WHITE FRAGILITY

“White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium."  -White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

White Fragility at renton prep

As professor, writer, speaker, and University of Washington alum, Dr. Robin DiAngelo’, outlines in her work:

White people in the U.S. live in a racially insular environment. Because of this environment of rarely challenged racial perspectives, a stamina needed to tolerate racial stress is too often underdeveloped. Dr. Robin DiAngelo conceptualizes this lack of stamina as 'White fragility.' 

White fragility triggers a range of defensive moves including: argumentation, invalidation, silence, withdrawal and claims of being 'attacked' and 'unsafe.' While these moves are effective at blocking the challenge and regaining racial equilibrium, they are also damaging to people of color and prevent the development of skills we need to create a racially just society. 

It is our belief that Dr. David-Paul Zimmerman ("DPZ") and his family have embedded a system of white fragility which furthers their abuse of power and allows them to use their white privilege in ways that harm POC (“people of color”).

It is amazing to see Robin DiAngelo's principles of white fragility in action at Renton Prep.

DPZ and his family have worked hard to silence our voices, and others, through tactics such as

1) invalidating others in response to being called on their white privilege,

2) exploiting the "angry native" narrative to depict African-American and Filipino fathers who dare express a concern or frustration,

3) playing the victim when challenged or asked to take accountability, and

4) confronting and intimidating children and their parents who post negative reviews of Renton Prep and either deleting reviews or bullying families to remove posts and change their stories.

The Zimmermans cannot deny the well-documented and open conduct of their white fragility in dealing with POC who do not share their points of view.

White Fragility in Action

Exhibit A:

It is glaringly clear, as evidenced by an audio-video recorded conversation with DPZ, as well as his deposition transcript from the lawsuit proceedings, that DPZ's white fragility enables him to fear opposition when his beliefs and views are challenged.  The act of being questioned threatens the stability of the racial hierarchy, which could place him at a disadvantage.

On May 13, 2016 at 11:43 AM, DPZ sent an email to the Schools' community about a school-wide meeting planned for Saturday, May 21, 2016, to discuss a dress code update.

On May 13, 2016 at 1:49 PM, DPZ sent an apology email after parents informed him that his initial email calling for the meeting contained racially insensitive remarks.

In the email, he wrote:

"I was informed by someone that I trust and respect that the use of certain terms in my most recent invitation to a school wide parent meeting about reviewing our dress code could be perceived as culturally insensitive."

"My sincere apologies as I used terms that African-American parents have spoken to me, when sharing concerns about what they see happening on our campus, in terms of hair styles they do not approve of."

DPZ has a disturbing pattern of deflecting blame, rather than owning up to his actions. In this particular email, he attempts to justify his use of terms that parents stated were culturally insensitive, implying that it really shouldn't be his fault for using words that other African-American parents have used.

A week later, on May 20, 2016 at approximately 6:20 PM, DPZ discusses with Dawn the school-wide meeting set to take place the next day.  He expresses his irritation with an African-American father for approaching him about the cultural significance around the topic of African-American hairstyles.

On the surface, DPZ may seem open to feedback, but dig deeper and it's obvious that he views any feedback regarding his white privilege as a "game" and a challenge to his authority. 

DPZ is savvy enough to know that he needs to "play nice" with parents in public by emailing an apology on May 13; however, his conversation with Dawn days later clearly reveals that he lacks authenticity. More disturbingly, this seems to trigger a more vengeful side, as evidenced by DPZ's comment for the African American father 'to start looking for another school.'

Exhibit B: 

On February 11-12, 2018, one day prior to the conclusion of the trial, DPZ posted on social media an inflammatory, misleading, and inaccurate account surrounding details of the case and trial. 

He was confronted in the comments section of his post by Fernandez family members, including 16-year-old Jasmine Fernandez, a former student who was one of the targets of his attack. 

DPZ once again demonstrates common defensive moves of white fragility by changing the narrative, attempting to invalidate and undermine the facts of the case, and immediately withdrawing (deleting) his post to 'leave the stress-inducing situation.'

EXHIBIT C:

By Jasmine Fernandez, 16 y/o

It is disheartening to be faced with the reality that someone you once admired as an educator and mentor could be so heartless, devious, and cruel upon their true colors being revealed.

Throughout my family's two year-long legal battle, Michelle did not say a single word to me: not during our encounters at her deposition, not in the courtroom, and not in the halls of the King County Courthouse, where I sat awaiting my turn to testify.

It wasn't until I was seated in the witness chair, after taking the stand and being sworn under oath, did Michelle finally decide to recognize my presence.

Before I could begin my testimony, including detailing the immense pain Michelle and her family caused me, she looked straight into my eyes and mouthed the words "I love you."

On March 19, 2018, approximately one month after the conclusion of trial, Michelle retweeted a post I wrote prior to my dis-enrollment from Renton Prep, congratulating her for winning an award. Especially given the intensity of my family's legal case, I am having difficulty processing how she could have rendered an action like this to be appropriate.

Was it her intention to invalidate my pains, hurts, and cries, despite having made them explicitly known in the courtroom? Was this also her attempt to depict me as a liar?

I responded to Michelle's public post, as I finally had the platform and ability to share my truths which I had been forced to suppress for years.

To read more about the Racist System at Renton Prep, perpetuated by the Zimmerman's, visit the following pages:

• Exploitation of Students of Color
• Lack of Cultural Competency
• Racial Stereotyping