When Racism Isn’t a “Teachable Moment”... It’s a Reminder

Why America Still Refuses to Talk Honestly About Race

Recent events have reopened wounds many Black Americans never get the chance to fully heal. The circulation of racist imagery that dehumanizes Black people, particularly comparisons to monkeys, is not just offensive; it is dangerous. These depictions are rooted in centuries-old narratives used to justify violence, exclusion, and the denial of humanity.

For many, these images are shrugged off as jokes, memes, or political theater. For Black Americans, they are reminders. Reminders that no matter our education, our profession, or our proximity to power, our humanity is still up for debate in this country. For me, this moment triggered a memory that still sits heavy.

When Racism Shows Up at Work

Just months ago, while doing my job as a school psychologist, a Hispanic student made monkey gestures and facial expressions toward me and explicitly stated that I looked like a monkey. She laughed. She doubled down. She found it funny.

In that moment, I was many things at once: angry, hurt, disappointed, and deeply confused. Confused, not because racism exists, but because a young Brown student had learned to dehumanize a Black adult with such ease and confidence.

I chose not to respond with the many things I wanted to say. Instead, I chose to educate. I explained why her words and actions were harmful. I modeled restraint and professionalism. I did what educators and school psychologists are so often expected to do: absorb harm quietly and turn it into a lesson.

But let’s be clear — education does not erase impact.

Racism Is Taught. And It’s Rarely Accidental

Children are not born associating Black people with animals. That belief comes from somewhere. It is learned through language, media, silence, jokes, and what is tolerated or dismissed by adults.

When racist imagery circulates publicly and goes unchallenged, it sends a message:

• That dehumanization is acceptable

• That harm can be minimized

• That Black pain is negotiable

When adults laugh it off, ignore it, or frame it as “not that serious,” children are watching. They are learning who is protected, who is mocked, and who is expected to endure. This is why race will always be an issue in this country until we stop treating it like folklore or a misunderstanding instead of a lived reality.

The Burden We Place on Black Professionals

There is an unspoken expectation that Black professionals, especially in education, must always respond with grace. We are expected to be calm, instructive, and forgiving, even when we are the target.

What rarely gets acknowledged is the emotional cost:

• The anger we swallow

• The hurt we carry home

• The way these moments linger long after the conversation ends

Being professional does not mean being unaffected. And choosing to educate does not mean the experience stops hurting.

Why Avoiding the Conversation Is a Choice. And a Harmful One

Many people insist that talking about race “keeps it alive.” In reality, avoiding the conversation is what allows racism to thrive unchecked. Silence protects comfort, not people. Until we are willing to confront racist ideas directly, especially with those who dismiss them as exaggerations or falsehoods, nothing changes. Racism doesn’t disappear because we’re tired of talking about it. It disappears when it’s named, challenged, and dismantled.

Black History Month Is Celebration and Survival

Black History Month is meant to be a time of celebration. A time to honor the brilliance, innovation, resilience, and contributions Black people have made and continue to make to this country. From science and education to art, activism, and culture, Black history is not a sidebar to American history. It is American history. And yet, for many of us, Black History Month is also a reminder. A reminder that while our greatness is praised in theory, our presence is still questioned in practice.

Every day, I show up as a Black man in predominantly white spaces. Spaces where I am often the only one who looks like me. Spaces where I am hyper visible and invisible at the same time. Where I must constantly prove my competence, my credibility, and my right to be there.

I am aware that many of my colleagues, some families I support, and even some students do not care for my existence or my expertise. Not because of my work ethic or knowledge, but because of what my presence represents. A challenge to assumptions. A disruption of comfort. A reminder that brilliance does not look one way.

Black History Month asks us to celebrate Black excellence, but it also demands honesty about the environments Black people are asked to thrive in. Environments that are not always welcoming, affirming, or safe. Celebration without truth is incomplete.

Moving Forward Requires Courage, Not Convenience

If we truly care about equity, education, and the well-being of children, we must:

• Address racist behavior immediately and explicitly

• Educate without minimizing harm

• Hold adults accountable for what children are taught — directly and indirectly

• Stop asking Black people to carry the burden alone

This work is uncomfortable. It is emotional. And it is necessary.

Because for those of us living this reality, racism is not theoretical. It is personal. It is exhausting. And it is still very real!