Glen Singleton is the president and CEO of Pacific Educational Group (PEG), Inc., a consulting firm that designs and delivers individualized, comprehensive professional development for educators, which addresses issues of educational inequity and systemic racism in the U.S. school system. PEG works with school districts at all levels from beginning teachers to superintendents in order to focus their attention on institutional racism and implementing effective strategies for eliminating racial achievement disparities in schools. Pacific Educational Group defines equity as "raising the achievement of all students, while narrowing the gaps between the highest and lowest performing students, and eliminating racial predictability and disproportionality of which student groups occupy the highest and lowest achievement categories" (Singleton, 2013, p. 71). For the past 20 years, Singleton has used his Courageous Conversations Agreements, Conditions, and Compass to help educators use culturally proficient curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Singleton serves as an adjunct professor of educational leadership at San Jose State University where he instructs graduate students on developing the "requisite will, skill, knowledge, and capacity to lead for racial equity" (Singleton, 2013, p. xx). He is an internationally recognized keynote speaker and has lectured at the University of California, Berkeley, on the topic of educational equity. He has served on the California State Board of Education's African American Advisory Committee, shaping equitable, educational policy for California's lowest performing students of color. He is the founder of the Foundation for a College Education (FCE) and currently serves on the FCE Advisory Board. More Courageous Conversations about Race (2013) is his second book on educational inequity and systemic racism.
More Courageous Conversations about Race (2013) restates Singleton's original premise that in order to address racial achievement disparities in education, leaders must discuss race and have the will, skill, knowledge, and capacity to deepen and sustain such dialogue. He defines the racial achievement gap as "racial achievement disparities in education" (Singleton, 2013, p. 2), and explicitly discusses his goals in writing a second book: (a) "stat[e] exactly what must be said to enlist the confidence of and maintain [the author's] credibility among racially conscious people of color, (b) craft a revision [of Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools, 2006] that does not overwhelm or alienate [the] majority White readership, and (c) move the Courageous Conversations approach from theory to practice" (Singleton, 2013, pgs. 3-5).
The problem in U.S. Educational systems is simply stated, but very complex in nature: American schools were never designed to authentically educate students of color. Instead, schools in the United States marginalize and under-educate children of color. Singleton clarifies this second book offers no "quick fix" to systemic problems in education. Instead, he reconfirms his original point from Courageous Conversations about Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools (2006), offering readers many opportunities for reflection, challenging prompts to personalize the themes discussed, and current educational research to support the points made and to apply creating an adaptive solution to ending systemic racism in schools. To do this, Singleton (2013) wants to "engage readers in narratives that compel [them] to synthesize [their] knowledge and transform it into direct and measurable action" (p. 7). He also offers counter-narratives that illustrate the effects of privileged school systems. Each chapter is organized into three sections (a) a contextualized discussion of the chapter's theme, (b) essential questions for the reader in order reflect on one's own racial equity leadership, and (c) Voices from the Inside: personal vignettes of current educators working to end educational inequity.
More Courageous Conversations about Race focuses on implementation of the theories presented in his earlier book. Therefore, if you have not previously read Courageous Conversations about Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools (2006), I highly recommend you do so before reading this text. Doing so will give you better context for understanding the Courageous Conversations Agreements, Conditions, and Compass before you begin deepening your understanding of the protocol and advancing your implementation in your current school setting.
I became a racial equity leader after attending one of Pacific Educational Group's training sessions led by Glen Singleton. Mr. Singleton's words resonated with me in a way that no other professional development had done before. As a White, male, Elementary-school teacher, I began my race-awareness journey like many of the White educators in the book: disbelief that such a problem exists, guilt for unconsciously perpetuating such a severe problem as systemic racism in public education, and finally passion and motivation to work to end racial achievement disparities in education. After participating in the training seminar and reading Courageous Conversations about Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools, I set out to end these disparities as best I could. Inevitably, I became discouraged as slow progress and constant impediments prevented me from making the personal and professional progress I expected of myself. At a particularly low point, I attended one of our school district's community forums where Glen Singleton was the keynote speaker. Once again, I listened to the message, absorbed the research and data presented, and looked to be inspired yet again to continue my mission to end racial disparities in my classroom and school. At the end of the program, I went to purchase a copy of Courageous Conversations about Race, not owning a personal copy. Glen gave me a free copy and wrote an inscription that was a much needed dose of purpose: "You owe me 100%!"
Years later and discouraged yet again, I needed Glen's words to restart my passion and purpose. I needed More Courageous Conversations about Race. I never lost my civic and moral responsibility to educate all students well, especially my students of color. I have always insisted that I be a positive agent of change toward excellence and equity in education. However, as a human being, I naturally get discouraged, tired, and at times disgruntled at the current system of education in the United States which excludes and marginalizes students and families of color. When reading More Courageous Conversations about Race, one cannot help but be inspired to make positive change. Singleton has dedicated his entire life to ending racial disparities in education, and it is quite apparent within the pages of More Courageous Conversations about Race.
More Courageous Conversations about Race is organized into 12 chapters. Within these chapters, Singleton addresses the obvious question of why another book on Courageous Conversations about Race, revisits the Courageous Conversations protocol from his previous book, and discusses what has changed in the seven years since the publication of Courageous Conversations about Race (2006). Throughout these sections, Singleton presents his analysis of theories, which support his goal. For example, he presents social intelligence theory, critical race theory, cultural layering and a critique of liberalism, systems theory, and culturally relevant pedagogy. The validity and reliability of his meta-analysis of an extensive range of theoretical perspectives supports his stated purpose as an author and a racial equity leader. There is no doubt that More Courageous Conversations is an academic text. Singleton's references are detailed and relevant to existing research and frameworks related to systemic racism and race identity. In order to make More Courageous Conversations readable and accessible to educators that may or may not be familiar with academic texts or theoretical perspectives, Singleton uses footnotes and personal analyses of specific theories. For example, when discussing critical race theory, he does not use in-text citations such as: Crenshaw (1989) and McCall (2005) discuss the concept of intersectionality and how it is useful for educators to seek to understand and extract authentic racial meaning from their lived experiences (Katz, 2003; 2009; McIntosh, 1989; Helms, 1990; 1992; 1995; Harris, 1993; 2005). Instead, he references pertinent theorists using a narrative voice using footnotes and a recommended reading section cited in APA-style referencing format located at the end of the book. This simultaneously makes the text easier to read and includes Singleton's own analyses.
Singleton has sufficiently discussed the topic of systemic racial equity throughout the book. He discusses all pertinent theories related to race and education, including an entire chapter on Native American and Latino students that was not previously included in the first Courageous Conversations (2006). He creates a framework for achieving racial equity in education beginning with preschool and continuing on through higher education. Twenty-five percent of the book is dedicated to taking culturally responsive leadership from theory and moving it to direct practice in school systems. Finally, Singleton ends the book with a case study from Eden Prairie School District and how their racial climate has changed as a result of working with Pacific Educational Group and successfully implementing the Courageous Conversations protocol. He presents pre and post data to illustrate that "nearly every sub-group saw gains and progress toward the elimination of the achievement gap" (Singleton, 2013, p. 286).
My own analysis of systemic racism and racial achievement disparities in education are similar to Singleton's. As a classroom teacher and a racial equity leader, I have created "pockets of excellence" and observed "random acts of equity" throughout my school district (Singleton, 2013, 163). I have personally witnessed principals forced out of their position because cohorts of White, racist teachers and parents are unwilling to engage in systemic transformation. Eliminating systemic racism is overwhelmingly difficult, especially when administration does not have a deep understanding of equity theory and transformation process. An "effective principal is the determining factor in whether equity theory is converted into practices that transform teachers, who in turn influence student learning" (Singleton, 2013, p. 195). I agree with Singleton's (2013) evidence, analysis, arguments, predictions, and conclusions about the state of education in the United States. As a teacher, I continue to challenge myself personally and professionally as I work to close the educational opportunity gap for students of color. I highly recommend this book and Courageous Conversations about Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools (2006) to anyone working in education or who has school-aged children. The conversations I am having with my students, parents, and colleagues need to be broadened on a national level so that no matter the state, every child has opportunities for academic rigor. The urgency with which systemic changes need to be made is always present. There will always be constraints and/or limitations to any inquiry into the racial achievement gap. It is vitally important that we, as educators, mentors, and role models ask this one question: Do we have the will to educate all children? Dr. Asa G. Hilliard believes:
"The knowledge and skills to educate all children already exist. Because we have lived in a historically oppressive society, educational issues tend to be framed as technical issues, which deny their political origin and meaning. There are no pedagogical barriers to teaching and learning when willing people are prepared and made available to children. If we embrace a will to excellence, we can deeply restructure education in ways that will engage teachers to release the full potential of all our children" (Hilliard, 1995).
I'm willing. Are you?
References
Helms, J.E. (Ed.). (1990). Black and white racial identity: Theory, research, and practice. Westpoint, CT: Greenwood.
Helms, J.E. (1992). A race is a nice thing to have: A guide to being a White person or understanding the White persons in your life. Topeka, CS: Content Communications
Helms, J.E. (1995). An update of Helms' White and people of color racial identity models. In J.G. Ponterotto, J.M. Casas, L.A. Suzuki, & C.M. Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (pp. 181-198). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hilliard, A.G., III. (1995). The maroon within us: Selected essays on African American community socialization. Baltimore, MD: Black Classic Press.
Katz, J.H. (2003). White awareness: Handbook for antiracism training. Tulsa: University of Oklahoma Press. (Original work published 1978)
Katz, J.H. (2009). White culture and racism: Working for organizational change in the United States. Roselle, NJ: Crandall, Dostie, & Douglass Books. Retrieved from [...]
McIntosh, P. (1989). "White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack." In Margaret L. Anderson & Patricia Hill Collins (Eds.), Race, class, and gender: An anthology (pp. 103-107). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomas Learning.
Singleton, G.E., & Linton, C. (2006). Courageous conversations about race: A field guide for achieving equity in schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Singleton, G.E. (2013). More Courageous Conversations about Race. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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