Fighting Racism in Biology Class

Nona Willis Aronowitz, of GOOD, relates a new study which suggests quality genetics education could help fight racism in the biology classroom.  Unfortunately, Aronowitz is less convinced.  Here are some basics.  We humans comprise the same species because of our similar genetics.  When asked, most people assume that two humans share only about 56%.  In reality, two humans share about 99.9% of the same DNA.  Needless to say, the 0.1% leads to a great amount of diversity but we are all essentially the same.  Many geneticists and social scientists have concluded that humans lack the genetic diversity to describe distinct races.

As a biology teacher, I spend a lot of time discussing the genetics of race.  I am fascinated by the evolution of human skin color and how race plays a role in our society.  I have used the PBS special, Race: The Power of an Illusion, to help make the point that we are one species and that race doesn't exist.  But, race still has a dramatic impact on how we perceive others.

I am hopeful that education and information can substantially disarm the ignorance of racism and bigotry.  If no single gene separates any two "races" of humans, then we can get past these misconceptions.  The traits that we characterize certain "races" can be found in many other populations.  Unfortunately, we maximize our minimal differences and confuse cultural with genetic difference.  Place a Palestinian and an Israeli in the same room and you could not tell the difference until we came to the topic of politics and religion.

Racism is based on an ignorance that can be erased through information and immersion.  Biology teachers don't need to be afraid of these topics and take a lead in fighting the biases in the classroom.