A Built-in Crap Detector. Many youth I have come to know have a special gift: they're experts at sussing out pretense and hypocrisy. It's like a "built-in crap detector."
This is true for all youth, but it takes on a certain existential urgency for many black and brown youth, who tend to be already on guard for any semblance of prejudice they may encounter. Before they can fully engage -- whatever it may be -- in class, in athletics, the arts or in the extra-curricular live of their school -- they first need to have their skepticisms disconfirmed. If adults can't pass their "smell test" -- they will disengage. It is only if adults pass their "smell test" will they fully engage.
At the same time, youth can remain remarkably naive. Go figure... . Who says they are fully rational beings?
This is true for all youth, but it takes on a certain existential urgency for many black and brown youth, who tend to be already on guard for any semblance of prejudice they may encounter. Before they can fully engage -- whatever it may be -- in class, in athletics, the arts or in the extra-curricular live of their school -- they first need to have their skepticisms disconfirmed. If adults can't pass their "smell test" -- they will disengage. It is only if adults pass their "smell test" will they fully engage.
At the same time, youth can remain remarkably naive. Go figure... . Who says they are fully rational beings?