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CBS asked, “How young is too young to teach kids about race?” For White or Black Kids?
CBS News tweeted a question that started an open debate on the privilege of being taught race.
On November 4, 2021, CBS News tweeted an article asking the question, “How young is too young to teach kids about race?” The tweet started an open debate around who this question really applies to. Some, particularly Black and Brown people, made the argument that the only group of children who need to be taught about race is white kids. Why? Black and Brown children are taught race through their lived experiences with not being White. The only group of children who can grow up not being reminded of the color of their skin is White kids.
Data shows that Black kids are impacted by racism before birth. In fact, the CDC has found that for every 1000 live births, 4.8 White infants die in the first year compared to 11.7 for Black infants. The majority of those Black infants were premature. For decades, scientists and doctors have been studying and trying to understand what causes this major vulnerability for Black women to lose their children. There is now a growing consensus that racial discrimination plays a role in carrying their babies to full-term. You see there’s never a time where Black children are not impacted by…
