Are we just giving away more umbrellas or are we trying to stop the rain?
I am so grateful Dr. Bogad turned our attention to this question during our discussion of Johnson's Power, Privilege, and Difference. This analogy has been so helpful for me in framing my reading and thinking about the social and cultural issues surrounding our classrooms and our worlds. As I read "Colorblindness is the New Racism," I was immediately reminded of umbrellas and rain when the authors said, "exclusion from some specific opportunity . . . becomes the focus of antidiscrimination language, without an explicit examination of how or why the beneficiaries of privilege obtained their position" (p. 64). For me, it seems like the authors are saying that it is not enough to merely notice that others don't have umbrellas to protect themselves. The authors continued, "Failure to examine the privileged status diverts attention from noticing and analyzing the advantages conferred by white privilege and renders any ensuing discussion of racial discrimination incomplete" (p. 64). I think the authors want the conversation to turn to how umbrella owners got those rain shields in the first place.
Of course, noticing others' lack of an umbrella (deficit thinking) is much easier than acknowledging where others' umbrellas came from. And hiding the process of umbrella procurement (as Delpit would agree) "obscures the operation of privilege, thus aiding in its perpetuation" (p. 64).
Working in a virtually all-white school, it is easy to shelter away from the issues of race that are more prominent in other more culturally diverse environments. It is easy to be colorblind. Colorblind is the norm. However, I agree with Armstrong and Wildman that "identifying and understanding whiteness should be an essential component of education in the United States" (p. 65). As I mentioned before, I am beginning a unit on analyzing informational and literary texts, centering on the topic of immigration. The stated objectives are for students to be able to read multiple sources on a topic, identify a central theme that is conveyed through both, and write a short informational text in response. But I don't think this is enough.
The readings this week helped clarify my underlying objective. What I really want is for students to be able to explain how their personal experience impacts their opinions about immigration. I want students to begin developing an awareness of their position on the "power line" (p. 71). I want students to recognize that their position can work to both limit and broaden their view of the world.
I really loved that the authors included activities for color insight, but I need to be able to adapt these for my much younger audience. And I have so many questions...Is this a developmentally appropriate goal for sixth graders? Am I forcing my perspective on my students? How do parents feel about this?
Ultimately, I know that this conversation needs to happen because as we were working through our pre-reading discussion, debating whether it is easy to fit in to American culture a student said, "Yes, it is. We have a plain culture." And other students are basing their opinion of immigration to America on brief vacations they took to Central and South America. I saw how easy it was for students to notice others' deficits, and I want them to recognize where those beliefs are coming from. It seems like color insight is part of this goal.
***
Before reading the Ferguson syllabus, I started with PBS's Timeline of Events in Ferguson. I feel like I didn't follow the news as closely as I should have in August, so the Newshour blog had a decent collection of videos, pictures, and social media postings to fill in my gaps. As I was reading, though, I kept wondering why so many people continued to protest for so long despite the actual police brutality and threat of military force. I like to think of myself as strong and a fighter for what's right, but I know a big part of me is rooted in a fear of authority and consequences. I can't say that I would be found night after night in this crowd.
Despite my uneasiness, I began to explore the syllabus and was immediately drawn to "Stealing a Bag of Potato Chips and Other Crimes of Resistance" by Victor Rios. It addressed my question exactly. And I was reminded of Herbert Kohl's article "I Won't Learn from You". In both, the authors discuss the idea of resistance as an identity, as a path to agency and dignity. This is always a difficult concept for me to understand. As a person who often takes comfort in structure and adhering to rules and guidelines, willfully disobeying is rarely an option that enters my consciousness. I have the privilege(?) of successfully(?) creating an identity that fits within the dominant structures of society.
So as I returned to writing and including the above picture in my post, I noticed that the man in the center's shirt says, "The system has no future for the youth. The revolution does." I really like that shirt as a reminder of the systemic issues that need addressing. I have question marks in my previous paragraph because I don't know that it's a privilege or a success to fit in to the dominant structures of society. What else could revolution offer to everyone?
I suppose two blogs this weeks deserves two comments.
ReplyDeleteFirst, immigration is a great way to get students thinking about race. I am white, my great grandmother emigrated here from Ireland during the famine, when she was nine years old, on a boat, alone. She ended up with distant relatives in Warwick, RI, in 1901. Imagine the risk and courage it took for her parents to put her on that boat, and for her to wave good bye as it set off. There were not many umbrellas for Irish immigrant girls back then, I don't think there were many in the family, until my generation, if one can believe the few stories my father tells. Change takes time, and when we can all own who we are, and allow others to do the same, it puts us on equal footing, and we can start... Hopefully
Second, like you, I did not follow the events in Ferguson as closely as I should have, and reading this week was eye-opening. Your article hit home, as I have many parents and grandparents of my students who steadfastly refuse to learn the english language, and furthermore can be mistrustful of schools where we "put all kinds of ideas into the kids heads." It can be frustrating at times, but often taking a step back to respect their culture makes it easier to find common ground from where to begin.
Thanks for a thoughtful and inspiring post this week.
I agree, Brit. I think maybe in a school like the one you are at, or I am at, focusing on things like immigration and roots and where our students' families come from will serve as an awesome discussion point. It can also act as a segue to the discussion about race when we feel they are ready for it. Definitely some big jumps to make, so we have to take things slowly! Great thoughts.
ReplyDeleteBrittany, I agree with a lot of what you say especially your comments about being the type of person that enjoys following rules. I too find a sense of comfort in being a rule-follower. However, Rios' article also changed my perspective and allowed me to think about certain behaviors in a completely different way. It made me realize that for certain individuals, NOT following rules offers the same source of inclusion and comfort. And it also made me think about how sad that actually is. I also think it is interesting that you mentioned the length of time that the Ferguson riots went on for. Is there a certain point in which the point of the riot is lost based on the length of time it goes on for?? I'm not sure either...I just thought this was an interesting question to bring up.
ReplyDelete