Creative Child July 2020 | Page 16

special feature 10 Ways to Increase Racial and Cultural Literacy BY: Deborah Song When thinking about raising kids to be more tolerant, my mind always zeroes in on a scene in American History X: Dad and son discuss the merits of the son’s black teacher. The son, played by Edward Norton, is enamored with his black professor. Dad discounts the son’s teacher based on race. The chink in the armor was subtle and seemed innocuous enough at the time, but it teared open a gash for a deluge of hate that would consume the son as an adult. 15