Antiracist resources that work for kids on the spectrum

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Hi, everybody - long time no see! Popping in because, although my son is mostly grown and doing OK now, I've become something of an advocate for the community here, and one of our school's social workers asked me for antiracist resources specific to kids on the spectrum.

Our school district is very racially, culturally and economically diverse. Because of that, my son was frequently teased and sometimes bullied by kids of color. Because of that, understanding racism was very difficult for him: it's hard to see that there is a system set up to promote one set of kids over another simply based on skin color when those kids are clearly getting the better of you in the present. Of course, over time this became obvious to him but we really struggled during elementary school when the bigger picture wasn't as present.

I put together a list of a few books that I found that were a little better suited to kids on the spectrum just by being more explicit, but I thought I would reach out to the community and see if you have any ideas on books or other resources for kids?

No tips on resources.
But perhaps it's useful to differentiate between tacism and bullying?
And that kids who have experienced racism (or have relatives who have) perhaps are more prone to become bullies?

/Mats

Since everyday life is becoming so political these days, most everything will be seen through the lens of whatever the ascendant political issue is.

A child who is different will be bullied. One who is fat, tall, short, or of a different color can qualify as a target.

John Taylor Gatto wrote a number of interesting books on education. One, "The Underground History of American Education" compares school life for children as similar to another form of institutional life, prison. The influence of peers has a much greater impact than what little supervision is provided.

Children, in particular those from fatherless homes, often display little self control. Children who grow in environments with little or no external discipline, will seldom achieve any internal discipline. This accounts for why so many end up in jail, it is because they may have experienced limits for the first time.

To see these dynamics as racial is so short sighted as to completely misunderstand what is happening.

I am more looking for reading materials - I am assuming the social worker is discussing these issues individually.

timf, I'm going to have to push back on what you said here - I happen to know many children from fatherless homes who are Black who are well-disciplined, and still are targeted by police and our education system in a manner that sets them up for failure, which is the entire point of antiracism.

It isn't about the individuals, but rather the political and structural systems that hold certain groups of people back en masse without considering their individuality or behavior. (A small percentage are allowed to succeed in order to further the narrative that it's about individual responsibility,) If you live in a predominately Black neighborhood as I do you can see that the things that make life convenient for those in power - even little things, like public parking - are set up to prioritize them over the people who are least able to fight back. Many of my neighbors are driven further into poverty because of parking tickets they can't pay, because our neighborhood is more heavily policed for parking than wealthier, whiter areas of town even though parking infractions are just as common there.

Here are some resources about bigotry and racism, including Islamophobia and antisemitism. ​




















The Secret Path by Gord Downie (Frontman of The Tragically Hip), about Indigenous persecution





The Peace Tree is a curriculum series including a movie, a teachers' guide, and a CD of songs.






This film "Paperclips" is incredibly powerful for young learners ^
I believe it's available on Amazon Prime.

Thank you! I hadn't seen some of those!