White Fragility Lesson Plan

What does it mean to be focused on intentions over impact? Where does this focus place responsibility for oppressive racial dynamics? What does this focus solve, and whom does it benefit? What does it prevent, and whom does it harm?

Students should identify the ability to focus on intentions over impact as a benefit of white privilege. They may relate it to white denial since systemic white superiority allows whites to convincingly deny the impact their actions may have in order to absolve themselves of guilt and maintain a positive self-image. In this paradigm, if a person of color is uncomfortable because of a white person's actions but a white person meant no harm,...