The Game
Nelda Nix-McCray, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Coordinator of Anthropology and Sociology
Community College of Baltimore County
Conversations on race and racial inequality can be complicated in any college classroom in any semester. The year of 2020 has forced educators to check our collective visual acuity on racial constructs that are entrenched in all social institutions, particularly in the criminal justice system.
In May of this year, the world witnessed the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed African American man. People around the world viewed the cell phone video of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of Floyd for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. Like many others, tears rolled down my face uncontrollably as Floyd pleaded for his life and called out for his mother in the final moments of his life. We would soon learn about the killing of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency technician in Louisville, Kentucky, who was shot six times in her apartment in the middle of the night as the police entered her home on a no knock warrant. Allegedly the police shot back only after Taylor’s boyfriend fired his weapon. The names, dates and locations were different, but the story has become all too familiar. In both instances the outcome was the same, unarmed African Americans killed at the hands of the police.
A string of killings by the police of unarmed African Americans has caused educators to examine the social constructions of race in the classroom. The academy is not insulated from the realities of the world that exist outside of our doors and hallowed halls. This is particularly true in the community college setting. Our students do not reside in dormitories that take them away from their homes and neighborhoods each semester. Some of our students reside in communities where they witness the very issues so many only see on the news or on social media. As one of my students once stated, we do not live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), we live with Constant Traumatic Stress Disorder (CTSD).
Many of my students, living in the inner city of Baltimore, MD, have had mostly negative encounters with the police. Students have recounted experiences of being constantly surveilled, harassed and intimidated by those who are sworn to protect and serve in their communities. The sight of a police car causes anxiety, fear and thoughts of survival. These experiences have left them feeling distrustful with an “us against them” mentality when interacting with the police. Conversely, in the same classroom, I have had students residing in suburban or rural communities where their experiences have been the polar opposite of their classmates. Some of my students reside in communities where police exist in the background of their lives. They see the police as a part of their community who operate in a necessary role when needed. With such different experiences, it can be difficult for one group to fully understand the experiences of the other.
Specifically, in the discipline of sociology, conversations on systemic and institutionalized racism are critical in the academic setting. The discipline provides us with the language and tool kit to frame discussions on the social construction of privilege, power and disparate life chances among different groups in society.
It is important to begin by surrounding the “idea” of race as a social construct in a historical and cultural context. I work with new faculty on developing lesson plans and instructional ideas around the topics of race, oppression, marginalization and social justice. It is never advisable to just “jump” in to topics that are sensitive and emotionally difficult for our students. This approach may cause some students to undoubtedly withdraw from the discussion. Other students may leave the classroom feeling personally attacked or ashamed on some level. This is never our goal as educators. We want students to become educated and informed on the causes and consequences of systemic racism. Further, we want students to become empowered to make small changes in the context of their social interactions that can have a cumulative effect in society.
One way that I approach topics of race or racial inequalities is through a presentation in which I call “The Game.” As we all know, it is impossible to effectively play any game without first knowing the rules and how the game was written. The interactive presentation requires students to examine the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the United States Constitution (1787) as the founding documents of the nation. The goal of the presentation is for students to read about the idealization of unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness stated in the Declaration of Independence. Students begin to see the disparity from the origin of the nation where African Americans, who were considered the property of white men, were not included in that vision. Further as students read the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution, they see no mention of people of color or of women. It is not until the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th amendments where these groups are afforded citizenship, due process and the right to vote.
This exercise, though basic, is fundamental to scaffolding conversations about race that are relevant today. I have found that this exercise removes tension that could otherwise prohibit a productive conversation on race. We have to find new, creative and engaging methods of talking about systemic racism and racial inequality. We have to create classroom environments where students realize that none of us today are responsible for the historical practices, policies and ideologies that formed the foundation of this country. However, we are responsible for how we move forward with open conversations that can serve as the basis for seeing things clearly with 20/20 vision.
