Taryn Coe mentions that the students and faculty of color in a school do not hold the expectation of teaching white students and faculty of racism. In fact, it is the responsibility of these white students and educators themselves to learn about the systematic injustices the exist in our society to disadvantage people of color. Rather than hearing the experiences of people of color to “understand their experiences,” it is more beneficial, and fair, for white people to do their own hard work of acknowledging and understanding how they benefit from the systematic racism that plagues our country. Recognizing their own privilege is ultimately more beneficial for everyone. It is in the expectations of having people of color be all knowing in race dynamics that further singles them out. When white people are just as much, if not more of a contributor to the inequalities of our society, in an attempt for equality, doesn’t it make more sense for them to be the ones to learn, to make up the difference? Why does the responsibility once again fall onto the shoulders of the minority? Coe also speaks of neutrality; more specifically, how it is not neutral at all. How silence in fact encourages the oppressor, and never helps the victims. Her reference to Elie Wiesel was was memorable as he Wass a figure I had previously learned about. These statements of Coe’s helped me further understand the perspective that Kynard writes from.

Coe also speaks of how her work as a white woman in understanding the way racism underlies many of our social systems has also helped ground her understanding of her environment as a person as well. And in that sense, it has made her a better teacher and parent. Coe’s mention of turning her students’ studies into action was also a similarity I found with the Kynard essay. As much as one can learn about equality and racism, what doesn’t it really amount to if it is information held in silence? Thinking about the ways we can apply our knowledge makes one think beyond just their knowledge of racism and toward how one can change racism.