"The Silenced Dialogue" - Delpit

 One of the points that stood out to me the most was the fifth aspect of power, explained on page 26. "Those with power are frequently less aware of - or at least willing to acknowledge - its existence. Those with less power are often more aware of its existence." Before starting this course, I hadn't thought of myself as possessing power. In reading Delpit's writing, I can see that I was just ignorant to the power I held. 

On page 29, Delpit quotes a parent, "My kids know how to be black - you all teach them how to be successful in the white man's world." Teaching black students to write and speak in their everyday accepted style could be doing them a disservice. They need to know how to interact with those with in power once they enter the real world, which is most often white males. 

"I further believe that to act as if power does not exist is to ensure that the power status quo remains the same." (Delpit, p39) It is not that I did not believe there was power, but instead had not acknowledged its existence at all. 

Delpit argues that by refusing to acknowledge and discuss the culture power and how it effects the education of multicultural children, we are perpetuating the underlying issues.