CNN Urges Parents to Talk to Kids About Their Privilege

June 6th, 2020 3:30 PM

CNN's Saturday town hall with Sesame Street on racism started out well enough with Elmo and Big Bird teaming up with host Erica Hill to instill in young children the virtues of being kind and treating others with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, at the bottom of the hour, the focus shifted to how parents could talk to their children about race and racism in America and became much more politicized. Parents were encouraged to talk to their kids about their privilege and that attempting to be colorblind actually dehumanizes people.

Hill brought up the topic of white privilege by introducing a New Hampshire mother who asked, "What are some resources we can both use to further acknowledge our white privilege and help raise up the black community?"

 

 

 

 

Turning to Professor Jennifer Harvey, Hill elaborated, "I just wonder if we could address what white privilege is because I think it's more subtle than many realize. How do you define it? How do you explain it to people?"

Harvey answered:

So, white privilege is the situation where racism, as it impacts black community and Latinx communities, Asian-American, and Native American communities. White communities are not negatively impacted by racism and sometimes we get unjust benefits and easier access to things just because we're white, not because we deserve it.

After Hill asked what the right approach to white privilege is, Harvey continued, "One of the most important things that we need to acknowledge right now is that the most dangerous kind of white privilege is to think we can sit this justice struggle out."

Hill then moved to another question from a New Jersey mom that came straight out of the "conservatives are bad" folder: "I used to think raising color-blind kids was the way to go but now I know that’s not enough. What is an age appropriate way to discuss and be anti-racist and just not seeing people as being the same regardless of the color of their skin?"

Hill then turned to Professor Beverly Daniel Tatum and said, "Dr. Tatum, there was a time where people were taught, we don't see color. Which is basically you don't see a person in front of you. I know that's changed. How do you answer her question?"

That's not at all what that means. How does trying not to look at skin color equate to not seeing a person?

Regardless of Hill's silly non-sequitur, Tatum encouraged parents to find age-appropriate books for their children on the topic and if they want to try tackle some more difficult topics, "a great source for those books is socialjusticebooks.org."

Here is a transcript for the June 6 town hall:

CNN

Coming Together: Standing up to Racism: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall

10:30 AM ET

ERICA HILL: Our next question is about a really important factor in all of this, and that’s white privilege. 

BEGIN CLIP

CHRISTA LEWIS: What are some resources we can both use to further acknowledge our white privilege and help raise up the black community. 

END CLIP

HILL: So, Dr. Harvey, before we answer Chris' question, I just wonder if we could address what white privilege is because I think it's more subtle than many realize. How do you define it? How do you explain it to people? 

JENNIFER HARVEY: So, white privilege is the situation where racism, as it impacts black community and latinx communities, Asian-American, and Native American communities. White communities are not negatively impacted by racism and sometimes we get unjust benefits and easier access to things just because we're white, not because we deserve it. 

HILL: So, to answer Chris' question, then, she was asking what’s the right approach? What is the right approach? 

HARVEY: One of the most important things that we need to acknowledge right now is that the most dangerous kind of white privilege is to think we can sit this justice struggle out. This won't be over in two weeks and as communities of color, especially as African-American communities are leading the struggle for racial justice right now, white Americans need to get all with them, both interrupting racism in our families even if it's uncomfortable or causes conflict but also supporting racial justice organizations in our neighborhoods, our cities where black folks are leading and standing up against racism right now. 

HILL: We all have a role to play and it's so important to talk about that. Jennifer, also a mom, has a question for us. She's from New Jersey. 

JENNIFER NOVEMBER: I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to tackle the subject with my 3-year-old boy, girl twins. I used to think raising color-blind kids was the way to go but now I know that’s not enough. What is an age appropriate way to discuss and be anti-racist and just not seeing people as being the same regardless of the color of their skin?

HILL: Dr. Tatum, there was a time where people were taught, we don't see color. Which is basically you don't see a person in front of you. I know that's changed. How do you answer her question? 

BEVERLY DANIEL TATUM: Well, the good news is, there are a lot of books that you can sit and read with a 3 or 4-year-old that talk about skin color differences, physical differences, and that celebrate those differences. So that's a good place to start. To be able to just talk in a very warm and inclusive way about the difference that exist among different people. But if a parent wants to talk about something like police violence or a really tough topic for a small child, there are even books you can find about that. And a great source for those books is socialjusticebooks.org, they have lists of age appropriate books that you can find that will help parents introduce sensitive subjects in an age-appropriate way.