Review: Everything I Learned About Racism I Learned in School by Tiffany Jewell

Reviewed by Helena M.
Grade 8 

In Everything I Learned about Racism I Learned in School, Tiffany Jewell attempts to expose the horrors of the education system with eye-opening accounts and strong evidence. It is an essential read because of its truthful information that can help young people understand another’s perspective.

Jewell, with the help of many other authors and notable figures, uses her own experiences to construct a powerful array of stories. In some sections, for example, it could be a poem, and in another, it could be Jewell narrating her own experience. The variety of resources presented in the book helps create a vision for the reader and helps them step into another’s shoes.

For the reader to understand what this book is about (it can be a bit confusing to explain), I would like to discuss a chapter of it: “What I Didn’t Learn in History Class.” This chapter is Jewell’s narration, reflecting on her history class. Throughout her years in school, she found a common pattern - purposely skipping important events. In one section, she observes that the history classes often focused on events long ago, not recent ones because they were “too difficult” to talk about. They would often make up excuses like they “didn’t have time” or it “wasn’t in the textbook.” I never really considered this before reading. I realized that, throughout my education, recent events were rarely discussed, like the Hamas and Israeli wars. Instead, we discussed long-ago wars that are not as relevant.

Although there is not much wrong with this book, I found it a bit too informal in some parts. For example, she often says “folks”, which does not, in my opinion, make the writing quality as good as it should be. I had high expectations for this book in writing style and quality, but it did not meet them. However, the main purpose of this book is not to enjoy the writing but to learn about the movement it represents.

I enjoyed Everything I Learned about Racism I Learned in School because of its variety of stories and their impact on readers. It had a friendly manner, which I believe will help contribute to its success come its release in February 2024. It has easy-to-read language in most sections and relatable experiences (like the Hatchet chapter, which is a story that many middle and elementary schools have read). With the relatable experience, it felt easier to comprehend the harder parts of the book. A lot of the sections could be upsetting, but Jewell added anecdotes and jokes to lighten the mood. The most important part of the book, however, is the theme. Jewell’s message is essential to hear, much like her other books. Everything I Learned about Racism I Learned in School is one large call to action.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about racism, even though it is aimed at young adults. I truly think that many people would benefit from hearing the other side of the story. I learned from this book that for many issues, not just racism, empathy is essential to solve problems.