By George Manthey

My 28-year-old son is bi-racial. And because part of his heritage is African-American, he’s actually a whole lot more than “bi.” He’s also exceedingly handsome, and it has often been suggested (with more frequency recently) that he should become a male fashion model. At the word “handsome” you probably figured out that he doesn’t get even one of his genes from me. All by himself he is a very “diverse” package.

It’s interesting that we tend to use that word “diverse” when we are trying to describe a group that is “not white,” especially a group that is not “white and male.” You can pick up on this in the job placement ads in EdCal: “Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.” Or in the solicitation for official committee participants: “The SBE is seeking a diverse group of applicants.” I use the word when I encourage a planning committee to ensure that the mix of speakers for a program “is diverse.” What I really mean is, “Make sure that your speakers are not all white males.”

There are times that I’m questioned about that admonition. The question usually comes in the form of being told that the only thing that should be considered is getting the best person available to speak on the topic. While that is true, I also think it’s a bit shortsighted. If folks who are not white males can’t picture themselves as key presenters at major events, then chances are increased that they won’t aspire to be in that role. And, if that happens, then an audience in the future will be deprived of being inspired by a person who could have become the “best person available.”

Effect of the Obama election

A very recent, though quite small, study by respected Harvard educator Ron Ferguson reinforced my thinking on this. Ferguson administered a 20-question test to a sample of African American and white students before and after Barack Obama’s nomination and again before and after the election. In this sample the event itself eliminated the gap in scores between the two groups as the scores of African Americans improved dramatically.

To be conclusive this study would need a larger sample size and have to be replicated, but it makes a point. Until last November, historical odds of a non-white male becoming president were zero (based on that happening zero out of 43 times). In this study the knowledge that a non-white male could become president increased the achievement of the “diverse” group. No other intervention was included in the study. Rarely is “believing that you can” enough to succeed, but even more rarely does success occur without that belief.

Is racism officially over?

I’m not sure what convinced Barak Obama that in spite of the odds he could become president. But I have a hunch it had something to do with the ability to understand what was missing as well as what was present. As we ponder the themes of this issue of Leadership magazine – Achievement, Equity, Diversity – it is important to consider how these concepts interact and how each is dependent on the other.

My son Scott is delighted that Barak Obama is president – something that he didn’t think would or could happen even in his lifetime. However, he has a fear that his friends – well, his white friends – will now think that racism is officially over. Racism won’t be over until diversity is something “we have” rather than something “we seek.”

Diversity lives so beautifully in my intelligent, good-looking, sometimes troubled, often intense, entrepreneurial, dirt poor, creative son. When will we all be able to see both what is there and what is missing? It is right before our eyes.

George Manthey is assistant executive director, ACSA Educational Services.