The Skin I’m in
I feel that this book provides an
important insight into the varying degrees of “blackness” that are part of
minority communities. I was often stunned at the racist hierarchy of the
students, which had caused Maleeka so much alienation and pain. For the most
part, I think middle school students should know about this rarely mentioned
problem of racism amongst minorities. I felt that it was extremely alarming
that the closer a minority was to being white, the greater their popularity in
the school. This book can definitely be used in the classroom as a way to help
students of all races realize this various grades of racism outside of the
typical black or white dualism. I have witnessed this type of minority racism
towards a Kenyan girl in my classroom. She had very dark skin and some of the
lighter skinned girls would often give her a hard time or demean her in the
class. Often, she sat in the corner and seemed distant from the other African
American students. I feel that this book is not just a historical story, but
also one that can easily be understood by present-day behaviors of
minority-on-minority racism. By having a dark skinned girl from Africa in the
classroom, it is obvious that this book could have a major impact on racial
behaviors that I have experienced. Yes, this book should be a mandatory because
it would make the students aware of this aspect of racial identity amongst
minority groups. 
I was very moved by this story but this is the first time that I have ever used it in this class. For some reason I feel it is a tough book for students to read. In many ways it is cruel. However, students can be cruel to each other for no reason at all. I guess that that is the theme of this story............acceptance!!! One could say that the treatment of the girls to Maleeka is, in fact, bullying. I consider this teacher to be a true heroine and a fabulous teacher. I am glad that you enjoyed this book and sugget that you pick up some other Sharon Flake stories. Dr. Ries
ReplyDeleteI understand how this book can be very difficult to read in the classroom because many students (both black and white) have a hard time understanding color gradients in interracial social interaction. Maleeka, after all, is racially judged by a darker skin tone, which might be confusing for a reader because they do not expect lighter skinned African Americans to exploit another member of their race. And it is true, Maleeka is like so many other students in that they want to be accepted, which explains why she is willing to make a deal with Char. I think many students might be baffled that Maleeka would make such a deal, but young people can naïve and gulled into unfair agreements in social settings. I think “bullying” is definitely a questionable term, and you are right, the issue of acceptance makes the agreement between Maleeka and Char cooperative, rather than a one-sided attack on Maleeka’s skin color. Also, the teacher is definitely a great guide for young readers that Flake utilizes to help understand the complexities of racial blackmail and the humility in which she helps Maleeka understand a complex world. While this book may be difficult for students to understand at this age level, Miss Saunders is a character that helps to unify and explain some of the confusing interracial bigotry that goes on between the different students. I will definitely check out Flake’s other novels, her racial topics are unusual and they provide deeper insight into interracial minority experiences in a white hegemonic world.
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