Dr. Laura Chávez-Moreno and How Schools Make Race: What They Miss by Staying in "Sesame Street"

This week on An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we talk with UCLA's Dr. Laura Chavez Moreno, author of "How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America". Dr. Chavez Moreno's work challenges us to think beyond superficial approaches to racial identity in schools.

Here are three key themes and insights from our conversation:

1. Schools implicitly make race through practices and policies. Beyond explicit lessons on race, schools reinforce racial ideas through their structures. As Dr. Chávez Moreno explains, "Schools make race through implicit ways also... through the policies and the practices that they engage in". This includes practices like tracking, which has been shown to be "very racialized", placing students in different classes that reinforce societal racial hierarchies.

2. Moving beyond the "multicultural approach" is essential. While lessons on diversity and inclusion are foundational in early years ("staying in Sesame Street"), students need to progress to a deeper understanding of race and racism as they move through K-12 education. We need a commitment to teach about racial issues throughout a student's career, differentiating content by grade level much like we do with subjects like math. 

3. Embracing imperfection in leadership and teaching is vital. The concept of a "perfect leader" or "perfect teacher" is unattainable. Dr. Chávez Moreno resonated with the podcast's title, stating, "There is not a perfect leader. Everyone will have some... things that they wish they could have done better." This applies not only to leadership but also to concepts like language proficiency, where pursuing an "idealized bilingual person is very problematic." Recognizing that we are always learning allows for growth and transparency.

This conversation challenges us to reflect on how our educational systems, policies, and individual interactions contribute to racialization. It highlights the need for ongoing commitment and a progressive approach to teaching about race.

Listen to the full episode of An Imperfect Leader wherever you get your podcasts. Find Dr. Chávez Moreno's book at major bookstores and Harvard Education Press.

#EducationLeadership #RaceInEducation #Racialization #LatinxStudies #BilingualEducation #SchoolPolicy #EducationalEquity #ImperfectLeader #AmbitiousTeaching #EthnicStudies #HowSchoolsMakeRace

Follow Guest Laura Chávez_Moreno: 
LinkedIn: https://seis.ucla.edu/faculty/laura-c-chavez-moreno/

Follow Host Peter Stiepleman on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-stiepleman-76004819a/
Website: https://imperfectleader.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animperfectleader/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@animperfectleader 

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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at https://imperfectleader.com/