Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School by Tiffany Jewell

Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School Reviews

• 
  Kim

  I found myself at times reading this and thinking to myself . . . I would find the author's arguments more persuasive if this. Or, I understand what the author(s) are saying, but if trying to persuade other people of their views, this isn't really going to work.
  
  And then I realized . . . how incredibly White of me.
  
  This book isn't about me. Although as a woman, there are definitely overlaps between institutionalized racism and institutionalized sexism, at the end of the day this isn't my story. So as a story to other people of the Global Majority, this book did an amazing job of saying - you're not crazy, and you're not alone. I found the placement of poems and other writings throughout the primary author's memoirs to be very well placed in a way I wouldn't have appreciated if read on their own.
  
  Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC of this book.
• 
  Gary Anderson

  If there is one thing that high school students are experts on, it’s school. They have figured out the loopholes, scams, and games involved in the day-to-day operations of their institutions of learning. They know that some educators are awesome, some are well-intentioned but ineffective, and others are downright mean. Students of color are especially tuned in to all of this, and they know that their schools frequently disenfranchise them.
  
  
  Tiffany Jewell’s provocatively titled Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School is a young adult nonfiction book making the case that racism is pervasive in American schools, not only in overt attitudes but in our schools’ systems and structures. Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School explains how even schools that seem diverse and integrated from the outside perpetuate inequality and racism within their walls through tracking, disciplinary procedures, curricular materials and approaches, grading and testing, military recruitment, and other official and unofficial policies.
  
  Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School includes research and first-person accounts written in teen-friendly language about situations and practices commonly experienced by Black and Brown students in their elementary, middle school, high school, and college years. The primary voice in this book is Jewell’s, but other contributors tell their stories and encourage young readers to push back against the oppression they encounter in classrooms, hallways, and curricula.
  
  This book is good for everybody. BIPOC students will read Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School and understand that they have allies and advocates. Because this book is so authentic, White students will, hopefully, see their schools more accurately and take away new understandings of their marginalized peers.
  
  Back matter includes templates for respectfully requesting exemption from standardized testing and removal from military recruitment databases, recommended reading with many YA titles, thorough documentation for the book’s research, and contributor bios.
  
  As a long-time educator, this book forced me to reflect on whether I have been complicit in the systemic racism described in its pages. My conscience is relatively clear, but there are definitely things I would have done differently, things I cannot take back or undo. I freely admit that I’ve had some unlearning to do in my life, and these words of Maya Angelou have provided me with grace more than once: ““Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” The gift of Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School is that Tiffany Jewell makes her readers “know better.”
  
  This review is also posted on my
  What's Not Wrong? blog in slightly different form.
• 
  Sarah Krajewski

  After reading books like The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop, We Want to Do More Than Survive, Caste, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, and Pushout: the Criminalization of Black Girls in School, which discuss the facts and the history of American schools, this book is something a bit different. Author Tiffany Jewell mainly focuses on the personal stories (though Jewell does weave the facts and history into some of her sections). Many authors of the global majority come together to share their school experiences, and it’s not pretty. I was upset while reading this book. The experiences of what education was like for Jewell and others were often demeaning and just wrong. Kids were knocked down instead of lifted up. No child should be made to feel worse about themselves while (supposedly) getting an education. All children, no matter their race, should be learning about more than just white, male, Eurocentric history. Read their stories about what they went through. Compare their experiences to your own. You’ll see the problem is not just with certain individuals, but the whole American school system, which needs a complete overhaul.
  
  As Jewell says, “the culture of White domination is inescapable…and when we let it be our normal, it divides us from other people and communities” (153-154). When we are taught histories, we learn about topics like enslavement, not the stories of the people who were enslaved and what they actually went through. This harms us all, White people included, and when we know how it harms us, we can actively resist. This book shares the stories missing from our textbooks. Readers may feel uncomfortable by some of them, but “upholding the belief that only some have a right to comfort, that people in power have the right to emotional, physical, and psychological comfort while others do not, is another characteristic of the culture of White dominance” (157). This is how many children of the global majority feel in classrooms, and they are often silenced when issues are raised that veer from the traditional.
  
  I read an ARC of this book, but I’ve already pre-ordered a physical copy. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time, and it’s one I’ll go back to as I think about, and revise, my teaching philosophy and methods. It’s a necessary read for everyone. Be sure to check out the helpful resources at the end!
• 
  Gayatri Sethi Desi Book Aunty

  Essential reading for us all, especially if we are educators.
  
  The book offers deep insights into the multiple ways racism is taught or normalized in schools. It is a thought provoking read for anyone willing to enter the invitations this book holds for to rethink how racism and schooling work at odds and in tandem, too.
  
  Highly recommend
• 
  Whitney

  As an educator I find books like these to be invaluable. Even teachers who don’t teach primarily Black and brown students need to be aware of how their pedagogy and the systems in which they teach continue to oppress those of the Global Majority even indirectly.
• 
  Kyle Belanger

  An absolute treasure of a book that should be shared widely. It is important work by an important thinker at a critical time.
• 
  Nikki S

  I felt so many of these stories. I can't believe how much I related to these.
• 
  Nads

  I was so excited to receive this arc. Educating myself on the issues we face with racism and prejudice has been high in my list for a long time. Something I think the whole world should be doing. But this book gave me so much more than I expected it to. Looking at it from the eyes of a white woman, I learned a great deal. But I also looked at it from the eyes of a teacher and this book brought to light so many things wrong with the education system that as teachers we are just expected to accept. Things like tracking and control. Things like out of date literary texts being used as excellent examples despite the majority being written by dead, white men. Where is the freedom in our curriculums? Why does a government of people who have no teaching experience get to decide what is taught to the young of today? Do they bare in mind diversity? I can honestly so i don't think so As a Teacher, you do like to believe that you're making a difference the children you teach but I see now you can just as easily damage them without even knowing it.
  Reading the stories from individuals as well as Tiffany was heartbreaking. Noone should be made to feel the way they did in an environment that is meant to feel safe and nurturing. I'm glad this book is out there in the world. Tiffany does more than share stories. She also provides a great deal of information and the rights that individuals have within a school/college setting. I'm glad that it's accessible for all children and students from every race to be able to read and feel safe in the knowledge that if they need to, they can stand up for themselves, protect themselves and be protected by policies and basic human rights.
• 
  ⋆⁺₊⋆ kirsten ⋆⁺₊⋆

  3.5/5
  
  This book is a valuable account of structural racism that is baked into our education system, and the author told many stories that were (rightfully) upsetting and eye-opening.
  
  This book had a lot of interesting perspectives and experiences - I really enjoyed the interspersed excerpts by other authors. The message itself was poignant and obviously very important, but the writing style of this author was. just. so. repetitive. Like, I don't need to have you repeat the full name of your college course seven times within two pages to understand the gist - it really took me out of the story that she was telling. There were also a few portions of the book that seemed a little...underdeveloped? Like I just couldn't make the connection between the example she was describing and the overall theme of the book - the author clearly meant them to relate but I either couldn't follow her train of thought or it wasn't explicitly stated enough. Like I don't understand how the way in which your school told you a classmate had passed away was related to racism in the education system, or how being graded on how quickly children complete multiplication tables stems from white supremacy. (I am by no means saying that these aren't factors, just that the connections weren't actually stated in the book.) I also was underwhelmed by the way this book wrapped up, with the listing of all the questions with no concrete ideas or suggestions for readers, and the seemingly endless Webster's definitions.
  
  A good read overall, and a valuable book to add to the tbr if you are interested in understanding how structural racism and inequity impacts society and learning.
  
  
• 
  Kate Mester

  A good starting point for HS students but would be fine for adults (and sometimes the more easily digestible YA version IS a better starting place for adults!)
  
  The layout and framing are Jewell's own personal experiences but she includes ample other voices in poems, letters, and short essays. The included friends get long bios to learn their context, which I appreciated. I also like the actionable back matter - templates to remove yourself from JAMRS or exempt from your state's standardized testing and a pretty thorough recommended reading list, along with lots of references.
  
  Teens are smart and naturally enthusiastic questioners and disruptors, so learning early to question systems and structures is important.
• 
  Rachel Renbarger

  Probably a 4.5. So many good topics- bias, segregation, educational debt, the lost goes on- and super accessible. The integration of other voices really brought issues to life and humanized aspects she brought up elsewhere. My main problem is that she says black and white thinking is part of white domination but then does that same thing :( I didn't realize this was for YA until I finished but she doesn't make good arguments when contradicting herself.
• 
  Sam

  got an ARC from NetGalley
  Should be required reading for all teachers in America. This Book is Anti-Racist was really great, and I'm glad to get to continue to read the words of Tiffany Jewell.
• 
  Charlotte

  should be required reading across the board. As a white person, I was jolted, disturbed, distressed, angered, and engaged and gripped by the voices who spoke through this book (there are letters from many other writers interspersed with Jewell's own narration).
• 
  Sarah Book Dragon

  nah i got four copies of this arc and i've got zero clue what to do with all of them 😭😭😭😭
  someone help
• 
  Rachel

  This is a YA version of her book and is focused on how kids receive and identify racism in schools. It’s a great book for middle and high school readers. It would help White parents talk to their kids about racism and should be great also for kids of color too.
• 
  Crystal

  4.5 stars
• 
  CYBILS Awards

  We discovered this one thanks to Gary Anderson!
  https://whatsnotwrong.wordpress.com/2...
• 
  Lauren Stoolfire

  This is a must read.
• 
  Tina Taylor

  Very thought provoking and made me look back at my own education. Definitely recommend this book.
• 
  Elyssa

  Some of these stories will stay with me forever. It was enlightening to hear the many unique moments of shared experiences.
• 
  Siobhain McCormick

  I feel I need to preface this review with two things, firstly I am from the UK and this book focuses on the USA, however I fully believe it can be applied to any country that is predominately populated by white people. Second I am a white, cis female and while I am part of the LGBTQ+ community I am painfully aware that I will never be subjected to any of the things covered here. I can honestly say I have never felt so angry while reading mostly at the obvious injustice but partly because I could recognise some of the examples from when I was at school.
  
  I firmly believe this book should be on every syllabus of every school not only in America but other countries as well. Jewell does not hold back explaining and guiding readers through her experiences and others as well. I have no doubt the examples and personal stories will resonate with many POC. I particularly think many will find not only a sense of catharsis that their experiences are not singular but no doubt will also feel anger, as I have said I did myself and I am still mad as I write this. But I also believe that many will find help in the templates and resources the book offers. But for the white reader I believe this book will also be help. It will help to make us realise what injustices and racism go on right in front of our eyes, instilled in us from a young age by the very institutes that are meant to help teach us. Sadly in the current climate across the world this book is exactly what is needed, even if it shouldn’t be in 2024. It is powerful, factual and thought-provoking.
• 
  Gabrielle Brunk

  Working in education myself, I HAD to pick up this book!
  
  When I picked up this book I thought it was going to be more about cliques and other students in school and boy was I wrong. It's about the institution itself! Wow, wow, wow! I strongly recommend you pick up this book and evaluate your local school system and see what you can do to make a change.
  
  This book contains short stories from a variety of BIPOC authors who are merely sharing their experiences in the school system. From the inappropriate racial labeling on agendas, to only reading the classics and critiquing proper grammar... this is not what school should be.
  
  While I'm lucky enough to work in a district where these things are not happening, not all schools are like this. Why do so many schools recommend novels written by dead white men? Why do so many schools focus on perfect grades to be high achieving and not the process of growth? Why are we still reading Hatchet in Title 1 schools? Is there an achievement Gap or an education debt? This book was extremely eye-opening for me.
  
  Like stated in the book, it's not people it's the institution. So question the institution and ask yourself how you can make a change. It might just be recommending books to classroom teachers, if that's allowed, or showing up to school board meetings, but there are small changes even one person can make. So be cognizant of young people going through school and consider ways we can help them grow.
• 
  Claire Davis

  Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School by Tiffany Jewell. I have given this book five out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  
  I completely understand that as a white female, I’m privileged and aware that I am not primarily affected to the things covered in this book.
  
  This is an incredibly, important and thought-provoking book. Despite the fact that this book focuses on the school system in the USA, I think this book should be recommended to everyone. I can imagine this book can be applied to the majority of schools, as it is based on the institution not solely the teachers. For example, the reading materials that are provided to young students to learn at school more often than not are written by dead white men. If schools haven’t already, I think it’s time to make the change and start growing and expanding the knowledge to learn about important history and widen the reading list as well.
  
  The racism and injustice running throughout this book through the author and people’s experiences made me so angry and sad, knowing that this happens everywhere. It made me think about my school and I think I had one (or two at a push) teacher(s) of the Global Majority out of around nine-ten subjects that taught me throughout my secondary school years.
  
  This is an own voice book as well as other stories and poems told from BIPOC told throughout the pages.
  
  
  
• 
  AMAO

  Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School by Tiffany Jewell
  February 27, 2024
  
  🔥MUST READ 🔥
  
  From preschool to higher education and everything in between, Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School focuses on the experiences Black and Brown students face as a direct result of the racism built into schools across the United States.
  
  The overarching nonfiction narrative follows author Tiffany Jewell from early elementary school through her time at college, unpacking the history of systemic racism in the American educational system along the way. Throughout the book, other writers of the global majority share a wide variety of personal narratives and stories based on their own school experiences.
  
  Contributors include New York Times bestseller Joanna Ho; award winners Minh Lê, Randy Ribay, and Torrey Maldonado; authors James Bird and Rebekah Borucki; author-educators Amelia A. Sherwood, Roberto Germán, Liz Kleinrock, Gary R. Gray Jr., Lorena Germán, Patrick Harris II, shea wesley martin, David Ryan Barcega Castro-Harris, Ozy Aloziem, Gayatri Sethi, and Dulce-Marie Flecha; and even a couple of teen writers!
  
  Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School provides young folks with the context to think critically about and chart their own course through their current schooling—and any future schooling they may pursue.
• 
  Abby Soghomonian

  Yes, Tiffany Jewell, yes!
  
  You nailed this one… school is supposed to be a safe place, so why it is so dangerous for our Black and Brown babies?
  
  Why does nobody listen or care when a Black or Brown student speaks up about how they are treated or feeling?
  
  Why do Black and Brown students have to be schooled at home by their parents to learn the accurate history of the United States of America?
  
  Why do white teachers feel so threatened when a Black or Brown student presents a different point of view or corrects a statement that a white person has gotten incorrect?
  
  Jewell highlights the white systems in which our school system is built upon and discusses how Black and Brown people are affected by the continued ignorance of white teachers and administrators.
  
  Through her personal experiences and the experiences of her friends, Tiffany Jewell lays it all out in black and white. This is a must-read for all teachers and educators.
• 
  Alicia

  Reading to moderate a panel of "Good Trouble" Jewell does it again with a collection of perfection-- using her own experience and voices but interweaving stories of others, the approach is easy to follow, understand, and think about. Definitions are used when necessary and the changes in voice lend itself to a variable experiences of the Global Majority who have been underrepresented and oppressed.
  
  Jewell gives readers quite a bit to chew on from how we educate youth (as an educator myself) to questioning what we read in school to working to support others whether it be in roles of advocacy, changed behavior, or shared experiences to better prepare ourselves to share a world that is antiracist.
• 
  Anne

  While this is a perfect book for educators to help them reflect on their practices, it is also useful for students. Students of the global majority, upon reading Jewell's (and others) stories, will see a reflection of their own lived experiences that are a result of the systemic systems that have so terribly affected our schools. White students can reflect on how they can be upstanders and help interrupt racist practices that take place in classrooms, sports arenas, etc.
  Back matter includes resources, recommended reads, acknowledgements, references, about the contributors, and about the author.
• 
  Natalie Odom Pough

  Just what my educator heart needed. This book is filled with stories from peers who now have the language and power to say what is needed in schools based on their school experiences. There’s a story about Hatchet and it reminds me of my experience with The Scarlet Letter. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE! Tiffany Jewell made it happen. This book will be added to a course I’m designing. It should be required reading for future educators. It pushes the right buttons and prompts the right conversations. We need more like you, Tiffany Jewell! We desperately need more like you. Thank you!!
• 
  Lacey Losh

  This important collection includes personal narratives of lived experiences of racism in school from individuals in the United States. Between these reflections there are explanations of the effects of colonization, systemic racism, and the criminal justice system on the history of racial injustice. There are also plenty of helpful definitions allowing a reader who may be new to these topics to better understand things like the differences between prejudice and bias, gentrification in our neighborhoods, and the progress of social justice movements.
• 
  Chelsey Main

  I don't normally write reviews, but this book. This BOOK. There's so much to learn, to unlearn, about the way schools affect all students and their communities. There is so much in here that I was unaware of or took for granted or, admittedly, ignored because it didn't affect me. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time and, hopefully, moving forward with the will to make the changes in my children's (and their classmates') school experiences.