Sometimes it is students who teach the most valuable lessons. Author Karen Donaldson learned that first hand.

Donaldson, an assistant professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Department/College of Education, will discuss her new book “Through Students’ Eyes: Combating Racism in United States Schools” tonight.

“High school students have a lot to say and share,” she said of her research subjects. “Their ideas can be integrated and they should have input into their curriculum.”

Donaldson’s book explores racism in American schools and provides possible solutions to the widespread problems. She has documented recent incidents of racism and explores the manifestations of racism and its toll on society. Through research, Donaldson found students offer the best remedies.

“I think that [racism] is quite an epidemic,” she said. “We haven’t addressed it to its fullest.”

Donaldson said that often times, students’ solutions are omitted. So her book sought those ideas and presents them.

“The main solution students have said is that we need to make people aware that racism affects students adversely,” she said. “They feel reeducation of teachers, administrators and parents is vital.”

The major part of Donaldson’s work focused on the role of the arts in antiracist/multicultural education.

Her research with high school students discovered that even high achievers perceive racism as a deterrent to their learning. But with the aid of the arts, theater in particular, students can express how they feel about racism.

“The arts are a wonderful tool to get to the heart of the matter of things that are difficult to talk about,” she explained. “Through theater, they felt their voices were being heard.”

The students most often perceived racism as a problem caused by adults, and Donaldson shows that multicultural arts can empower students to stand against this racism.

Finally, Donaldson explores the reeducation of teachers in an antiracist, interdisciplinary curriculum development and implementation pilot study.

Donaldson will be at Big Table at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.