inheriting white privilege from my adoptive parents?

Question

Today my teacher was dividing the class by shoelaces. She didn't tell us until after the class but a lot of the people thought it was by race. One girl said that all the brown kids are on one side and the white people on the other. I said I'm not white I'm chinese and I'm on this side and she asked me if my parents who adopted me were white and I said yes. So in return she said so you're white then. I'm sorry I didn't realize that I inherited what ever skin tone my adopted parents have. So in that case if my parents were black then I'd be black? Just because my parents are white doesn't mean I don't face discrimination and racism. It doesn't mean that I inherit their white privilege. I just thought it was dumb and wanted to rant about how uninformed and annoying high school students can be.

Some people think it's my teacher being racist. She was teaching a lesson on unearned privilege and how people who get that privilege can easily ignore others without it. Don't worry my teacher isn't racist, but some of the students are definitely uninformed and ignorant It was the students who were telling me that I am white my teacher didn't even hear this interaction she was busy looking at people's shoelaces to tell them where to go haha

Answer

You defiantly don't inherit your parents skin tone. So you don't inherit their white privlage. But I really don't agree with what your teacher did. I understand the concept but saying it's unearned privllage is a bit much in my opinion. To me if she's basing this off your shoelaces I'm assuming she's basing this off money and the kinds of shoes people can afford? Now I do agree that there is a big socioeconomic gap that is an issue and needs to be addressed. But where I come from there are many white people that have very little and the majority of people of colour that live in our town are much better off (maybe not significantly but the majority are connected to our university and are very well educated with PhDs and earn a lot more than those that own the local coffee shop). So I don't agree with the idea that every person of colour is worse off economically- in the US from my understanding people of colour to tend to be worse off in that way (in Canada it's a little different).

Besides if you're basing this off money then you can't say in unearned privlage. Yes maybe some people came from families with money but I know so many that have worked very hard to earn their money. My parents came from very little and are well off now. It was a lot of work. They earned their economic standing. So saying that you didn't earn your money because of your skin colour is ridiculous and honestly unfair. Yes maybe they didn't have to face predigous due to skin colour and that made things easier but that doesnt mean someone just handed them their money to buy shoelaces either. Yes there is a significant economic divide but you shouldn't tell a class of children that because your white you don't have to work for something or that everything will be easy for you- maybe you'll have it easier but many white people go through a lot to get where they are. You can address the issue of the socioeconomic divide without doing that.

Answer

Woww that teacher must be so absurd

inheriting white privilege from my adoptive parents?

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