Teachers, Parents Struggle To Comfort Children Of Color Fearful Of Targeted Raids
In early December, Joann Lee and her family were crossing the street in front of The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. A white van was stopped at the light. Out of nowhere, Lee says, the driver of the van, a white woman, said to Lee's 7-year-old daughter, "You are the most disgusting girl in the whole world. Your family killed my family so you could enjoy a day at the museum."
Lee was shocked. Her daughter Terin was confused. "It wasn't overtly racist, but there were overtones. ... We were clearly a large group of Asians crossing the street," Lee said. Bystanders chastised the woman and unsuccessfully tried to snap a photo of her license plate. Meanwhile, Lee wasn't sure what to tell her daughter.
"I think at that point it hit me," Lee said. "My kids were born during the Obama administration. It was nice for them to have an African American president. And I was looking forward to them having a female president. ... It kind of made me sad. It made me realize I really have to prepare myself for how to explain things like that to them without becoming bitter and hateful of certain types of people."
In the wake of the presidential election, parents, guardians, and educators are grappling with how the political climate affects children and youth. In November, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report that found "the results of the election are having a profoundly negative impact on schools and students." Ninety percent of Teachers, Parents Struggle To Comfort Children Of Color Fearful Of Targeted Raids : Code Switch : NPR:
