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| Understand that those who attempt to brainwash others tend to prey upon the weak and vulnerable. What's Your Baby's Bar Code? |
- We received two sets of records related to the teaching of critical race theory, including a training course with information about a book titled “Antiracist Baby” that introduces the youngest readers to “the concept and power of antiracism,” and says it’s the “perfect gift” for “ages baby to age 3.”
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| Ibram X. Kendi’s picture book is for young children and the grown-ups in their lives. (Picture: Antiracist Baby/Penguin) |
When is the right time to start talking to your children about racism and antiracism?
Author and academic Ibram X. Kendi thinks it is never to early to start these conversations – and he has written a picture book to help parents teach children from as young as three-years-old.
First published in summer last year, Antiracist Baby is the New York Times bestselling picture book that uses bold illustrations and thoughtful, yet playful, text to introduce the youngest readers and the grown ups in their lives to the concept of antiracism.
‘I wanted to have a tool to be able to talk about being antiracist with my young daughter,’ Ibram tells Metro.co.uk.
‘We typically started conversations on many different topics using books, so why not race and being antiracist?
‘I also wanted to inspire a larger conversation among other parents about how important it is to have these conversations with our children.’
Antiracist Baby provides the language necessary to begin critical conversations at the earliest age, and Ibram says parents shouldn’t shy away from addressing these issues with their kids.
‘It is never too early to talk to children about racism,’ explains Ibram. ‘Just like it is never too early to teach kids to look both ways when they are crossing the street.
‘As early as three months, our babies start distinguishing race-faces. As early as two to three years old, our child start applying racist messages, like choosing who to play with based on skin color.
‘It is much easier to learn antiracist ideas than it is to unlearn racist ideas, as we adults know.’
Ibram says studies show that white parents are the least likely to engage with these issues with their children. They are the least likely to talk about racism with their children.
He adds that adults whose parents talked to them about racism are more likely to recognise racism as a problem in adults and are therefore more likely not to ‘think people of color are a problem, and therefore more likely to be antiracist.’
A study in June 2020 found that 27% of white parents of children between 6 and 11 years old ‘never’ talk with their kids about the need for racial equality.
Another 15% said these conversations were ‘rare’ and 34% said they happened ‘on occasion.’
Those who are talking about race frequently take a ‘colourblind’ approach, which emphasises the sameness between people of different ethnicities, and plays down the importance of acknowledging race and racism.
Conversely, Ibram’s book encourages people to be actively antiracist, which he is says is far more important than simply not being racist, or saying that you ‘don’t see colour’.
‘I would encourage parents to use books as conversation starters,’ says Ibram. ‘And take your kids places where they can see racism, so they can ask why, so you can explain what’s happening: those bad rules instead of those bad people being the problem.
‘It is critical to not shy away from these conversations.’
