Systemic racism is very much real

I am disheartened to read Jay Bergman's opinions against teaching students about racial issues which he shared in his article “Parents right to resist indoctrination of students” (2022). I wish to remind you that slavery was a common practice in the U.S. from 1619 to 1865. These 246 years were then followed by another 100 years of laws and practices created to oppress and segregate Black individuals, including the Jim Crow laws. These laws demonstrate overt and intentional ways in which the U.S. government permitted and encouraged the systemic oppression of Black individuals for 346 years.

The opinion that systemic racism does not exist insinuates that the consequences of 346 years of oppression and segregation could be wiped away in a matter of 73 years. On the contrary, concrete evidence shows that Black individuals are still struggling under the weight of racist practices. This systemic oppression is exemplified in that Black individuals are more likely than white individuals to experience poverty (18.8 percent vs 7.3 percent); Black men are six times more likely than white men to be imprisoned; Black individuals (especially women) are much more likely to be evicted than white individuals.

In conclusion, concrete evidence of systemic racism and its consequences on Black Americans shows that systemic racism is fused to the history of the U.S. and is still affecting our population. Therefore, omitting this information when teaching students about the U.S.'s history and current events would be deceiving our youth.

Steffany Gomes

Middletown