February 23, 2021
The first page of Angela Guy-Lee’s syllabus for a new course includes a single goal: to examine race in the United States.
The sociology course, which was first offered last summer, was designed by Guy-Lee for cadets in Delta College’s Police Academy. It’s the first step of a long-term plan to provide training for cadets and the community on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
“I’m finding that many people don’t understand what happened that got us to where we are now,” said Guy-Lee, instructor of sociology. “Knowledge is power. In order to get people to stop doing something, they need information, which is why we start at the beginning by learning about the history of race.”
The online course, “Race: A Social Construction,” is split into four parts. Students watch four documentaries and then meet on Zoom to discuss them. Topics range from health disparities and public education to biology and immigration laws.
“I’m impressed with the students’ willingness to come together to discuss sensitive topics,” she said. “Many of the cadets want to continue the conversation outside of our class time and will email me with thoughts and ideas.”
Mike Goodall, coordinator of the academy, said cadets often come to Delta from many different backgrounds, from urban, suburban and rural communities.
“Sometimes they have limited interactions with people from different cultures, so it’s good to have an open dialogue and this class provides an opportunity to discuss these very important topics,” said Goodall.
Guy-Lee said her experience as an anthropologist has taught her to understand why people think the way they do.
“There’s sometimes a disconnection with what’s happening in the headlines, so it’s extremely important for these future law enforcement officers to understand race in our country. The more you know about history, the more you understand people in general,” Guy-Lee said.
Dr. Jean Goodnow, president of Delta, said this course is the first step of a long-term plan to offer more educational opportunities and trainings for students, as well as local agencies.
“As educators, we have an obligation to fight ignorance and intolerance, model inclusivity and embrace the power that diversity brings. When our ideals and values are tested, the key to moving forward is education,” said Goodnow.
The very first Delta College Police Academy class graduated in 1967. Since then, more than 2,600 cadets have graduated from the academy and gone on to become law enforcement officers in Michigan and beyond.
Written by Leah Twilley, Communications Specialist.