Cultural Appropriation

In 2017, the National Art Education Association, published a position statement regarding cultural appropriation: 

"NAEA supports the need for culturally sensitive and responsive visual art educators who encourage socially just practices and policies that provide and promote increased awareness, understanding, and acceptance of individual and group identities that affect all human interactions.” 

NAEA encourages visual art educators to make curricular and pedagogical decisions that:

· acknowledge and respond to the unique world views and voices of different people and communities; understanding, valuing, and respecting different perspectives 

· authentically reflect both historical and contemporary cultures and philosophies of diverse people 

· address issues around cultural appropriation and move toward cultural appreciation, valuing the ownership and significance of cultural images 

· eliminate perpetuating stereotypes, social inequities and assumptions of cultural homogeneity in educational settings.

To help you follow that directive, ask yourself:

1. What cultural tradition and/or topic do I want to teach about?
2. Why am I teaching about this topic? Is it for my own purposes (cute project, I like it, I need something to teach on Monday etc.), or because it is relevant to my students, part of the curriculum, and/or otherwise necessary to the education of my students? 
3. Am I aware of the historicity of the persons, events, and traditions present in this study (historicity is the historical actuality of persons and events as opposed to historical myth, legend, fiction, pop culture, or urban legend)?
4. Am I aware of any oppressed persons represented in this lesson? Am I aware of the historicity of these persons? Am I aware of the contemporary/current history/story of these people? 
5. Have I discussed teaching this topic with other educators? Have I sought out the opinion of educators who don’t always share the same opinions as me? Have I looked online to see how other educators have approached this topic? Have I sought out -online or in person- the opinions of oppressed persons about my lesson (and be aware that it is not the job of oppressed people to educate you)?
6. In what ways can I approach this lesson that respect the cultural and religious traditions of the people being studied?