classroom

I left class today truly debating whether or not it is ok for a female white professor to teach a mostly white class African American studies.  I came to a realization that just because a white female professor can not identify on the same level as a black female professor could, maybe the fact that she is white teaching to other whites is better.  If a black professor was teaching African American studies to a primarily white classroom, would it really give the same effect as a white person?  No.  Having a white professor may actually be better for the students.  As someone said in class, it was hard to talk to a male professor teaching women's studies to females.  However, if that male was teaching to other males, wouldn't it be beneficial for the sole purpose that those students could relate to the professor better?  Granted, the professor does not have personal experience of the oppression the group they are teaching about has experienced, but neither do most of the students.  In that case, they can learn together without personal experience to try to understand the history without feeling held back from speaking their minds.