New Kid, by Jerry Craft deals with micro-aggressions primarily in a school setting. It is written in long form comic strip style. Although the pages appear to be written for little children, they are more suitable for children and adults ages 10 and up.
A micro-aggression is an unintentional statement or act that is seen as offensive against members of a racial minority, or group of people with common characteristics. This book becomes exhausting to read because it is littered with micro-agressions that are beyond realistic. The exaggerations are endless, like a hammer in search of a nail, the author is a victim in search of a grievance. Taking innocent comments and turning them into offenses does nothing but damage relationships and paralyzes speech. Scenes like the ones below illustrate the author had to exaggerate to find instances of micro-aggressions to include because, in reality, they just don’t happen in egregious ways.
The scene below shows one school teacher making a comment in passing to another teacher. The white teacher tells the black teacher “good luck this season coach Rick”. The problem is, the black teacher isn’t coach Rick, but another black teacher named Mr. Garner. While an annoying incident if you’re Mr. Garner, he then mentions he’s been at the school 14 years. This is an example of how fantastical and beyond reality the author had to go to attempt to make a point about the harm of microaggressions. It is not realistic for any setting involving two long term employees who have basic interpersonal skills. Perhaps there’s something to this though. As you’ll see below, the only people you’ll seem to find in society that lack these basic interpersonal skills seem to be school administrators and teachers along with those they align with in like minded community organizations, who buy into the prevailing ideology of CRT/antiracism/diversity, inclusion and equity.
Later on the author introduces a neurotic soccer coach. He’s so afraid to say anything, that a normal conversation becomes impossible. Between his fear of any innocuous comment being taken as offensive, and the book’s intent on finding offense in every comment, an impossible construct is created where no conversation can be comfortable.
In the scene below, the soccer coach makes an innocent joke to Jordan, the black main character, “What are you, an Eskimo?” He immediately regrets his joke and makes it uncomfortable with an apology. The scene continues with coaching, but somehow complementing a student for being athletic is racist? But only if the compliment is given to a black student…. Or, it’s only a problem if your neuroses makes you think of race when you make another innocent complimentary statement…..?
In the next scene the teachers make sure to have books at the book fair which will make the minority students feel included. Books that are meant for the minority student Jordan to “see himself in the text”, (according to the white-savior administrator’s eyes) are prominently displayed. However, Jordan laments that the normal books he likes to read aren’t offered at the book fair. It’s ironic that neurotic teachers make the minority students feel uncomfortable by trying to show how accepting and inclusive they are.
A teacher at the book fair then reaches out to one of the black students, attempting to show him a book she thinks he will identify with. The student corrects her on her assumptions of his upbringing, based on race, and her response is to call out for another black student, in an attempt to hand him the same book. At no point does any self-reflection on her assumptions or actions cross her mind, as she feels she is doing the work to be inclusive.
Throughout New Kid, the teachers and administrators think they are doing good, but they are actually scared of everything they say, and they make the minority students uncomfortable through their neuroses. If we are looking for ways to destroy commonality between everyone, making ordinary conversation a minefield of divisiveness by seeking out offense when none is intended, is a good way to start. That is what micro-aggressions are all about.
The concept of micro-aggression is being thoroughly brought to the attention of students on college campuses. In fact, micro-aggressions are discussed by college freshmen upon moving into dormitories. With this book as evidence, it is apparent the concept of micro-aggressions, is now being introduced to a younger audience. The entire premise that an unintentional statement is taken as offensive is actually only another Marxist means of dividing people. Rather than focus on micro-aggressions, colleges and society should focus on intended communication. After all, we may have influence upon others, but we can ultimately only control ourselves. Therefore, the recipient of communication needs to learn how to control their reaction, and not try to control the unintended actions of other people.
GHAPS states one of the goals of the diverse library of books is for students to “see themselves in the text”. Well, there are certainly people that will be able to see themselves in this text, with the slightest bit of self-awareness: it is the teachers and administrators.
This book is available to students ages 10-14 in the GHAPS White Pines, and Lakeshore Middle School libraries. My recommendation is that this book be required reading for all teachers and administrators in GHAPS. Then they may see that their actions are causing more harm than good. This book exposes the “white-savior” types, who assume they know what’s best for minorities. The message from this book is more for the adults in GHAPS than for the students.