Most white parents don’t talk about racism with their kids

Research shows that the relatively small number of white parents who do discuss race with their children often use what are sometimes called “colorblind” approaches that downplay racism’s significance in American society. These conversations usually involve emphasizing the sameness between all people, and minimize or deny the idea of differences between races. Typical themes include “not seeing race” or “treating everyone the same,” which ignore or even reject the existence of white privilege and racism.

These discussions can promote a myth of meritocracy that claims anyone can succeed in the U.S. regardless of their race – a belief shared by 57% of the white respondents in our survey. The problem with this colorblindness is that it ignores how racism is embedded in society – for example, in where people live and what kinds of jobs and educational opportunities people have.

By David Chae, Associate Professor – Auburn University; Leoandra Onnie Rogers, Assistant Professor – Northwestern University & Tiffany Yip -Professor – Fordham University