Using the Critical Whiteness Theory to Teach for Social Justice

This essay will examine the critical whiteness theory and how it can be used to teach for
social justice. The framework and key ideas of critical whiteness theory will be explored and
then applied, with examples in an educational context. It will be argued that this application
of critical whiteness theory is important as it allows teachers to meet, or at least make
genuine attempts to meet, relevant Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
(AITSL) standards and also teach for social justice in a socially critical approach.

Critical Whiteness theory looks to the past to critically analyse the present issues of whiteness,
white privilege, race, and racism. Firstly, it must be understood that whiteness is not referring
to the colour of one’s skin. Instead, whiteness refers to the dominant culture portrayed within
Australia. This dominant culture is structured by society and changes over time, but in
Australia it continues to describe people of middle-class, Anglo origin (Schulz 2016, p.33). The
discourse of whiteness constructs what is seen to be normal in Australia and encourages fear
of anything which does not fit with this construction of ‘normal’ (Schulz 2016, p.38). People of
the dominant culture experience privileges such as being able to see their race or ethnicity
widely represented on television and media, having majority of people from their racial or
ethnic group in positions of authority, having ancestors who were allowed to attend school in
Australia because of their race, and so on (Schulz 2016, pp.6-7). These privileges are both a
form and a fuel of covert racism within Australia. Consequently, these covert racist ideas and
actions are overlooked among the wide white Australian population. Where racism is often
understood only through overt racist ideas and acts which have largely diminished in modern
times (Schulz & Tur 2016). Critical Whiteness theory aims to identify the silenced voice of
Indigenous people through questioning and analysing the reasons behind the day to day
practices, media portrayal, Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations, and the social
construct of race.

Critical whiteness pedagogy is the application of critical whiteness theory within the
classroom. A critical pedagogy analyses schooling as a cultural and historical process where
students are positioned in relations of power, race, class, gender groups and so on. Critical
pedagogy aims to question these positions of power by questioning student experiences,
texts, teacher ideologies and school policies (Morrell & Reyes 2008, p.23). A critical whiteness
pedagogy is a form of critical pedagogy, where educators are critically aware and act on
understandings of how texts, language, teacher ideologies and school policies can help
shape views of race, create covert racism, whiteness, and white privilege. An important
aspect, when applying critical whiteness pedagogy is to teach students not to see
themselves as either ‘innocent’ or ‘guilty’ of racism. However, educators must teach students
that every individual is a participant in social and ideological networks, which are not of their
own makings but something in which they are able to challenge and understand (Meher &
Tetreaualt 1998, cited in Nicoll 2004). Critical whiteness pedagogy is important as it educates
students to identify and challenge racial ideas in hope to that Indigenous Australians will no
longer be limited by disadvantages, misconceptions or stereotypes.

Educators can apply knowledge and understandings of the complexities of race in Australia
to become critically aware of how language, texts, and activities selected can represent or
misrepresent Indigenous perspectives, histories, and culture. As an educator, I believe it is my
role to seek out resources that accurately represents relationships between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous Australians and apply them in the classroom whenever possible. An example
of an excellent resource is the film September, 2007. The film September challenges
whiteness by presenting whiteness explicitly through stories and characters engaging in
whiteness as a social relationship. September is not about non-Indigenous experiences
opposed to Indigenous experiences but instead explores the interactions and connections of
non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians (Hook 2012, p.112). This film could easily be
incorporated into an English lesson, either run by myself or a recommendation I am able to
make to a fellow colleague. This is an example of explicitly teaching ideas of whiteness
through representation in texts. However, day to day texts which do not have explicit morals
of whiteness can also be used in the classroom as a powerful tool. For example, texts and
information taught in my chemistry classroom. Although chemistry and whiteness may seem
to have no correlation, the idea of critical whiteness pedagogy is to understand that
whiteness is a social construct that has real effects on day to day life (Spanierman, Yeung &
Landrum-Brown 2013, p.18), this including chemistry. A critical whiteness activity which could
be implemented in my chemistry classroom could be as simple as asking students what
chemistry means for Indigenous Australians and how Indigenous perspectives and
knowledge can and are represented in chemistry. This discussion could lead to students
having a deeper understanding of the discourse of whiteness throughout institutionalised
knowledge (Schulz & Tur 2016). By analysing and questioning texts chosen as resources within
my classroom I am able to construct discussions which deconstruct, challenge and transform
students’ views and ideas of race in Australia.

Although texts can be used as a powerful tool for applying critical whiteness in the
classroom, an arguably more effective and ongoing application is language (Schulz & Tur
2016). As an educator, I believe I should strive to always be critically aware of the language
used by myself and others in my classroom and within the wider school community. The
language used to describe Indigenous people and culture plays a crucial role in further
constructing ideas of race (Schulz & Tur 2016). Equally, institutions such as education also
play their role in constructing ideas of race (Schulz & Tur 2016). Therefore, I believe, the
language used in education has a vital role to play in the decolonisation of Australia. I can
critically apply language by selectively choosing how I describe Indigenous and non-
Indigenous Australian’s relations in history and present times.

By applying a Critical Whiteness pedagogy within the classroom, educators are able to meet
the AISTL standards 1.4 and 2.4. To be able to apply a critical whiteness pedagogy, an
educator must develop a deep and broad understanding of the complexities of racism,
culture and relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians (meeting ASTIL
standard 1.4). Educators can use these understandings and knowledge to critically apply
teaching strategies to correct misinformation, of Indigenous cultures and histories, and
replace this information with a more accurate account of social life (Spanierman, Yeung &
Landrum-Brown 2013, p.18). By doing so, educators are able to allow students to have a
clearer understanding and respect for Indigenous histories, cultures, and languages and
therefore meet or at least give a genuine attempt to meet ASTIL standard 2.4. The
understandings of Indigenous perspectives allow educators to build and strengthen relations
between Indigenous communities and education. A healthy relationship between
Indigenous communities and education allows educators to implement teaching strategies
to benefit the wider Indigenous community and promote reconciliation between non-
Indigenous and Indigenous Australians. This is a genuine attempt to meet ASTIL standards 1.4
and 2.4. Counter stories, such as Rasta’s, can play an important role in understanding an
Indigenous perspective of education. Rasta’s counter story voices Rasta’s experience as an
Indigenous father. Rasta is afraid that if he interacts with the school the teachers will think
that his son is just a ‘dumb black’ like his father (McDonald 2003, cited in Schulz 2016, pp.28-
30). By listening to Rasta’s perspective, we as educators can further understand how
education plays a critical role in constructing ideas of race. Therefore, by challenging these
views made by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians educators are able to take
action and genuinely attempt to meet ASTIL standards 1.4 and 2.4.

Applying the Critical Whiteness Theory in the classroom enables teachers to teach for social
justice. Teaching for social justice is extremely important, as education can play a critical role
in creating a socially aware and just society (Starr 1991, p.1). Critical whiteness pedagogy
steers away from conservative approaches of equity for Indigenous students in education
(Starr 1991, pp. 1-6). Instead of this assimilationist approach, critical whiteness pedagogy
yields to a socially-critical approach towards social justice (Starr 1991, pp.1-6). Critical
whiteness pedagogy contributes to the decolonising process by analysing the
representations of social relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians (Elder
2009, cited in Hook 2012, p.114). By doing so, educators are able to enhance students’ self-
awareness of their position in the social construct of race (Spanierman, Yeung & Landrum-
Brown 2013, p.18). By explicitly teaching students about issues of whiteness, white privilege,
race, and racism, educators are able to demonstrate a genuine and true reconciliation
approach. The application of critical whiteness pedagogy in my classroom will aim to
challenge and reshape views of Indigenous Australians and racism within Australia. By
transforming the ideologies of my students, and encouraging other teachers to walk with me
in this journey, I am able to play my role in the ongoing process of decolonisation and
reconciliation (Tur 2016, p.21).

A critical whiteness pedagogy is the application of the critical whiteness theory, where
educators are critically aware and act on understandings of how texts, language, teacher
ideologies, and school policies can help shape views of race, create covert racism,
whiteness, and white privilege. Critical whiteness pedagogy has many applications within the
classroom which help teachers make a genuine attempt to meet the ASTIL standards 1.4 and
2.4. The application of critical whiteness pedagogy teachers for social justice in a socially
critical approach. Where educators enhance students’ self-awareness of their position in the
social construct of race and promote active change in personal views and actions towards
Indigenous Australians.
References

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