Racism is a sickness that starts in the home. In most cases, when the parents are prejudiced towards other races, they inadvertently pass those negative behaviors on to their children.  Because children are products of their environment, they tend to perpetuate those learned behaviors, and as a result, will treat other ethnic groups unfairly. People who genuinely respect other cultures, and who are in positions of influence (such as teachers, other parents, pastors, etc.) are able to teach children how to behave towards one another … which might be the difference between a child that grows up to perpetuate their parents racist ways, or a child that grows up with respect and consideration for cultures that are different from their own.