The power and responsibilities that come with being white

There were many, many passages in this text that resonated with me, so choosing just one was actually really difficult. I found the following to really sum up the largest impact this text is having on me at the moment:
“To provide schooling for everyone’s children that reflects liberal, middle-class values and
aspirations is to ensure the maintenance of the status quo, to ensure that power, the culture of
power, remains in the hands of those who already have it.” Pg. 28.
I am really starting to understand what the culture of power means and realizing how much power white people have. Being a white person, I feel an extreme sense of responsibility to make sure that I utilize this power in the most responsible and careful way possible. It’s very daunting and rather terrifying to be learning how much power and control I will have not only as being a teacher but as being a white teacher.
Lisa Delpit wants her readers to understand how well intentioned teachers (or not so well intentioned teachers) who don’t understand their position of power and how to use it responsibly are not reaching minority children. I think she is really targeting incoming and current teachers who are like me, white, liberal and naïve to how much power we really hold. She wants us to understand that ignoring our position of power is detrimental to minority students and that if we can face diversity without blinders on that we can actually make a difference instead of thinking we will make a difference. What I mean by this is, instead of going into the classroom thinking that if we treat all the students the same no matter what race they are and that this means we are providing equal opportunities, that we should go into our classroom fully aware of the racial differences and what that means for how each student needs to be taught. Black students have different educational needs than white students and being aware of and addressing those needs is the only way we can provide an equal education for each student.
I have always considered myself a liberal and totally believed that by educating my class and treating my future students the way I would teach and treat my own children that I would be doing the best for every child. I am now understanding how detrimental that mentality is. This realization has definitely led me to explore new ways of teaching. This book has already influenced the way I envision myself teaching. One major realization I am taking away from this is the huge importance of maintaining the integrity of cultural languages. Having a background in journalism, I am always a stickler for grammar, spoken as well as written, and I could see myself wanting to correct the seemingly improper use of grammar that was actually just a different dialect of English that needs to be respected and fostered to maintain the integrity of that child’s culture and background. I definitely don’t want to make that mistake and will be taking away the different approaches of teaching “Formal English” in order to ensure the students know and understand how to use this form of English so they can be successful, but I will also be sure to recognize and encourage the different English dialects that are used by the students in my class so that they will understand and be reassured that their way of speaking is completely acceptable.