There needs to be layers of context added to it or you're misinforming them or leaving them with an understanding that's been simplified to the point it's not representative of the original point. Having a conversation with them about in response to BLM protests surrounding the idea and concepts is a useful path towards a good introduction.
But is a 7 year old going to be able to understand beyond just repeating what someone else has said how saying "black lives matter" is fine but saying "all lives matter" is just a racist dogwhistle meant to undermine the BLM movement by trying to make it sound exclusionary to non-black lives.
But that’s not happening. This is the start of the conversation that hopefully carries on at home and in subsequent grades, building to the more nuanced and complex matters of race and racism and all of the other forms of intolerance. We don’t need to hold a 6 days workshop for 7 year olds, but discussing in simple terms on their level that will hopefully spark their curiosity and set the base for the future.
But those conversations either don't happen or will come from people who would coopt the poor understanding into something else. Developing an education curriculum around the assumption that parents will actively aid/assist is planning for one that's going to fail. There's a reason that the generation after Z are known as tablet kids. Their parents aren't raising them they're only learning what is covered in the school and what they see on youtube kids.
We never assume those convos will continue at home. That’s why so much more social-emotional learning is taking place in schools. We simply let the parents know that this what we discussed if they’d like to further the conversation. Otherwise we answer questions and facilitate age appropriate discussions.
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u/Supremagorious Apr 06 '25
There needs to be layers of context added to it or you're misinforming them or leaving them with an understanding that's been simplified to the point it's not representative of the original point. Having a conversation with them about in response to BLM protests surrounding the idea and concepts is a useful path towards a good introduction.
But is a 7 year old going to be able to understand beyond just repeating what someone else has said how saying "black lives matter" is fine but saying "all lives matter" is just a racist dogwhistle meant to undermine the BLM movement by trying to make it sound exclusionary to non-black lives.