Two Guys Walk into a School, One Black, One White. Field Notes from the Front Lines of Antiracist School Counseling and Education-Part 2, Strategies & Initiatives

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Presentation Summary:

The unlikely meeting between two educators, one Black, one White, led to a discussion on institutional racism within education. Within their capacities as a math teacher and a school counselor, a commonality was found through their efforts to mitigate and combat the negative impacts of racism in education.  Their experiences on the frontlines of antiracist education will be shared in a dynamic format that includes the presentation of facts and dual interviews where they exchange ideas and strategies for antiracism efforts for all educators in the k-12 environment.

Current trends in diversity, equity, and anti-racism training must focus on all educators from all backgrounds in leading such efforts. As such, part two of this workshop will focus on the integration of anti-racism strategies and initiatives in education from the experiences and perspectives of the presenters. Their unique backgrounds and unlikely pairing will be put forward as a model for antiracism collaboration.  Finally, factors that inhibit anti-racism efforts in education and solutions for bringing about systemic change through the integration of anti-racism efforts will be presented.

Presenters:

Tylon Crook, Liberty University

Dr. Crook, a national board-certified counselor, began his career as a school counselor working with high school students. He is a licensed school counselor in OH, MS, and GA. His experiences include working at the elementary, middle, and high school levels within traditional public and magnet schools. As a mental health counseling practitioner, Dr. Crook primarily works with children, adolescents, and their families in agency and private counseling settings. He specializes in crisis and trauma, youth mental health, career development, and social justice advocacy in counseling and education. Dr. Crook’s research agenda is primarily focused in the areas as well. Specific topics of focus include implicit bias reduction training, the school to prison pipeline, culturally competent school counselors, and mental health within the African American community and church.Jay Wamsted, Cobb County School District

Jay Wamsted has taught math at Benjamin E. Mays High School in southwest Atlanta for fourteen years. His writing has been featured in various journals and magazines, including “Harvard Educational Review,” “Mathematics Teacher” and “Sojourners.” He can be found online at “The Southeast Review,” “Under the Sun” and the “TEDx” YouTube channel, where you can watch his 2017 talk “Eating the Elephant: Ending Racism & the Magic of Trust.”