Invisible Child: A Spotlight on Life in the Shadows
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
When does racial bias begin? In the early years of life. Where does it lead? To a knee pressed on the neck of an unarmed black man as he gasps for breath. And how can we build a world in which black lives matter in the hearts of all? These questions are on everyone’s mind as the country erupts in protests over the killing of George Floyd while in police custody. Recent events would have grieved Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a great proponent of peaceful protest. The violence that racial bias breeds is a source of deep concern for all us here at the Council for Professional Recognition. We’re committed to ensuring that early childhood teachers have the right stance on tolerance and hold themselves to a high standard of inclusion.
The Council knows that racial awareness takes root early in development. Babies recognize differences, and by age two, they become attuned to the biases shown by family members. The officers who condemned Floyd to death may have learned prejudice at their parents’ knees. But more prejudice is caught than taught because young children don’t naturally see race from a negative perspective. What I have observed in classrooms as a teacher is that children may feel a sense of befuddlement when they encounter differences, but they can navigate through it to make close bonds. And teachers shepherd that process by helping young children build belief systems that accept those who are different.
As our educators work with children during their most formative years, they need to know the difference between equity and equality, according to Linda Hassan Anderson, the Council’s chairman of the board. Equality means treating everyone the same. On the other hand, “equity,” as she points out, “means providing each person with the resources they need to reach their potential.” Giving all young children access to quality early education is a good start, but it’s not enough. Different children need different types of support.
As educators, we must be sensitive to the social context that can inspire challenging behaviors. Research shows that children of color are punished more often than their white peers and that black preschoolers account for 47 percent of preschool suspensions though they make up only 19 percent of preschool enrollment. Children who feel like a failure in the first few years often fail as adults, leading to a poverty cycle that can infect generations.
The impact of racial violence also spreads between people, like the pandemic that’s now taking its greatest toll among people of color. Educators don’t have the expertise to help find a vaccine for the virus, but we can inoculate children’s minds against prejudice and the social pathologies it spawns. Our remedy for racial bias is to spread empathy, tolerance and understanding in the early childhood setting.
As we strive to promote justice, we have much to learn from the past. Yet, we don’t reflect enough on the legacy of nonviolent change left by Dr. King, Fred Shuttlesworth and other civil rights leaders of the sixties. As a black man who grew up in Alabama, I’m a benefactor of the changes they produced through peaceful protest. Now I just want to do my part to fight for the rights of others and help them overcome injustices they may encounter. At the same time, I feel that the most important thing that people of color can do is to vote. I firmly support peaceful demonstration, but we need to use the ballot box to make systematic change.
In the meantime, the early childhood field can make a difference. As our educators reach out to children, they should let the children talk about what they’re feeling, provide them with rich literature and tell personal tales of triumph that help them cope with confusion. It’s especially crucial during a crisis like this, but our efforts shouldn’t end during calmer times. I worry about children living in a world that’s generally filled with violence and misunderstanding. So, I urge our educators to work all year long to stem the plague of prejudice—and promote healing instead of hatred. Together, we must spread the message that black lives matter every day.
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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