The fear is, if you talk about race, you will generate conflict. But we all need to talk about it. Many teachers make the mistake of thinking that kids are colorblind, so they don't have to handle race issues with them. But this avoidance just makes kids' questions go unanswered. They do notice differences, and they need to talk about it.
Teachers can have some of the same conversations that parents have with kids.
In fact, the fact that teachers have multiple children with differences makes the classroom a logical place for talking about race. And teachers need to pay attention and respond to the discussions that kids are having with each other. There are many materials teachers can use, age-appropriate books, and movies. This is all about preparing kids for leadership in the 21st century. Everyone pays a price for racism.