Diversity and Race
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
With the help of Oakwood Schools staff and the Wright Memorial Public Library, we are developing a list of resources to help parents and students talk about diversity and racism.
Diverse Book Finder
Children's and Young Adult Books
If you're look for books for your child about diversity and race, here are recommendations from Oakwood Schools staff members and the Wright Memorial Public Library.
Here's a read aloud from Oakwood Preschool Teacher Miss Rogers of the book "Say Something" by Peter Reynolds.
All Ages
2019 Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners - arranged by age, from preschool to young adult. Awards are re given to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.
Children Need Diverse Books - Wright Memorial Public Library Children's Librarian Karen Mills helps parents build an inclusive bookshelves for their children
A Mighty Girl - a list of books on prejudice and discrimination that can be sorted by age and reading level
Elementary Reading Level
Young Adult/Teen Reading Level
Their Eyes Were Watching God - for young adults. The book, first published in 1937, has become the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon of African-American literature.
Parent Resources
Here's a collection of blogs, podcasts, videos and a reading list for parents and educators looking for information on how to share information about diversity and race with children.
- Teaching Your Children About Race - a guide for parents and educators from Teaching for Change
- A Class Divided - 1985 episode of the PBS series Frontline that profiles Iowa schoolteacher Jane Elliott and her class of third graders, who took part in an exercise about discrimination and prejudice in 1970 and reunited in the present day to recall the experience. A companion to the video can be found on YouTube
- Talking Race with Young Children - 20-minute podcast from NPR
- Are Your Kids Too Young to Talk About Race - graphic illustration that provides guidelines for how to approach the topic of race and diversity with children of different ages
- Antiracist Reading - a reading list for adults compiled by the Wright Memorial Public Library
- Let's Talk: How to Talk to Kids About Race - an online series about talking to kids about race, racism and cultural differences from PBS. Host Karen Tao sits down with parents to have lively conversations about race and racism and how these topics inform their family life.