Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born on 15 September 1977 in Enugu, Nigeria, the fifth of six children to Igbo parents, Grace Ifeoma and James Nwoye Adichie. While the family's ancestral hometown is Abba in Anambra State, Chimamanda grew up in Nsukka, in the house formerly occupied by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe. Chimamanda's father, who is now retired, worked at the University of Nigeria, located in Nsukka. He was Nigeria's first professor of statistics, and later became Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University. Her mother was the first female registrar at the same institution.
Chimamanda completed her secondary education at the University's school, receiving several academic prizes. She went on to study medicine and pharmacy at the University of Nigeria for a year and a half. During this period, she edited The Compass, a magazine run by the University's Catholic medical students.
At the age of nineteen, Chimamanda left for the United States. She gained a scholarship to study communication at Drexel University in Philadelphia for two years, and she went on to pursue a degree in communication and political science at Eastern Connecticut State University. While in Connecticut, she stayed with her sister Ijeoma, who runs a medical practice close to the university.
Chimamanda graduated summa cum laude from Eastern in 2001, and then completed a master's degree in creative writing at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
It is during her senior year at Eastern that she started working on her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, which was released in October 2003. The book has received wide critical acclaim: it was shortlisted for the Orange Fiction Prize (2004) and was awarded the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book (2005).
Her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun (also the title of one of her short stories), is set before and during the Biafran War. It was published in August 2006 in the United Kingdom and in September 2006 in the United States. Like Purple Hibiscus, it has also been released in Nigeria.
Chimamanda was a Hodder fellow at Princeton University during the 2005-2006 academic year, and earned an MA in African Studies from Yale University in 2008. At the moment, she divides her time between Nigeria and the United States.
Her collection of short stories, The Thing around Your Neck, was published in the United Kingdom a few months ago and has just been published in the United States. Chimamanda says her next major literary project will focus on the Nigerian immigrant experience in the United States.
The speech below relates well to the class discussions we've been having about race, racism, power, voice, and how a/the dominant group in a society defines the identities and accompanying stories of marginalized, oppressed groups within that same society. Please watch this powerful speech and post your third reflection papers below.
Schooling is the process of teaching ideas, values, and morals instead or in addition to education. Schooling is learning the norms of society. In schools we learn ideas about when to be quiet, how to act in a group, what is expected of us, views on the world and society at large, etc. Race is one idea that is learned through schooling. Race is a social construct that we learn about through our society, communities, families, and schools. In schools there are underlying tones and lessons that often privilege whites to the deficit of minority groups. This idea of unearned privilege is known as whiteness. Whiteness is the benefits whites usually unknowingly and often undeservedly receive because of their skin color being that of the majority in power. In schools educators truly want the best for all students regardless of race. Yet, many teachers do not acknowledge that race impacts education still. These teachers unwillingly enact racist patterns and tendencies. For example, schools often celebrate black history month and Hispanic heritage month. During theses months posters of influential figures are hung around schools and lesson plans dedicated to the impact they had on America are taught. But, when these months are over and the posters are taken down the minority groups are forgotten in the curriculum. Not having one’s group represented in the curriculum is demoralizing. It needs to be acknowledged that different colored skin impacts ones life daily. McIntosh listed several ways whites are advantaged every day in her piece. When teachers realize the discrepancy it would be best to use the equity theory of education where students who need more help are given it so that they have a chance to succeed.
ReplyDeleteTime Wise believes that now there is a new type of racism that is prominent which he calls racism 2.0 or enlightened exceptionalism. This is the idea that racism is changing from the blatant form to one where blacks can be excepted if they conform to whites ideas. That is, a black must be “Obama like in style, affect, erudition, and educational background (Wise, 11) in order to be acceptable to whites. This idea marginalizes minority students. It makes average blacks seem unacceptable since they are not up to the heightened standards whites impose on them. This is reflected in schools. Teachers hold minority students to standards that most of them are unable to reach because of the disadvantage of their skin color. Therefore, helping students based on equity would be beneficial since more resources are needed since they start without the privileges whites have. This idea is also plays a part in stereotype threats. If an individual knows of the social expectations of how one is to perform especially if they feel they are representing an entire group this causes pressure and they perform worse. Therefore, racism is perpetuated in America’s education system as can be seen through these conceptual frameworks.
After reading about racism 2.0 and whiteness, I think it is crucial that we bring these ideas into schools while the students are young. If new teachers start to approach these ideas of enlightened exceptionalism and unearned privilege, students can learn at an early age, not only the surface problems, but also the deep, hidden, issues associated with racism.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Tim Wise states that racism 2.0 “or enlightened exceptionalism… allows whites to carve out exceptions… but continue to both harbor substantial racial biases towards most person of color and deny equal access and privilege to the black and brown community” (Wise 88). According to Wise, with this new idea of racism, white people claim they are not racists since they will tolerate people of color, as long as blacks act, speak and dress as if they were white. There is this expectation that what is white is correct.
When applying this idea of racism 2.0 to schooling, white teachers must be careful not to diminish any non-white students’ identities or cultural backgrounds. If a student of color does not “transcend” his/her race, teachers might assume that s/he will not be as successful in the course as the white students. For example, Wise claims, “there is the matter of how teacher expectations influence student outcomes, and how these expectations are often tied to race and class stereotypes” (52). Usually, teachers will assume that students of color will not do as well in school as seen by the example of not as many non-white students in advanced placement classes (53). With this new racism 2.0, whites are hinting to people of color that ultimately their race is wrong. A teacher should embrace all of their students’ backgrounds by including them in class curriculums. The teacher should show that there is no correct race through showing his or her class examples of multicultural role models all year round.
Teachers have the ability to correct this racism 2.0 through equity. For example, when students are young, teachers have the ability to step in and correct racial misconceptions that might have come about in students’ home environments. This correction could bring the class to the ultimate level of understanding that not only what is white is correct. When the teacher concentrates on one student’s misconception in the classroom, the class as a whole could learn from the student’s mistake. Although many teachers try not to cause too much controversy in a classroom, they should follow Wise’s idea of speaking out to try to lessen this racism, causing there to be fewer racists in the future.
Although racism 2.0 is a key problem when talking about racism, Sleeter’s idea of whiteness also plays a very important role in schooling today. Sleeter defines whiteness as unearned privilege for white people. This unearned privilege is seen throughout schooling today, especially when teachers make whiteness the norm, “as natural” (Sleeter 166). All over schools in America there are posters of important white people on the walls of classrooms. There are only “flesh colored band aids” at the nurse’s offices in schools. We need to diminish this overall normalcy of whiteness and let multiculturalism be the new norm. All white teachers should be able to “bring diverse worldviews and discursive fields of reference, including those that expose, challenge, and deconstruct racism rather than tacitly accepting it” (Sleeter 168). To overcome this dominant whiteness, teachers must challenge their students’ ideas of racism in the classroom through listening and understanding to all students opinions, no matter their race.
White teachers must take advantage of this unearned privilege through equity and try to teach their minority students to feel they have the same privileges as their white students. White teachers have the opportunity to create an atmosphere that can balance this white and minority privilege. From learning about equality at an early age, the students can carry on these ideas into adulthood. However, “many white teachers try to suppress what they understand about people of color, which leads them to try to not to ‘see’ color” (Sleeter 162). The teacher must represent all races throughout her curriculum to try to make all students feel normal. Streeter gives the example that white people should “learn about racism, as well as about the historic experiences and creative works of American minority groups and about the wide range of implications for schooling” (169).
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of racist acts, what usually comes to mind are explicit acts that our done purposely. I feel that racist acts aren’t done purposely so much anymore. This is when the concept of racism 2.0 plays in. I had never thought of racism playing such a big role in our culture and society but after reading Tim Wise’s book and McIntosh’s article I have realized that racism is very much prevalent.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am Hispanic, I can identify with many of the situations that McIntosh presents, especially leaving in a city where there are many Hispanics. As I kid I never realized how all of my dolls were always white and never black. Now as I look back I can see all the subtleties of racism 2.0. In private school there was maybe one black child per grade, if that, but I never saw that as an outcome of racism. Even during high school I never noticed all the privileges of being white.
As it has been said in class, I can imagine that these subtle cues of racism never seem apparent to me because I never saw myself as a target of racism. Although it never affected me, I can imagine how it can affect many kids in and out of school. Just like little boys are picked on more than little girls, I can imagine that is how a black student would feel in a majority white school. As stated in the Sleeter piece, many teachers practice racism acts without even noticing. These unconscious acts are a result of racism 2.0, the new and subtler form of racism.
McIntosh lists many of the unearned privileges that whites enjoy. The list of 50 situations makes it obvious that we live in a society where whiteness is prevalent and that although we sometimes don’t admit it, whites have most of the power. Just like Racism 2.0, whiteness also is subtlety present instead of explicitly stated. Whiteness consists of the unearned privileges that whites get to enjoy just because of the fact that they are white. This can play a big role in the schooling of children because it will give more opportunities to white students while neglecting black or any other minority group of students.
Perhaps one of the most dangerous side effects of Racism 2.0 and Whiteness is that when a black or colored student leaves high school they might feel inadequate because of the way that have been unconsciously treated throughout their schooling. Like mentioned in class, racism problems cannot be solved by the minority groups, whites must also make a conscious effort to make a change. Teachers need to try to catch themselves when making subtle racism acts and that will make a difference because the students will learn from her and model her behavior in some way.
When talking about schooling and equity in the context of race, these are parts of life easily dominated by whites. Being the dominant group in society, whites reap all the benefits while minorities such as Blacks, Asians and Hispanics are given the short end of the string. A term used to describe this social happening is whiteness. Whiteness is unearned and unknown privileges and there for gives whites, the white dominant group in society is given noticeably more amounts of opportunities than their minority counterparts. In relation to the conversation of schooling and equity, whiteness is detrimental to our education system. For example, students of color aren’t given the same attention in the classroom as white students although many teachers claim to have a learning environment where everyone gets the same amount of attention. Schools celebrate Black History Month for one month and Hispanic Heritage Month for one month but after those months are over; these lessons are in no way related to what is taught throughout the rest of the year. These racist tendencies hidden within this curriculum show how whiteness plays out in schools. The historical figures who were of color aren’t privileged enough to be talked about during the whole year while white historical figures are discussed daily. This lasting effect on students is detrimental because it gives the students of color a feeling of being unequal to their white peers. In Peggy McIntosh’s reading, she states the everyday effects of white privilege that go unnoticed and one that stands out is, “44. I can easily find academic courses and institutions which give attention to only people of my race.” This is interesting because in society, positions of power are historically known to belong to whites.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of whiteness ties into another phenomenon which Tim Wise calls Racism 2.0. Racism 2.0 is enlightened exceptionalism, which means that if a person of color exceeds their expectations at a given task, then they may be accepted by whites because they are similar to whites in their educational background and social status. With respect to schooling and equity, Racism 2.0 is a device used to demoralize the minority students because they aren’t held to the same standards as their white peers. As a student, if you are a minority, you are expected to be unsuccessful unless you transcend your race by exceeding expectations. With equity, a person of color is less likely to have the same social network as a white person. In order for a person of color to garner any respect, he or she must act as a white would. This concept creates the belief that the white way is the only correct way and if you do not act accordingly then you will not be granted equal opportunity.
ReplyDeleteYolanda Richard
ReplyDeleteTAL 101
Professor Diem
I believe that Chimamanda’s speech was very powerful and influential. I thought she was very honest and courageous in front of the crowd she spoke before. There were several ideas in her speech that resented with my own life experiences.
I enjoyed hearing her speak of her personal experiences growing up. I thought I could relate to her in several ways. I felt similar pressures to conform to white culture. Curls were considered a curse and nappy hair was and is still seen as messy and just too difficult to control, so I never learned to embrace it. It wasn’t that someone told me that my culture was insufficient or inferior; it was more like a null curriculum. White hair was “good hair”, therefore, by definition my hair and the hair of my ancestors was something that needed to be corrected. My curls and naps were demonized before me each day. Similarly my super hero’s, princesses, and childhood book characters looked nothing like me. I grew to idolize them (like any child would) and the stories they represented, yet without a clear and concise account of my own story. I was taught to not only accept the story of whiteness but also whiteness’ account of blackness.
Also, It was surprising to hear that even in a place where the demographics are predominantly black, those pressures still exist. It seems like the concept of whiteness and white superiority are prevalent beyond US and European borders. It was also a surprise to me that she did not have access to books with characters that looked like her. It shocks me to see how a nation of people can still be subordinate to white culture even when they are the majority.
Also I felt that she makes a very good point about the consequences of an incomplete story. I have had similar experiences with individuals who assumed things about my culture, dress, hair, and even economic stability. For instance, I recently attended a study abroad fair on campus. I was very excited about visiting a specific table and was very happy about learning more about this country. Initially I was not able to approach the table because several students were crowding around it. All of these students seemed to be white, Caucasian individuals. From a distance those representing this country seemed to be very informative and helpful to these students. Finally, these students left and moved to another table. Upon approaching, I asked about the courses offered at the school and was immediately told that the program was very expensive. I had to prompt each question and it seemed to be a struggle to get information out of these individuals. I eventually asked for I brochure and walked away.
Therefore, I agree with Chimamanda that incomplete stories allow people to form stereotypes about you and your cultural background. However, I do think that the main issue is not so much that others create stereotypes about minority cultures, but that because the story is incomplete for many minorities we fulfill the stereotypes made about us. I think that so many African Americans and Caribbean individuals, including myself, know so little about where we our roots lye and the beauty of our own culture. I feel like this has to change and that more local efforts need to be made to deal with the lack of cultural and ethnic development in our communities. Also, efforts to lift up cultural diversity must be prevalent in our educational system.
ReplyDeleteIn conclusion, I truly began to look up to Chimamanda as she said her speech. She knew where she came from and she allowed that to empower her to get where she is going. Again, I appreciated her honesty in front of a crowd of people who looked nothing like her. I love the fact that she uses her talents to uncover certain lies embedded within our culture. I hope to be as impactful as she is one day.
Whiteness is best defined as an “invisible package of unearned assets”. As Peggy McIntosh described in her piece about white privilege, it seems that most students of white coloring are seen as having the idea normative lives creating a hidden curriculum that promotes white privilege. This hidden curriculum is deeply imbedded in the ideas that America is seen as a meritocracy society. The idea that America is not a meritocracy can be a hard point to demonstrate to children who have been taught this idea their entire schooling. Also since whiteness is an “invisible package” people may not realize the extent of their unearned privileges over another race of people. When children are taught that their lives are ideal and that others should strive to be more like them, they being to believe in being superior to those that are considered “others”. We never see ourselves as the other, which can be a main reason many of us do not realize the impact whiteness has in our society. We are taught that racism can be seen as individual events rather than a larger social political problem. I think the idea for whiteness plays a huge role not only in the curriculum but in the social and political lives of the people outside of their schooling. I think students need to be taught not only by their teachers but also their parents to begin to recognize the signs of whiteness and find ways to help eliminate this unearned privilege.
ReplyDeleteRacism 2.0, or “enlightened exceptionalism” is a directly related concept of whiteness.
Racism 2.0 can be seen as accepting of only certain black and brown people that are seen as having transcended their race giving it the connotation of being this horrible thing to get over. Especially when transcending race can be used to describe the winning of a president who was of African American descent, it seems he had to get over his original race to become president otherwise he would have not been elected. Also as he becomes accepted into the white community it can create a
This word and others like tolerance only prove that both whiteness and racism 2.0 are still deeply embedded within our society. Racism 2.0 is more dangerous than plain racism because it creates this false notion that we are accepting and have begun to overcome this race issue while ignoring the fact that it’s just a different version of it. While accepting some people of that race we create a new model to which all people of that race are compared to. Instead of just being prejudice against a skin color we now break up this skin color into categories those acceptable by our standards and those who don’t. The problem for equality now has not only changed from being just an issue of skin color but also an issue of status and social power. One of the main reasons that whiteness and racism are still a huge problem within America is by the sheer fact that many of us have not acknowledged the presence of these ideas nor accepted that they are still relevant to our society today. Tim Wise expresses this in his examples of how after Obama won the election everyone wanted to put aside the idea of racism, many claiming it was no longer a problem now that we had a black president. He also relates back to the real world with Obama having a year and half to show his abilities where as black people in America don’t usually get interview solely based on their name on their resumes. This bolsters the argument of Racism 2.0 by pointing out that we accept someone who in the real world would never be considered for a normal job. Racism still exists in our society and will continue too until we begin to recognize the signs of white privilege and learn to purge our society of these ideals.
Contrary to what may be the obvious assumption, whiteness is not necessarily being white. It is acting white. Or at least whiteness is acting in a way in which the dominant, white, culture believes people should act in order to be accepted. This idea serves to be problematic, especially in schools, because it makes marginalized groups feel as though their own characteristics, behaviors, customs, attitudes, etc. are all undervalued and unacceptable. This is not a conducive environment to learning at all. When kids are in school it is hard enough to deal with the social pressures and the psychological and biological changes that growing up provides, but on top of that, to have to feel constantly self-conscious about fitting into a dominant culture by changing aspects of oneself makes thriving nearly impossible. Whiteness goes with the idea that a person of color is only good enough if a white person believes he/she is. If teachers expect all their students, regardless of race, social class, ethnicity, etc. to act the same way, a way that according to society’s standards is the way all people should act because it is the white way, then students who do not fit in are made to be outcasts. This idea does not take into account intelligence, ability, or motivation. It merely takes into account ones whiteness.
ReplyDeleteWhiteness is a systemic problem that is present in our schools, businesses, and all other institutions. Therefore making the gap wider and much harder for people of color to cross over into whiteness. To be an accepted person of color means to conform to white standards. However, even when a person of color has achieved this, he/she is still playing as a pawn to the dominant group because he/she gives up a part of him or herself to fit in. I am not saying this is bad, because it may very well be the only way to thrive, but it is wrong on the part of white people to make this the only option. It is a new form of racism, racism 2.0, in which accepted people of color are those who have transcended their race. Those are the people of color who have overcome their problem with being of color, however it should be put that they have overcome white people’s problems with them being of color. This puts more strain on people of color because they not only have to worry about dealing with the racist systems that they face every day, they also have to focus on making themselves comfortable and non-threatening.
Whiteness is, of course, especially easy for white people. They do not have to strive to achieve it. They were born into it. For white people whiteness is an unearned privilege based on the color of their skin. Just like being of color is an unearned disadvantage to people because the hardships they face have nothing to do with them as a person, merely their appearance. Whiteness ties directly into Tim Wise’s new type of Racism: Racism 2.0. As he calls it, “enlightened exceptionalism” is a racism in which people of color need to transcend their race in order to be accepted, but once they do white people will feel comfortable around them and will not see their color. Racism 2.0 is a type of prejudice against certain people of color: those that do not fit into the dominant society because they have not achieved whiteness.
ReplyDeleteRacism 2.0 is particularly harmful because it pretends to be blind to color and it likes to ignore the presence of racism. In a classroom setting this creates an issue in which students of color who are similar to white students are treated well while students of color who do not fit into the white idea of how non-threatening people of color should behave are treated as though they themselves are a problem. Regardless, both groups are marginalized in that they are either made to be outcasts because of their skin color or made acceptable because they have, in a sense, overcome the color of their skin. Either way this takes away from the individuality of the students, regardless of the color of their skin. All students should not be lumped together as either having whiteness or not, and then be treated the same way as every other student within the category they were assigned to. Teachers should play to every student’s individual strengths rather than one group’s strengths and the other group’s weaknesses.
The situation in our schools is unfortunate. The manner in which racism continues to influence even the youngest minds is despicable. Not only that, but it progresses through generations, because it is reinforced through the educational institutions and by those that work within the hierarchy.
ReplyDeleteFor this reason, the dilemma of social inequality based on skin color is not old and the fact that whiteness continues is devastating for all individuals. To dehumanize and subjugate a group of people because of their skin color, places some in command and others to cope with the injustices. There exist a majority and minority. To have skin the color of paper is to have a life already set with uncalled privileges and benefits. Since those in power have the advantage, they gain the right to make decisions, to propose change, or keep order without challenging or risking their own authority in schools.
In effect, recognizing that racism works is deeply rooted in the conscience of both black and white children. For instance, if a fight starts between black and white teenagers, it is more likely that the black students will be accused for instigating the disagreement, for using violence and being aggressive, because it is simply a part of his nature. This black group of students will receive punishment settled on the basis of being too dark and they will accept it because they’ve been taught to tale the blame. Nonetheless, they are the victims of this country’s ignorance. Since the white children go home unharmed by the cruel words of their classmates and they’re report cards glow with
straight A’s, then the parents are under the false belief that is everything is running smoothly. The black or latino child doesn’t go home with the same good news and the parents might voice the problem, but the school won’t offer them the solution. Meanwhile, the parents are part of this whiteness phenomenon as the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) is predominately white in most schools and they’re the ones who show favoritism toward their children, choose the fieldtrips, and provide funding for classroom activities. The schooling system is not sheltered from this modern bigotry because society as a whole is not.
ReplyDeleteOf equal importance, the concept of enlightened exceptionalism is also fundamental to the racism discussion because it is the accepted visage of old- fashioned discrimination. If a person of color succeeds above the expectations of the rest of his/her kind, then society recognizes this achievement. They recognize it because it seemed an impossible or unreachable goal for a black individual. In school, the children of color are seen as less intelligent, less motivated, and less interested in their work. I don’t think it was by chance or by genetic disability that black students are barely found in a gifted class and that mostly whites are found dominating that arena as well. The white supremacy begins at the instant the child takes the gifted exam and whether he qualifies or not depends on the skin tone he’s wearing that day— black or white. If that child of color gets lucky then they are viewed as the exception or the “only black child to be in our 3rd grade gifted class.” What an achievement! What a lamentable situation. Students, teachers, and parents all participate in this new edition of racism unconsciously.
Similarly, the students are so concerned with being the exception that they don’t realize they’re the only racial group being pushed to become overachievers. It becomes evident, that society doesn’t view it possible for them to move beyond the regular academic level and surpass at times the accomplishments of white folks. For example, the class of ’07 had a valedictorian, Weina Scott, who was of Haitian descent and she created her own company and made it to Harvard. The reason I mention her, is because her face appeared on a billboard downtown and because her face also appeared in several educational magazines. This in effect, proves the theory that racism and white supremacy could not accept that such a brilliant mind had dark skin and that that same brilliant mind could obtain such a ridiculous amount of money and then go off to an Ivy League school. Since they expect the minimum from the black population, they felt compelled to put the spotlight on someone who crossed the barriers of this established inequity. Those who judge are the same people who provoke the injustice and they feel better about themselves when they hear about a student actually beating their system.
Racism is still present in today’s society but not necessarily in the obvious acts against certain individuals and groups. Although that type of racism is still around, what’s more prevalent today is Racism 2.0 (enlightened exceptionalism) as Tim Wise calls it, where certain black people are celebrated for their achievements while the black community as a whole is still held in a low regard. Because schools are a reflection of the society around them and racism is still a part of today’s society it makes sense that racism is also found in our schools today. Racism is built into the school system as a whole. Inner city schools are typically seen as lower performing schools when compared to schools located in affluent suburbs. Typically inner city schools have a majority of black or minority students while schools in affluent suburbs are mainly white. The drop out rate among students in inner city schools is much higher than the rate of suburban schools and there is also a great funding disparity between the schools. Black students in inner city schools are immediately at a disadvantage to their white counterparts in the suburbs. This disadvantage helps keep the status quo as is, where the black students do not perform as well and don’t get as much of a quality of education that the white students do. Racism isn’t just about acts against a certain group, but it’s also about maintaining the status quo and keeping the dominant culture in power. Since the white students receive a better education than the black students the structure of the school system, the different districts, help carry on the tradition of racism in the United States.
ReplyDeleteWhiteness is a consequence of racism. Racism is about keeping the dominant culture in power and whiteness is unearned privilege simply because of race. Whiteness is present in schools today just like racism is. When racism is taught in schools the negative impacts of racism are taught but not the benefits of racism to the group in power. Whiteness is the power given to whites simply because of their skin color and that concept is not addressed in school. Growing up, I was always taught that racism was an issue in this country in the past and how it was directed against people of color. Not once did any of my teachers discuss how whites benefitted from racism and are still benefitting from it today. White children need to be taught that they are subject to certain privileges not because they deserve them but simply because they are white. It should also be stressed that it’s not their fault that they benefit from racism, after all they didn’t choose their skin color, but awareness of the issue can help bring about change to the system that perpetuates the racism.
Throughout the United States, schools shy away from discussing racism in classroom settings. However, children are exposed to racism everyday; and many teachers only add fuel to the fire. In schools there are numerous underlying daily patterns that demonstrate white privilege or whiteness. Whiteness can be defined as an unearned privilege that Caucasians are given. Unknowingly, white students are favored and characterized as living normal or ideal lifestyles. Students are taught a curriculum that is centered on the backgrounds of white people. In Peggy McIntosh’s essay, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, she states, “I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.” Each day, white children are taught a curriculum that relates to their cultural background, and minorities are forced to comply with such teaching.
ReplyDeleteThis unearned privilege that white people are given is clearly demonstrated throughout celebration months at schools. During Black History month, or Hispanic Heritage month the cultures of the minority groups are celebrated and praised. Schools plan mandatory assemblies full of music and events that relate to a specified minority. However, when the month ends, the festivities celebrating blacks or Hispanics quickly diminish, and the celebration does not commence for another year. A specific example from my school experiences directly correlates to the idea of white privilege throughout the year. In high school I was asked to sing “At Last” by Etta James at the Black History month assembly. I was the only white student who participated in the event, which did not go unnoticed. After the assembly, one of my peers said they found it odd that I performed in a celebration for black students. Clearly, students are given the impression that February is the only month to celebrate the black people, and other minorities must not participate. However, once March began, my peers did not question my performances, because only February is seen as the month dedicated to Black cultures. Minority cultures are magnified for one month, while white cultures are celebrated every month. This clearly demonstrates whiteness, and how it has negatively affected the American school systems. Children are unknowingly subjected to racial divides. However, all teachers have the ability to create a classroom environment where racial differences do not go unnoticed, but are instead embraced.
Teachers must embrace racial differences and teach to all cultures and races, in order to suppress unearned white privileges. It is important that all races are given the fair chance to relate to the curriculum, and white people should not be given an advantage because of their skin color. McIntosh states, “I realized I had been taught about racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage,” and this neglects the fact that racism puts white people at an advantage. This does not only apply to schooling, but everyday life.
ReplyDeleteThis concept of white privilege directly correlates to the Racism 2.0, which is discussed by Tim Wise. Racism 2.0 is defined as enlightened exceptionalism; meaning that white people make exceptions for a small group of black people who exceed their expectations. This idea of transcending race negatively affects minority groups. Minorities are forced to work hardest than white students in order to demonstrate knowledge and potential success. Minorities are not measured on the same scale as white students, and the minorities who do not take the extra step are deemed failures. This can be attributed to race. Racism 2.0 is not only depicted in school systems, but in every day life. Throughout the 2008 election, President Obama was seen a figure who could transcend race. However, Senator McCain’s race was never pinpointed as important; merely because he is white. This relates back to the unearned white privilege; which is a concept, along with Racism 2.0, that must be recognized and changed in order to make this so-called equal country, equal.
The discussions on racism truly opened my eyes to new viewpoints on racism but also showed new facets of racism which I had never considered. Although I do not agree with everything in Tim Wise’s book, Between Barack and a Hard Place, it was a powerful piece which discussed some serious problems in our country with regards to racism and myth that racism had ended with the election of Barack Obama as president. Other readings further synthesized these points or added more important frameworks to racism in our society. Two major frameworks of racism which I find very important with regards to schooling and education are whiteness and the new concept of Racism 2.0 (enlightened exceptionalism).
ReplyDeleteWhiteness was a concept I never really considered. Whiteness refers to the unearned privilege white people receive in most everything they do. It’s the concept of how although racism is seen mostly as negatively impacting marginalized peoples; it also benefits the dominant culture, in this society being the white culture. Benefits can be as simple as being called back for a job interview because one’s name sounds white; a benefit not really thought much of by white people is very detrimental to a person of color. Because this view is the dominant view in this society, most schools reflect whiteness in the way they educate their students. Although schools and teachers claim to be “color-blind”, they usually are not. This whiteness is not always intentional, since it is part of the dominant culture it is so ingrained in people especially from their upbringings. However, this whiteness makes it hard for students of color to always receive an equal education to white students, even if the teacher is not openly racist or discriminatory to these students. I mean, if you think about it, schools have been desegregated for only about forty years, less in some places in the south. It is difficult to make a huge change that amount of time, providing that everyone was willing to make that change.
Many people thought that by electing Barack Obama as president of the United States, racism would end. Barack Obama even bought into this idea. However, according to Tim Wise, racism is far from over. What has emerged is a new form of racism known as Racism 2.0 (enlightened exceptionalism). Racism 2.0 is the view that only certain people of color are acceptable to the white society, yet still marginalizes all other people of color who do not fit the certain standards. These standards are based on someone such as President Obama: educated, wealthy, along those lines. It is sad to think by following Racism 2.0, whites are essentially saying that people of color are only acceptable if they meet certain standards, yet not all whites need to meet these standards. And Wise’s point that President Obama fuels this racism I agree with completely. Obama does not fully tackle race issues and does perpetuate his victory as a potential end to racism. For education, racism 2.0 could put a lot of pressure on students of color by pushing them to go on to college so that they could be accepted in white society. It will further create a divide, except now the division will include some colored students.
I like to think of myself as a non-racist person, accepting of all people regardless of race. However, after reading some of these pieces, I see that some of the racist undertones are so ingrained in parts of white people it is hard to avoid, such as whiteness. I did not realize some privileges I receive just from being white. Yet, I also believe that some of his points are too extreme and places too much blame on people who do not deserve it. Even though I may privilege from whiteness, I cannot control it. I try not to contribute to whiteness yet it is something that does in exist for me.
So many different ideas, frameworks, perspectives, and concepts take a huge role in a discussion about racial influences in school. There is no denying the occurrence of racism in schools. Whether it is intentional or unintentional, it is a reality, and there are many reasons for this, including the concept of whiteness and the structural and psychological theories of racism. Each framework has great influence on the teachers, students, and staff through equality, equity, and process of learning in almost every institution of school in our country.
ReplyDeleteIn the piece we read by Christine Sleeter, we are introduced to the psychological versus structural theories of racism as they are played out in the school setting. She says the psychological theory shows “racism mainly in biased individual actions, which are in turn assumed to stem from ideas and assumptions in people’s heads: prejudice attitudes, stereotypes, and lack of information about people of color.” These ideas and assumptions are not purposefully taught to individuals, they are unintentionally learned through the media, books, magazines, movies, and even a child’s favorite television show. When a child reaches the age to attend school, they enter an institution full of children, and even teachers, who have grown up with these unintentional thoughts to favor white skin and the white culture. This results in automatic, although unintentional, racism and the equity of students of skin color other than white it already lessened. Many studies, such as the doll test, have proven this concept of a psychological process of racism to be true.
The structural theory, Sleeter says, views racism “not as a misperception but as a structural arrangement among racial groups… assumes how white people view race rests on their vested interest in justifying their power and privileges.” The psychological theory if how we learn to view colors of skin on an individual bases while the structural theory then holds these views in place. Again, the intentions of the structural theory are not to suppress individuals who are not white, but it suggests that there is no other way of doing things than what the dominant white culture has set up for everyone. In most schools across the country, white administrators, teachers, and faculty dominate the schools and therefore set up the curriculums based on the system of white culture that is familiar to them. They then persuade everyone to believe this to be the best and most efficient way for the majority of students to learn and progress. Although many students do progress in this system, it is unintentionally giving children of non-white racial identity less equity and therefore creating an unequal playing field.
Instilled in both of these theories and in the majority of theories directed towards racism, is the concept of whiteness. Whiteness is the theory dealing with the unearned privileges that people of white skin color obtain solely from having white physical features and being a part of the white racial group. Particularly in schools, whiteness allows for white children to have higher equity than non-white children. For example, white children can identify more readily with their white teachers and the white influenced curriculum and therefore will be more likely to obtain the concepts they are exposed to. At home, a child of color may have grown up hearing and learning in the language his or her parents spoke to them and now enter a school where the teacher is speaking formal English that the white child next to them has heard since birth. The white child is now at an advantage because he or she has only been taught to learn in that language.
ReplyDeleteAll of these theories on racism are in almost all cases not intended to put white children at an advantage in school or to degrade the students of color, but they occur on a level that is not so obvious. The concepts of whiteness, psychological and structural racism are implanted in our society in America by the mass media, the mass schooling systems, and the mass American culture. There may be exceptions here and there but it is very prevalent in the majority of schools in our country. Until every racial group identifies these underlying causes of racism and actively makes changes them, our society will continue to work around them. Students of the white race will continue to gain their unearned privileges through whiteness and students of colored races will continue to tolerate the systems that work against them and cause a more challenging path for them to take. Citizens of our country have to actively agree to decrease the dominance of white culture and increase the influences of the non-white culture in order to create equity and equality for all students in school.
It is easy to take for granted that I was born in the “Land of the free and the home of the brave,“ as a white person, when in fact discrimination such as racism has had a place in this country as long as this country has existed, limiting the freedom of many people in this country. Our country was essentially built on backs of slaves with different colored skin then our white European forefathers. At one point, this was the accepted norm that there was a clearly dominate group and it was their right to objectify, use, and disrespect minorities of any kind. As time has progressed many significant events including, but not limited to, the Civil Rights Movement sought to rectify this by putting down on paper that legally every citizen of this country had come to deserve equal rights. Since the Civil Rights people, especially white people, have come to believe that we have made progressive leaps and bounds in the effort to reduce instances of racism down to nothing until we were so very forward thinking that we were even able to elect a black president! Now, I say this tongue-in-cheek obviously for it is very evident that in fact, we have not made quite as much progress as we believe, but rather racism has become taboo so we choose to ignore, mask, and deny it despite the fact that it is still there. Despite this ignorance racism diminishes the equity of some peoples in this country and has a large impact on education for students of color.
ReplyDeleteIn his book, Between Barack and a Hard Place Tim Wise address a phenomenon which he calls “Racism 2.0”. Essentially, the premise of Racism 2.0 is actions such as the election of President Barack Obama have become possible in this country, not because of a lack of racism or an ability to see beyond skin color, but because Americans feel that he is a safe black man whose education and demeanor signify to them that he has risen above his race and achieved a degree of whiteness. This concept demeans President Obama’s achievements as a man in this example, but the concept applies to all people of color and minority groups in general. How can a young minority student feel free to strive for excellence in education when they are asked to learn in an environment that wants to ignore their culture? Additionally, why would any person want to deny their true nature in order to aspire to someone else’s nature? When a man who has worked hard to go to an Ivy League school and break into politics all on his own merit and then that accomplishment is diminished by essentially saying that if had remained within the natural tenets of his culture alone he would never have made it that far, it greatly diminishes his accomplishments. A good example of this is Obama’s speech to school children that he made a couple of weeks ago. Even though many white people voted for Obama and said that they respected him to be the leader of our country when it came down to it we didn’t want to allow him to speak to our children on education. Why? How can we say that we truly value this man we elected if we don’t even want him to speak to our children about the importance of education and working hard in school? When someone attempts to add an asterisk to someone’s achievements in this way they are enforcing that they are not good enough as they are themselves and that they are not equal to a white person of the same achievement. When you are told repeatedly that you are not good enough as you are then you are forced to feel you need to either try and actually change, or else appear to have changed.
Many minorities in this country, especially black people, have developed a double-consciousness of self in response to racism they have experienced. W.E.B. Dubois likened this to wearing a veil. In this way black people have had to mask their true selves and create a different face to present the world in order to be more accepted by the white majority. In this way they are still aware of their true self but it is blurred by trying for to adopt things such as different speech patterns, hobbies, or styles of dress that are more relatable to white people. Not only is this wrong in that it devalues black culture and heritage, but it also wrong because it is essentially being taught to black students at a very young age in the educational system that they are unequal to white peers. Black students are more likely to be incorrectly foisted into remedial classes and grossly underrepresented in accelerated and college preparatory courses. I think that students who are implicitly told that as themselves, they are not smart enough to be in accelerated classes are going to be forced to choose to either underachieve and accept that judgment or else change themselves to adhere to the standards that a teacher will believe are capable of higher achievement. And if higher academic achievement means a better chance at college and a better career later in life, it is no wonder the black people feel forced to wear this veil.
ReplyDeleteI believe that although there have been some efforts made to reduce instances of racism in this country we still have great strides to go to reach anywhere near true equality. Every person in this country should be allowed the same freedoms and opportunities. It is not right for people to be marginalized and made to feel inadequate based on the color of their skin. Masking racism in less overt practices such as are outlined in Tim Wise’s concept of Racism 2.0 needs to end. The racist acts that still go on in this country begin to ostracize black people and other people of color as soon as they enter the educational system. If the educational system is not meeting and supporting the needs of all of its children then it is failing. We need to strive harder to stop speaking about equality for all and actually making it happen.
Although often denied and misunderstood, racism is a very prevalent problem that continues to exist in and around schools today. Whether favoring white students, conforming to the stereotype that whites have higher achievement levels and abilities, or any other number of similar acts, it is evident that racism is in existence. However, racism can occur consciously, but is commonly an unconscious phenomenon. The concepts of whiteness and those regarding Dubois idea of double consciousness exist and can be easily seen in and around the school setting.
ReplyDeleteWhiteness can be defined as an unearned privilege of the white race. Whiteness is an idea that whites are often completely oblivious and unaware of. In schools, as it does in the general society, whiteness works to advantage whites. I learned of accounts where students of color are not given the same opportunities as their respective white students. For instance, a commonly discussed occurrence involves the tracking of minorities. Although tracking does not technically occur anymore, it is often heard of in schools that students of color are placed on a course, formerly known as a track, that is on grade level or below grade level and never allowed or pushed into AP and honors courses like their white counterparts. Once placed on these paths, students usually stay on them and it determines a lot of where a person ends up. Students taking AP’s and higher level classes are pushed even more and forced to achieve and are gratified for doing so, while student in the on grade level or below grade level classes are just getting by and teachers rarely take pride in these students or try to encourage them to push themselves.
This idea of whiteness exists in such a case as tracking because white students are the ones you usually find in these above level and honors classes. To us (whites) it seems that this is normal or expected, but when taking a step back and looking at this in perspective it become clear that this is a privilege we get. Our background and history and in short simply the color of our skin makes teachers look upon us with the upmost respect and belief. Because of this we have these authoritative figures pushing us and backing us in taking harder courses that set us up for college and our future. However, there are obviously some black students and people that are widely accepted (not just tolerated) and respected. Dubois goes in-depth in his discussion about how black are accepted into our society and the criteria under which this occurs.
In Dubois’ writing, he attributes and correlates being black to wearing a veil and having some sort of double consciousness. He is saying that blacks are forced to see the world how it is shown to them and not necessarily how they want to see it. In a sense, it seems as though people of color are forced to completely rid themselves of their blackness and culture and conform to white standards and said norms. We seem to only fully accept those blacks that in a way act white and are at the top of the social status and society in general. For instance Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey are the blacks we have respect for, the ones who are more than exceptional human beings and people are the only people of color we truly value and admire, while those that live lives like the average American and have jobs that would be acceptable if held by a white man we simply tolerate, if anything at all. This parallels into schools. Students of color have to work almost twice as hard as the white students to achieve respect. It is almost as if we say, for instance, that there is a white student who has a 3.5 GPA and is involved in 4 different clubs, then a student of color must have a 3.8 GPA and be involved in 6 different clubs, while at the same time almost hiding his blackness and heritage, to be simply considered comparable to that white student.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to pin point and even point out this racism and admit that we take part in it, but it exists through society and is prominent in schools. We do not realize it is even occurring. Until you step back and recount the situations racism just does not seem real. Whites are put on a pedestal while people of color (and minorities in general) are on their knees. Whites benefit from the existence of racism. We have dominance over blacks in all areas that we arguably should not have.
It’s easy to look at the history of racism and what it is to be a minority in American but many often forget to look at the other side of racism. They forget about whiteness or unearned privileges that whites benefit from because of their race. Another side of racism that many don’t acknowledge is racism 2.0. Racism 2.0, or enlightened exceptionalism, and whiteness play a large role in the education that whites and minority groups receive today. Although America promises equal opportunities, the education minority groups receive is far less adequate than the education white students receive, even when in the same classrooms.
ReplyDeleteWhiteness allows for better educational opportunities for white students. Teachers expect their white students to achieve higher than their minority students. This puts minority students at a disadvantage because teachers ignore them and focus on the white students who are learning more and faster because of more help and higher expectations. Stereotype threat also plays a role in education. If students know that they are expected to do worse at a certain task because of their race, they tend to do worse because they feel like they represent an entire community which puts a lot of pressure on them. When minority students do exceed their teacher’s expectations, they are seen as an exception. They no longer fit the stereotype of their minority group, so they are seen as more normal, or more like the white students.
Another advantage of whiteness includes learning the history of one’s race in school. Year round white students learn about people that look like them. However, it is only in February and October that black and Hispanic students see and learn about people that look like them. Very often the people of color that are talked about during these months are considered to be the exception. It’s also interesting to note that in most English courses students read books by Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare and T.S. Elliot, but many ignore Toni Morrison, Langston Hughes or Sandra Cisneros until February and October and one month is not enough to enjoy readings by these influential minority authors.
An additional advantage for white students is being able to take higher level courses. Even when minority students show equal abilities to their white counterparts, they are less likely to be placed in upper level classes. Also, less minority students take upper level classes, like AP courses, because most schools with high numbers of black and Latino students don’t offer as many AP and honors classes as schools with mostly white students. Once again those minority students that do make it into an honors or AP course are seen as the exception. They have broken the usual stereotypes of minorities being less competent and intelligent and are seen as being more like the majority.
Acknowledging that there is a difference between the education that minority students and white students receive is the first step to fixing these problems. If we continue to ignore these issues, whiteness and racism 2.0 will continue to be a problem in our education system. If whiteness and racism 2.0 continue to be a problem in education, they will continue to put minorities at a disadvantage in all other aspects of life.
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ReplyDeleteIn our class discussions over the past few weeks, the idea of whiteness has been a recurring theme that has left many students in our class, myself included, somewhat shocked at the reality that, in the battle against racism, we have not come as far as the dominant white culture believes that we have. Whiteness can be defined as “unearned privilege”, unwritten rights and advantages given to whites simply for the mere luck of being born with white skin. It gives another side to racism that shows that it is about much more than just the blatant mistreatment of blacks—it is also about the invisible systems in our society that give whites an automatic advantage. Whether it be the act of buying a house in a safe neighborhood, getting called back for a job interview, or just feeling welcomed and normal in the average social situation, whites enjoy several advantages in society, not through hard work and effort, but simply for being white. White folks, however, do not seem to realize this, because we have been trained not to.
ReplyDeleteWhile whites busy are congratulating each other for all the progress that’s been made in the world of racism, white privilege is still leaving many blacks in the United States in just as awful a position as they have always been in our society. This has become very prevalent in the American school system, where even children in high-income black families are likely to be districted in schools that lack resources for students to grow intellectually. Teachers in these poverty-concentrated schools are three times as likely to be uncertified, and the funds are dramatically insufficient in comparison with predominantly white schools. However, Tim Wise proves whites are completely oblivious to this, as a 2008 Gallup Poll shows that 80% of whites polled say blacks have “just as good a chance as whites to get a good education” (31).
After the election of Barack Obama last November, whites across the country have given themselves pats on the back for bringing an end to racism as we know it. While Obama could certainly serve as the poster child for the all-American theory of meritocracy, it by no means brings a magical end to racism. Rather, the election of Obama is more of an example of enlightened exceptionalism than the full acceptance of black culture.
This is the crux of Tim Wise’s Racism 2.0 theory: white Americans found comfort with Obama because he was able to “transcend” his blackness to a level in which he was seen as “white enough” to be a tolerable candidate for leading our nation. Barack Obama is an outstanding American citizen: he has studied at our nation’s finest institutions, he is an articulate and charismatic speaker, and he can relate to Americans across cultures. These factors and more helped Obama to ease white fears and surpass the level of blackness that Americans still find to be barely tolerable. Even now, there is still a reason to avoid the idea of blackness, or as Tim Wise puts it, to “finesse around” blackness, which Obama managed to do so effectively in his campaign.
ReplyDeleteThe example used in Tim Wise’s book that I found most captivating and eye-opening is one that compares Obama to Cliff Huxtible, Bill Cosby’s character from the classic American television program, the Cosby Show. It was so interesting to read about how the Cosby Show really catered to a white audience—from its setting in a prestigious brownstone apartment in New York City, to Cliff and his wife Claire’s occupations of doctor and lawyer, to the family legacy at Hillman College and the everyday problems that their children would get caught up in, the Huxtible family was really just another white family that happened to be wearing black skin. Now, Time Wise admits that Cliff can be “seen wearing sweatshirts from historically black colleges, and the Huxtible home features African artwork and listens to a lot of Charlie Parker” (100). But all in all, the Cosby Show featured a black family that deviated from the normal black formula: the Huxtibles were highly educated, completely functional upper-middle class members of society, and therefore, “more American” than their TV counterparts from Good Times or the Jeffersons. Hence, the show dominated the primetime ratings for almost a decade. This is a great example of Racism 2.0, because it shows how whites have become very accepting of blacks—but only the ones who have conformed to be white enough.
The ideas of Racism 2.0 and whiteness prove that racism in the United States is not only still alive, but it has evolved. This has become prevalent in American schools with the introduction of systems like black history month. Not only have we designated a strict period of time in which it is acceptable for people of color to be celebrated in schools, but it has been designated it for the month of February, the shortest month in the calendar year. Whether that is a coincidence or not is unknown, but it is still a testament to this new, evolved form of racism to say that the dominant white culture can dictate when it is appropriate to embrace the accomplishments of blacks, and still turn around and complain about the lack of a white history month. What they do not realize is that every other month in the year belongs to the white culture. Black students have been trained to recognize and submit to their disadvantage, as demonstrated through the doll test. Their helplessness is learned, whether in the school environment or elsewhere, and if we want to combat this problem of race, we need to discard unearned white privilege and enlightened exceptionalism to begin to celebrate the lives of all cultures.
Meritocracy is a concept which has become an integral part of our society. Work hard and you will succeed is the motto by which many live and breathe. It is an integral element in the philosophical groundwork for success in education, family and career. It is the suggestion that through hard work; and with enough blood, sweat and tears anything is possible. And it is the same idea that stokes the flames of racism in a generation, so overly concerned with political correctness that it seems unthinkable something as heinous as racism, in any form, can survive. Survive and flourish.
ReplyDeleteIn my class, The 60’s, we discussed the healthcare bill that President Obama has been faced with. The question and subsequent answer which caught my attention was why is this health care bill, and politics in general so much more messy and ugly today than in the past?, and the speaker’s answer was that the messiness and ugliness of politics has not changed, the manner in which our leaders must deal with political issues has changed. She went on to explain that there was a time when politicians did not live in the spotlight, that politics were hashed out debated and determined in back rooms where the good ole boys smoked their cigars and made politics. After that discussion the metaphors she used for how politics were made before the “age of illumination” as she put it, stuck with me, and as I read Tim Wise’s ideas on Race 2.0 it dawned on me. Her metaphor was as relevant to racism as it was to politics, but in the converse. Racism, once a exceedingly visible, messy, and ugly issue, which showed no remorse for its existence has stepped away from the scrutiny of the public eye and has trade places with the good ole boys of politics. Racism has moved into those good ole boys club, cigar smoking, back rooms, where it can flourish unnoticed.
Meritocracy is a consistent theme in the frameworks of structural vs. psychological theories of racism and Racism 2.0. Racism 2.0 is the guiltier of the two in terms of holding fast to meritocratic views as an excuse for the existence of racism. Work hard and you can overcome your stigma, your race, your status as a disparate minority. The psychological and structural theories of racism fit snuggly within the same context of hard work. Work hard to transform the racist, if unconscious, beliefs of white people and change the arrangement of racial groups within the structure of society and racism will no longer exist. Based on these ideas and connections it is an effortless interpretation that all three of these theories equal exclusion, prejudice and racism.
Now what of our schools? Are they not founded on the very concept of meritocracy? Do we not tell our children day in and day out to work hard, study hard, be motivated enough and you will succeed? If racism 2.0 is a fundamental element of society today and schools are a microcosm of society, then it is an obvious correlation that racism 2.0 is a fundamental element of schooling and education.
It is undisputable that our education system is based on meritocracy. Meritocracy is central to perpetuation of racism. Therefore our educational system does not support a system of equity as long as a structural system of racism exists within it. If we are to education our children to become equitable to society we must discuss the ways in which racism is allowed to continue in a society that boasts its progressive reforms.
Based on these ideas, racism has not diminished, it is not gradually being replaced by a more collaborative society; it has changed form to accommodate a tolerant society. Racism in its most basic visible forms is no longer widely accepted, accepted still in few places but not widely. It could not survive in the same way as in the past; therefore it has transformed into more subtle, quiet, and disguised composition; a composition which must be taken out of the back rooms and exposed for what it is so it can finally be eradicated from our society. And it begins in the classroom.
Schooling and equity is deeply affected by acts like whiteness and a concept known as racism 2.0. Although these acts are typically unintentional, they still present an issue and impact on the discussion on schooling and equity.
ReplyDeleteWhiteness is a perspective on racism that gives whites unearned privileges. It’s the idea that racism was introduced to benefit whites and not bring down blacks. It was not intended to cause blacks struggle or hinder their opportunities. It was simply to better the white man and make things more easily accessible to him so he can be successful. The concept wasn’t mapped out and specifically constructed for this to occur. But through the warp of our white dominated society, this is what it has come to be and how it is reflected upon. People of color are more commonly born into poverty, have a lower social status, poor housing, an unfair educational experience, and in turn less respect and career opportunities, a lower salary; thus continuing the cycle. As far as equity in schooling, whites are favored to be successful and the colored student in a white school is highly congratulated on his successes, because they are unexpected. I believe a lot of things, including an educational experience, are “what you make it.” But then again, I am a white student from a middle class family. I went to a school where minorities were the majority. Looking back, the white students were the “ones on top” when pertaining to the heads of clubs, top scorers, highest g.p.a’s. Black students often expressed the only way they could pay for and get into school was through sports. Most of our students who signed with popular schools were students of color. They found their way to be successful and knew what they had to do. They were completely aware of the troubles that faced them and until reflecting now, I was the naive one who didn’t know a problem was present.
“Racism 1.0” precipitated racist murder, lunching, white-on-black riots, organizations formed to rally against those of color, for some examples. Racism 1.0 discriminated against blacks simply because they were different and of color. There was a large number of blacks and a greater number being successful. This potentially posed a threat to whites, thus leading them to prove their dominance. In the time of Racism 1.0, Obama would have lost the election just because he is of color. Tim Wise in Between Barack and a Hard Place, introduces Racism 2.0 as a new concept and expresses it as “enlightened exceptionalism.” Wise says that Racism 2.0 is present as we hold the larger black community in low regard and adhere to racist stereotypes about African Americans. He says that we “carve out acceptable space for individuals such as Obama who strike them as different, as exceptions who are not like the rest.” We applaud successful black individuals because their accomplishments are unexpected. We are glad that some of “them” can be different and comparable to dominant whites. Wise also discusses that Obama may have made it harder for blacks to succeed because now that we have seen one of the greatest positions obtained by a black man, we know that it is possible and lesser tasks may not receive as much as recognition as they once did. Black students may even face a harder time because white teachers unconsciously rid themselves of the idea that blacks face greater barriers on their road to success. In schooling, blacks must push themselves to be on the same level as whites and gain the respect and recognition they deserve. Racism 2.0 brings us to accept only those blacks who have been successful. We challenge blacks to be like “us” which means, basically, act white. Because we are accepting blacks, it creates the idea that we are on the road to ridding of racism all together.
ReplyDeleteWe pretend that whiteness and racism are no longer problems in our society. We cannot get a whole society, every single individual, to understand these concepts and change their ways and subconscious thinking, but the majority will do.
Samantha Licata
ReplyDeleteDr. Josh Diem
TAL101
September 22, 2009
Reflection Paper #3
When thinking about how “whiteness” plays into schooling and teaching, I feel that race really does play an extremely significant role is the different facets of teaching and education. Whether we are speaking about teacher race or student race, they both play a part in this “invisible system” that we, as Americans, have developed.
A few days ago, I had sent my mother the Portable Privilege article that we read in class. My mother is a teacher at a Title 1 middle school, and the white students in her class are the minority. My mother called me yesterday and talked to me about how much she loved the article, and how she actually decided to read the article to the class. She asked the students to think in their heads if they have ever been affected by the circumstances she was reading. Usually loud and energetic, she informed me that her students had been absolutely silent the entire time she was read the list. After the class had moved on and began their work again, a black female student walked up to my mother’s desk, and while laughing , stated “Wow Mrs. Licata! You’ve got a white person’s nose!” Obviously, the article didn’t hit my mom’s students in a way she had intended. My mom then explained to me how this frustrated her because if she had said to the black girl, “Wow, you’ve got a black person’s nose!”, the consequences could cost her job.
According to Sleeter, most white teachers commonly insist that they are “color-blind” and they “see children as children and do not see race.” While of course there is only some truth to this statement, we have to wonder why it’s not alright for us to see color, but it is rare for it to be seen as a problem when black people so blatantly place us whites in our own category. I am aware that whites history with blacks may be an acceptable reason for why we aren’t supposed to see color and black people can, but if we as a nation have supposedly moved past our history of discrimination and oppression, why are black people an exception? Why is it still acceptable for blacks to separate themselves from whites without being deemed racist, and why do we tolerate black people using certain slurs that whites would be shunned to use?
Rachel Losada
ReplyDeleteReflection Paper#3
TAL101
October 23, 2009
In the past couple of weeks we have talked about many facets of racism; much of it having to do with whiteness. Many elementary school level children learn the colors, red, blue, yellow being primary, white is all colors and black is the absence of color. From a racial standpoint this is quite the opposite, white is the absence of color. Being colorless has its advantages according to some of our readings, including Tim Wise’s “Between Barack and A Hard Place.” Firstly being white culturally signifies a European background. This is innately thought of as prestigious, to be descendent of European blood. The other idea that whiteness implies is being part of the dominant race. The vast majority of the wealthy and powerful are white, where as a disproportionate proportion of the poor are people of color. Whiteness implies privilege because of social constraints and cultural capital. Being born white immediately puts that person in a more likely position to succeed, in so many ways. Discrimination is rampant when it comes to housing, job application and school opportunities. Being white is being anything but color and for all of the reasons above, being white is being privileged.
Discrimination is not how it always was and some people in this magnificent country associate racism with the KKK and the Deep South. In reality yes there is this so called Racism 1.0 as Tim Wise calls it what is most prevalent culturally in the United States. Racism 2.0 is a new and improved form of racism. All though it is more discrete, it can arguably be more detrimental to those of color. Racism 2.0 is much like what is mentioned above, there is racism in schools, where teachers may unintentionally not give black/Hispanic etc. children the same opportunities to learn explore as their white counterparts. It happens in the work place, where an employer may look at an application and despite the applicant being qualified for the position the name might deter them. It happens everywhere according to Tim Wise, and this Racism 2.0 is even harder to combat than its previous form Racism 1.0. It is easier take something huge and make it less extreme, but it is near impossible to take something that happens on such a global level and make it disappear.
Whiteness and Racism 2.0 are closely related in many of the cultures found in the United States, but folks, the blame game is not going to help. Just acknowledge the problem, make whatever changes you can, but EVERYONE is responsible.
Growing up in a community with all white students, it was never brought to my attention the amount of racism that truly goes on around us. Whiteness was never an issue that I even knew of or was even informed about because I was brought up in a community where it was mainly all whites, so how was I to know the difference. Whiteness is an unearned power and now that I can look back to my educational experiences, I see now the benefits that whites do have over blacks and it’s pathetic the amount of unfairness that goes on in school alone. Schooling is greatly affected by whiteness and racism 2.0. Whiteness has been around for so long and seems to be nowhere near its end. Black students should have equal opportunity as white students whether it is housing, money, intelligence, etc. No white is better than any black because he has more money, or that he lives in a better neighborhood, or if he is in a more advanced class. Whiteness still being in existence allows for certain people to take advantage of their race and allow racism to exist because of their overpowering privilege. This existence allows racism to still be as strong as ever and growing up with racism and whiteness in the classroom with no attempts to teach children the wrong in them both only allows it to grow. Some of these issues start from outside of school, where certain neighborhoods try to drive away black families and keep them out of the area so blacks are forced to attend lower class schools; which then leads those children into a downward spiral because they are attending schools where teachers may not even be certified, and then their performance decreases. They become unchallenged and therefore do not learn. Most issues of blacks being called not as intelligent is started from whites and the racism that they practice. Whiteness will be around for a very long time and there needs to be a change. Racism continues to demoralize the fact that all men and women are created equal. We need to identify and confront and erase all forms of racism.
ReplyDeleteRacism 2.0 is another issue widely practiced by a vast majority of people. Though many of these issues dealing with racism or racism 2.0 are never talked about in that way, they still exist. Racism 2.0 celebrates achievements of certain blacks. Certain blacks? Why not every black? Why is there Black history month one day out of the year and not every month. There is no need for such a thing and eliminating that idea will be one more step to eliminating racism. There is no need for one black to be better then another black just to be accepted by whites. Whites only accepting certain blacks for their certain achievements or abilities are pathetic and athleticism seems to be one of the most accepted by whites. It’s sad that a black athlete is way more accepted by whites just because they’re a start or because they have done big things that cause publicity. There is fact after fact that racism 2.0 exists in the book by Tim Wise and whiteness has allowed these facts to happen. Racists have become cleverer in their approach to attacking and undermining minority groups. Racism 2.0 should never have come about and we need to stop accepting only the blacks that we are comfortable around, but accept all blacks no matter their abilities, education, living conditions, finances, etc.
W.E.B. DuBois wrote about the struggle that many black Americans go through in order to truly find themselves. He stated that, “born with a veil, and gifted with second sight in this American world,-a world which yields him no true self consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.” This statement reveals the power that white views of black people has on the way black people may view themselves. Instead of having a chance to make their own opinion of themselves, they are taught how to see themselves. Dubois speaks about “double consciousness” which is when someone is aware of two views of the self, how they see themselves and how others see them. These views are sometimes contradictory and dangerous when one cannot easily merge the two selves into a truer self.
ReplyDeleteThis “two ness” probably first becomes apparent in school. At home, being surrounded by loving parents who work to build ones self-esteem, a child could be protected from the racism in the outside world. This protection is short lived however, and in school, as DuBois said was the first time he felt different, children are exposed to detrimental ideals. Whether it be by direct or hidden curriculum, black children are taught to feel inferior to their white peers. For example, we have discussed the fact that the recognition of black history month in February can send a harmful message to students. It is obvious to young black students that the acknowledgement of all famous black Americans is combined into one month then maybe rarely mentioned throughout the remaining months. This sends the message that white people in our history are more important than black people in history and therefore inexplicitly white people are more important than black people. With this kind of start how are black students supposed to continue to feel confident about themselves?
Self-esteem is not the only thing that can be damaged for many black students. Their success in school is also affected. Teachers play an important role in the success of their student. If a teacher has low expectations, they may not realize it but they are projecting that opinion on to that student. This may become a self- fulfilling prophecy. When someone is taught that they are not supposed to be able to do something well they may internalize that belief. It may not be any teacher’s intentions, however it has been institutionalized to continue. This kind of negative attitude and self defeat gives these students a substantial disadvantage and therefore they are not on equal grounds with their classmates.
Afraid of being seen as unfair, many teachers learn to use the policy of equality when teaching their class. The idea that everyone is the same and so should be treated that way is commonly stated, but wrong. Everyone is not the same. People are from different areas, have different experiences and backgrounds and therefore students have to be treated with the policy of equity. It is the teacher’s responsibility to assess his/her students and teach accordingly. If all teachers taught using equity is could increase the likelihood that every child in the class succeeds. Education is the pathway for students to gain a sense of self, so we need to accomplish a true sense of self for everyone.
Whiteness provides for numerous social, political, and cultural advantages, and is a concept that influences nearly every facet of life. In education, whiteness is seen through many white privileges, which don’t give non-whites an equal chance at an equal education. White children often go to schools with predominantly white children. These schools almost always seem to be better schools than, for example, an inner-city school with mostly black students. It seems like although schools aren’t officially segregated, you rarely find a school with a kind of racial balance in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe educational system is set-up to be geared towards white people. If you were to step into any given honors class in a suburban area, I’d take a guess that there are barely any minorities in it. It is proven that even testing is biased. All of the standardized tests that we cherish so much are directed at the middle-class white student, rather than a lower-class black or latino student.
I find it hard to believe that any of this will change anytime soon. It’s almost like many white people choose to ignore the advantages of white privilege. They act as if everyone actually is created equal. I don’t think you can deny the fact that schools are equal. No race is innately less intelligent than the other, but wouldn’t you think so in our society? If minorities were given the same opportunities, this question would never be asked.
The cultural advantages for white people in the educational system, and the lack of opportunity for minorities is an example of structural racism. Our system of government and the laws we abide by are racists and were designed in a certain way to continually put down the minority group. The stereotypes put forth by the media and the majority white population circulates through the U.S. and negatively represents minority groups. Just take a look the way neighborhoods are set-up in our country. You often find areas comprised of either nearly all white people, or nearly or black and latino people. There’s rarely a truly integrated city, and there’s a reason for that. There’s also the matter of health care, which is almost non-existent in the non-white communities. There’s not much help for those minorities with AIDS, or other diseases that run rampant through these communities.
Psychological racism, on the other hand, is more up to an individual, rather than an institution. This kind of racism can be seen in the racial discrimination in the workplace. White people tend to want to hire other white people, or applicants with white-sounding names. It can be flipped, as well, with a certain minority group only hiring people within that minority group. Although racial segregation laws try to enforce the fact that there is no racism in this country, it is clearly evident. There are ways to get around the system.