jo Madda at EdSurge.