Creating a Framework for a Culturally Responsive, Inclusive and Anti-Racist Curriculum

As the call to eradicate bias from the criminal justice system continues, and as John Jay works toward a Culturally Responsive, Inclusive and Anti-Racist Curriculum, we asked faculty from our criminal justice-related majors to weigh in on what changes can and should be made to John Jay's criminal justice-related majors.  In this episode Professors Rosemary Barberet (International Criminal Justice B.A.) Christopher Herrmann (Criminal Justice B.S.), Henry Smart (Criminal Justice Management B.S.), Denise D.P. Thompson (Criminal Justice Management B.S.) and Valerie West (Criminal Justice B.A.) share their thoughts about how to expand the types of scholarship taught to be more inclusive, why it makes sense to encourage students to minor in Africana Studies or Latin American and Latinx Studies, and the importance of moving past merely identifying racial bias toward solving the problems underlying or created by bias. This is a frank discussion that balances idealism and pragmatism in equal measure.

In this MUST LISTEN episode, Associate Provosts Dara Byrne and Allison Pease talk with, in order of appearance on the show, Tayvhon Pierce (University Student Senate Representative), Sam Ascencio (Vice President, LGBTQ + Allies Club), DeCarlos Hines (President, Black Student Union), Rivkah Cohen (President, Hillel), and Pelumi Raji-Bolaji (President, International Criminal Justice Club) about how they understand a Culturally Affirming, Inclusive and Anti-Racist Curriculum.  During the episode it becomes clear that a curriculum that is merely "affirming" is not doing enough to acknowledge the experience and knowledge students bring with them to their courses.  Instead, we need a culturally responsive curriculum to create a richer dialogue between professors, students, and the material in any given course.  These brilliant students provide a template for classes that are welcoming, open, and just, and it starts with professors who are humble, as well as socially and politically aware.

As part of our faculty-wide discussion on creating a framework for a culturally affirming, inclusive and anti-racist curriculum, Associate Provosts Dara Byrne and Allison Pease talk with (in order of appearance on the show) Professor Demis Glasford (Psychology), Professor Shreya Subramani (Law and Society), Professor Virginia Diaz-Mendoza (SEEK) and Professor Ray Patton (History and Honors) about how they understand and enact anti-racist curriculum and pedagogy. In particular, this episode explores the importance of bringing students' lived experiences into the classroom to disrupt and challenge established knowledge.

As part of our faculty-wide discussion on creating a framework for a culturally affirming, inclusive and anti-racist curriculum, Associate Provosts Dara Byrne and Allison Pease talk with (in order of appearance on the show) Professor Silvia Mazzula (Psychology), Alexandra Moffet-Bateau (Political Science), And John Gutiérrez (Latin American and Latinx Studies) about how they understand and enact inclusive curriculum and pedagogy. In particular, this episode questions the value of the terms culturally affirming and inclusive as they relate to white supremacy.  In addition Professors Mazzula, Moffet-Bateau and Gutiérrez discuss the effects of white supremacy on their own educations and efforts to engage students.

As part of our faculty-wide discussion on creating a framework for a culturally affirming, inclusive and anti-racist curriculum, Associate Provosts Dara Byrne and Allison Pease talk with (in order of appearance on the show) Professor Henry Smart III (Public Management), Nina Rose Fischer (Interdisciplinary Studies), Jama Adams (Africana Studies), Lissette Delgado-Cruzatta (Sciences), and Monika Son (SEEK) about how they understand and enact culturally affirming curriculum and pedagogy.

Associate Provosts Pease and Byrne discuss the need for curricular change, faculty and student meetings over summer 2020, and next steps for creating a shared framework for our curriculum.