Beyond Lip Service: Decolonizing Children's Literature for Promoting Racial Pride,Equity,Achievement,and Liberation (REAL) *

Abstract

Children in P-12 schools are growing up in racially tumultuous times, despite the promises of desegregation since Brown vs. Board of Education. Multicultural education, included under the umbrella of equity, diversity, and inclusion, is under attack and illegal in an increasing number of school districts. Advanced placement in Black history and psychology courses and the use of diverse literature written for children and young adults have been banned by many school districts nationally. Educators are being threatened, sanctioned, reprimanded, and fired. Despite this, some teachers stand steadfast in their commitment to pedagogies that use authentic, high-quality literature about and by minoritized scholars. In this publication, I discuss the importance of gifted and talented education (GATE) students being taught Black history and culture that centers diverse literature that recognizes, respects, and celebrates similarities and differences within and across cultures including ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical, cognitive and emotional ability, geographic location, language, and religion. Many GATE students are avid readers and like other students, they benefit from an education that includes diverse literature. Further, I use Racial Pride, Equity, Achievement, and Liberation (REAL) to underscore the monumental need for multicultural literature due to its multitude of benefits to Black and other minoritized students. In other words, children's literature can and must be decolonized, which is supported by Bishop’s metaphor of “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.”

Keywords

Identity positioning language bilingual theory

Context

Before delving into this chapter's content, I believe that context and self-disclosure are important. My passion for gifted and talented education (GATE) especially racial equity is both personal and professional. My experiences as a low-income Black GATE student and then a mother of a son propelled me into the field. We both had negative experiences that often diminished the positive experiences. Previously, I have spoken about my story as a high schooler at a private school on an academic scholarship (Chenoweth, 2020). It was racially and economically traumatic, and to this day is the worst educational experience of my life—from preschool to PhD.

Then I became a single, teenage mother (1979) and from the beginning of his schooling, my son experienced a multitude of negative experiences from being denied early entrance into kindergarten to not scoring well on a biased test to being hyperdisciplined to the point that he wanted to drop out of school in grade 2. He became a gifted and talented underachiever, which compelled me to study underachievement among GATE Black students in my dissertation and, later, to write my first book with my son and other Black students in mind.

As I write this chapter in 2024, I still witness racial injustices in schools, GATE included. I am justifiably angry—outraged—about this. It is the 70th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) and the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Desegregation, equality, equity, and civil rights have yet to be achieved. GATE plays a major, meaningful, role in this troubling lack of progress. I hope readers keep all of this context in mind while reading this chapter; what is wrong and what needs to change to be antiracist, equitable, and culturally responsive professionals.

Keeping it Racial Pride, Equity, Achievement, and Liberation (REAL): Decolonizing (P-12) Children’s Literature

Racial Pride

Significant attention has focused on the need for high-quality multicultural literature in P-12 education, including GATE (e.g., Ford et al., 2000, 2022; Ford & Tyson, 2023). A highly noted impact is racial pride (R). Most noticeably, Bishop (1990), an esteemed scholar of multicultural literature, authored an essay entitled Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, which made, then and now, a compelling case for including diverse reading materials in the curriculum. The essay posited that exposing students to the diversity of the human experience(s) via multicultural literary works—specifically across culture and race—promotes and enhances racial identity and pride, along with a deeper comprehension of their community and the world (Ford & Tyson, 2023).

According to Bishop (1990), “mirror” books are those in which minoritized children can see themselves reflected, “windows” books offer glimpses into the lives and experiences of people from different backgrounds and cultures. Furthermore, “sliding glass doors” extend the metaphor to include books that allow readers to immerse themselves in stories and experiences that differ from their own, allowing them to imagine and explore other worlds and viewpoints. Bishop and other scholars have decades of research and theory-to-practice demonstrating that exposure to diverse literature can foster greater self-awareness, increased self-esteem, and racial pride. Furthermore, like multicultural education, such literature can foster empathy and respect for different communities, equipping readers with the tools to engage in transformational activism and create positive change in the world (Bishop, 1993; Ford et al., 2000; Gunn & Susan, 2023; Keifer & Tyson, 2022; Park & Tyson, 2010; Tyson, 2002).

Bishop's (1990, 1993) framework on mirror and window books reminds us that all students benefit from exposure to multicultural literature in which they see themselves not just reflected but also affirmed as children of color. This analogy is useful in reminding educators to ensure that readings—all curricular content—are authentic (rigorous and culturally relevant) as I discuss in Multicultural Gifted Education (Ford, 2010) and my Bloom-Banks Matrix (described later in the chapter; also visit drdonnayford.com for readings and sample matrices).

Multicultural books (mirrors) contribute to the conceptual framework of decolonizing the classroom bookshelf because adopting more diverse children's literature supports challenging the status quo, elevating marginalized voices, and fostering a sense of belonging and identity for all children—not just self-esteem and self-concept, but racial identity. It ensures that the stories we read with and to all children are reflective of the diverse realities of our global society (Ford & Tyson, 2023). Regarding REAL, for many GATE students, reading is a joy; these avid readers want to make personal connections to the characters, topics, and issues. They also want classmates to read about them, empathize, and show positive regard.

A final word on racial pride is that educators must become familiar with theories of racial identity development. For Black students, I rely extensively on Cross’ (2001) Nigresence Theory, defined as the process of becoming Black. The stages and phrases (preencounter, immersion–emersion, and internalization) along with encounters (i.e., racism) are essential for understanding not just social and emotional learning (SEL) in general but SEL via a racial and cultural lens specifically.

Achievement

Achievement can be defined in several ways. Herein, I am referring to academic and assessment performances—grades and test scores. Achievers are performing average or higher; low achievers are performing below average; underachievers perform below their predicted and expected potential; and the achievement gap compares students of color to White students on grades and test scores; the gap exists when they perform lower than White students (Ford, 2011).

To promote achievement and prevent low achievement, underachievement, and achievement gaps, I argue that all curricula must be authentic, positive, and asset-based. One of my books (Wright et al., 2022) on multicultural literature for Black boys in P-3 was written with high regard for rigor and relevance and, thus, achievement (A). All of the protagonists are young Black boys with whom Black male students would enjoy reading about, as well as identifying and connecting with. Herein and in other places, I place the utmost regard on bibliotherapy (Ford, 2010, 2011) to increase interest and engagement in reading among all students, regardless of reading skills.

Equally important, even disinterested, low-achieving, and underachieving GATE students of color become interested and deepen their engagement with content when they are given an opportunity to read multicultural—mirror—literature. GATE students may be accelerated readers who engage with materials that typically exceed the age-appropriate norms. These students often have a deep and avid interest in reading, are highly motivated when facing challenging tasks, and have an extensive vocabulary. Considering these traits/characteristics, teachers providing literature that encourages critical analysis, elevated evaluation, and transformative thought processes is paramount. Improving academic achievement is central to educational decolonization.

Equity

There is a difference between equality and equity. Equality is doing the same thing for students, regardless of their differences. Equity takes into account differences, including culture. With equity, all students are given books to read. With equity, students are given books to read from and about their culture, as already discussed with multicultural, mirror books.

Again, the 70th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) is being celebrated and reevaluated (Kyaw, 2024). As I noted in Diverse Issues in Higher Education, equality must be replaced with equity (Ford, 2024 as quoted in Kyaw, 2024). Decolonization is operating when equity is front and center of the educational enterprise.

Adopting literature that embodies diversity, equity (E), inclusion, and justice can play a pivotal role in establishing a classroom environment where minoritized students feel a sense of belonging/belongingness. All students, no matter their racial, ethnic, or cultural heritage, will find connections with rigorous window books. Students of color do not shed who they are as cultural beings when the school rings, upon entering school buildings. With cultural differences comes the need for educators to be responsive—to be equitable.

Liberation

All of the other components of REAL result in liberation (L). The very definition of decolonization is liberation:

Decolonization is the process of undoing and redressing the resulting colonizing practices. It is about ‘cultural, psychological, and economic freedom’ (O’Dowd & Heckenberg) for minoritized people to achieve sovereignty—the right and ability of Indigenous people to practice self-determination over their land, cultures, and political and economic systems. Decolonization is recognizing, examining, and demolishing power structures that carry legacies of racism, imperialism, and colonialism in producing dispositions, knowledge and skills. (Ford & Jules, 2023, para. 3)

Liberation takes place in mindsets/dispositions and actions. I consider it an important foundation for being receptive to becoming antiracist and culturally competent—dispositions, knowledge, and skills—in this order. Hines and I contend that educators can be and must be not just allies for minoritized students, but coconspirators (Ford & Hines, 2023). Allies are indeed advocates for culturally and racially different students. Coconspirators go further by risking pushback when they speak up and challenge injustices. They are willing to take on the status quo, to give up and share their privileges to promote racial justice.

Reflection Facilitates Decolonizing Children's Literature (and More)

Being aware of the scarcity of multicultural literature in schools and libraries (Lee & Low Books, 2020) Tyson and I urge GATE education professionals to “decolonize the bookshelves” (Ford & Tyson, 2023) in their classroom libraries and the books they select when students are assigned to read, along with the book selections included in the curriculum, the syllabus (Ford & Jules, 2023). An examination of the literary canon, research, and readings in classes often reflect narratives from the dominant culture that has a heritage connected to colonialism. Also very important, consider the realization that decolonizing literature is just one aspect and facet of decolonizing GATE overall. This work is not just about books and curriculum, as described in Ford (2010) and dozens of other publications. In other words, GATE must be decolonized.

In addition to reviewing books in the curriculum, we urge GATE professionals to reflect on their own P-12 experiences as students. Introspection is a key variable for change and growth. What books and authors did you read? What multicultural books were assigned and in school libraries? How did you feel reading books by characters who shared and did not share your background/experiences? Who are your favorite authors of color and why? Do you agree with Bishop's (1990, 1993) mirrors and windows conceptual framework? Reflect on your responses and how you arrived at your decisions.

Decolonizing literature requires a commitment to the conceptualization of philosophy followed by action (Belfi & Sandiford, 2021) to select literature that reflects the dynamic representations of humanity. The process of decolonizing literature requires:

a thorough exploration of dominant narratives;

expanding the scope of readings to encompass works authored by individuals who have personally experienced the effects of oppression resulting from colonialism and institutional racism; and

a comprehensive reevaluation of existing literary canons; intentional efforts to diversify them will support actively challenging and dismantling colonial perspectives, power structures, and stereotypes (Mendoza & Reese, 2001; Sianturi & Hurit, 2023). GATE students need and depend on their teachers to decolonize their bookshelves and “level up” with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice at the center of literary offerings, not to “dumb down” instruction with exclusion and censorship (Ford & Tyson, 2023). We offered several recommendations that align with the spirit of and rationale for the decolonization of GATE and all of P-12 education.

Recommendations for Decolonizing Literature and GATE With Intentionality

Undergirding every book and piece of literature (article, chapter, newspaper, blog, etc.) must be authenticity—accuracy. As Tyson and I (Ford & Tyson, 2023; Tyson & Ford, 2023) maintain, the readings must accurately/authentically reflect Black (and other minoritized groups) with regard to the following terms.

Characters

Black characters in the literature are often demonized, including those designated as canons. Attention must be devoted to status and role, occupation, achievement, marital status, and family structure. How are Black characters represented? What negative stereotypes exist in the reading? Also important is to compare their roles and representation to the White characters.

Characteristics

Authentic illustrations help to decrease and, preferably, eliminate negative stereotypes. How are Black males and females illustrated/drawn in terms of skin tone, hair style and texture, language and vocabulary, intelligence, and body structure/type? For example, are darker-skinned Blacks demonized more than lighter-skinned Blacks? Discussions of colorism are essential for literary decolonization. See Norwood's Color Matters: Skin Tone Bias and the Myth of a Postracial America. Are Black females stereotyped with the Jezebel trope? (“Jezebel Stereotypes,” Jim Crow Museum, 2024). Is Black English treated as inferior? (Kurinec & Weaver, 2021). Are Black boys adultified? (The Center for Policing Equity, 2023).

Terminology

The words, terms, and phrases used to describe Black characters must not be deficit-oriented. Offensive terms must not be ignored or trivialized. Furthermore, according to Gordon Allport, antilocution (verbal and nonverbal messages) is a form of prejudice and discrimination. Too often, dark and black have negative denotations and connotations (e.g., dirty, bad, evil, wrong, and illegal; Grewal, 2017). As per Grewal, this “bad is black'’ effect may have its roots in our deep-seated human tendency to associate darkness with wickedness. Across time and cultures, villains are portrayed as more likely to be active during nighttime and to don black clothing. Similarly, heroes are often associated with daytime and lighter colors.

Visuals/Illustrations

Visuals are a form of nonverbal communication. Illustrations and artifacts such as nooses, burning crosses, and white sheets must be interrogated. This is also related to color bias, noted above.

Setting

Where the story takes place speaks volumes about the author's views of Black people. Frequently, the setting is crime-ridden, drug-infested, impoverished, and single family headed by a female. Most works place Blacks in urban settings; few works situate them in rural and suburban settings. Setting biases are, thus, disregarding a significant number of Blacks and their lived experiences across environments.

Context

The situation, problems, and issues must be interrogated for realism, deficit, and asset-based orientations (negative and positive stereotypes). Is the context negative? Positive? Both?

Relevance—the literature must be timely and related to the GATE class/course's focus and purpose. Readings need to be personally and professionally pertinent and interesting to Black students. Recall Bishop's (1990) mirrors and windows analogy. Do the readings fit into the fourth quadrant of my (Ford, 2010) Bloom-Banks Matrix—which is rigorous and relevant?

Multicultural Level

High-quality multicultural literature is one component of the educational curriculum overall. Is the literature at the lowest or highest levels of multicultural education—transformation and social action—according to Banks’ (2018) multicultural infusion mode? Are empathy and compassion endorsed and promoted? Are students encouraged to be agents of change for social justice?

Rigor

To what extent do the readings (i.e., children's literature) promote critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving as defined in revised Bloom's Taxonomy? (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). To what degree are students taught to critique what they read about minoritized individuals and groups?

Counterbalance

Excessive, polemic, and stereotypical focus on any recommendation listed herein promotes colonization, even if unintentional. There must always be readings and discussions that counterbalance and otherwise dismantle distortions.

Multicultural literature supports a GATE classroom context that encourages and promotes critical analysis, elevated evaluation, transformative thought, and consideration of diverse and opposing perspectives. With culture blind and culturally assaultive literature/readings, the covert and overt messages given to minoritized learners is that they and their culture, experiences, language, and history do not matter. And White students miss invaluable opportunities to have windows (Bishop, 1990) to look at the lived experiences, the cultural realities of minoritized populations, to learn compassion, empathy, and respect for people of color, especially their classmates. All efforts must be made to ensure that what all children learn is REAL. As I write this, I am very mindful of book banning and antiequity, diversity, and inclusion movement; I clearly oppose it and urge educators to keep their students in mind and prioritize their interests and needs. All students deserve and want to be affirmed and reflected in all aspects of teaching and learning.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Author Biography

Donna Y. Ford, PhD, is a distinguished professor of Education and Human Ecology in the College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University. She is also a Faculty Affiliate with the Kirwan Institute and the Center for Latin American Studies. She is in the Department of Educational Studies and the Special Education Program. She specializes in gifted and talented education underrepresentation and equity. She has over 300 publications and a dozen books. on EDI, culturally responsive education and curriculum. She is the author of the Bloom-Bank Matrix. Her work has been recognized nationally with rewards and honors. She consults with school districts nationally.

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