Advocating for Racism-Free Schools with Dr. Candace Smith

Teaching and Leading with Dr. Amy and Dr. Joi

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Candace Smith, Assistant Professor in Early Childhood and Principal Preparation at Governors State University. We discuss the high instances of hate crimes and the newly-legislated Illinois Racism-Free Act. Dr. Smith shares her path to awareness and advocacy for anti-racism work and what she is doing in educator preparation and local schools. Importantly, we talk about the conversations that need to happen at both the small and large dinner tables at home.

Referenced in this podcast:

• Jonathan Kozol - Jonathan Kozol received the National Book Award for Death at an Early Age, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award for Rachel and Her Children, and countless other honors for Savage Inequalities, Amazing Grace, The Shame of the Nation, and Fire in the Ashes. The final and culminating work of his career is now nearing completion.
• The Little Book of Racial Healing - Tom DeWolf - The Little Book of Racial Healing is available NOW from the Good Books imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, this new addition to the Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding series presents the Coming to the Table Approach to racial healing in book form for the first time. PLEASE NOTE: 100% of author proceeds from this Little Book are donated to Coming to the Table to support the racial healing work described within its pages.
• Waking Up White – Debby Irving - Inspired by my own two-steps-forward, one-step-back journey away from racial ignorance, I educate other white people confused and frustrated by racism by transforming anxiety and inaction into agency and action.
• Racism Free Schools Act - The Racism-Free Schools Act requires every school in Illinois to adopt a specific policy on race-related acts of hate, train employees to recognize and report them, and inform student and families of their rights and reporting options. Together we can educate, repair, and prevent future harm.