What Can We Do?

Privilege, Power, And Difference
Chapter 9 - - What Can We Do?
Final Talking Points

Allan Johnson

Premise: change, privilege, power, difference, challenge, myths, society

Argument: Johnson says we have to think about new ways about the troubles and challenges of patterns of exclusion, rejection, privilege, harassment, discrimination, and violence. These patterns have affected our society in many ways in time through our existence. Johnson also says that we have to continue to “tap on the glass”, as one of the many tools for us to change. He says that to make effective changes, people must educate themselves by reading and listening to others.
My Thoughts: I do agree with Johnson’s point of view that change can and should occur. As he says, even one person can make a change. It maybe small but it can become greater in time. I was thinking of our whole semester and how, in the readings, the lives of students with disabilities, language barriers, or whatever it may be, were changed and influenced by other people. It might not be a dramatic change but at least it still is a change. Society, itself, can change by the way we look at it. I think of the economy is so greatly affecting schools and life outside of school. I think that if we were a rich country that we would have more books, more knowledge, more necessities, and more to grow. The point is societies are always changing which means it has never been the same way. Another thing is we do not have to be rich to make change. Change can happen with attitudes towards people, too. Whites and people of color are getting closer and bonding more together with one another. You can see that we are slowly changing and nothing will ever be the same. Every day is different. We as a people are very diverse, which is great, but we have got to keep it together by maybe helping one another, sticking together, and think of even more ways for us to change for the better. It is not really a safe world after all, and we are constantly hurdling over obstacles to get to where we want to go.

“School Girls”

Peggy Orenstein

Talking Points #9

Premise: girls vs. boys, women vs. men, gender-fair curricula, Gender Equity in Education Act, education equity, sexuality education, sexual harassment, sex discrimination

Argument: According to the Gender Equity in Education Act, girls should be continually treated equally amongst her peers. “Women are one-half of the world’s people; …” (3). This reading follows a particular teacher; Ms. Logan, who teaches the “gifted” students in a middle school. This reading shows how this teacher teaches her students about Women Studies and how she gets the boys more sensitive to women issues, as well as women of color.

My Thoughts: When I read this reading by Orenstein, I kept reverting back to a recent event at Brown University that covered feminism. It was called the Guerilla Girls. One of the speakers of the group actually wore a gorilla mask to hide her identity to make her and the group’s purpose even more noticeable. The speaker seemed to keep repeating this one question, “Where are the women?” Just like how Orenstein asks, “Where are the men” (3)? It is interesting how, in a classroom, there are all masculine images, which means that men are more important than women. I think that we should be learning about both male and female role-models. There should be posters of both women and men being hung up. In Ms. Logan’s classroom all the posters in her room are of women. Orenstein says, “It is the mirror opposite of most classrooms that girls will enter” (3). It is important to learn about gender roles, Ms. Logan stated. She also says that “Feminist teaching is not about allowing a win/lose situation to develop between boys and girls” (15). Ms. Logan had her students do an activity that involved the boys, to write about a woman and present to her as the woman herself and what they thought of in that woman’s perspective. The girls had to do the same about doing it in the man’s perspective. The girls found it easier to do since they were used to being taught more about men. This activity showed how well one sex knows about the other. When I think of gender roles I think of are guys really supposed to wear makeup, stay home working, maybe as being good and loyal housewives. And when I thing of the girls, is it all right that some of us are tomboys and are actually doing the same things as men such as going into the business world, mowing the lawn, and so on… These are probably some of the things Ms. Logan’s students brought up in their papers. In reality there is still little to be known of the other sex and it is important to try and be educated about it, this is the answer of where men and women are. What I liked very much at the end was when one of the boys in the reading said, “I don’t see what the big deal is about women. I mean, as long as they’re interesting, what’s the difference if they’re women? Women are people, too, you know” (30). We should look at each other as individuals and not as men or women, and we should respect each other as people.

Diversity FNED 346

There was obviously an article in the Cranston Herald about Diversity in the schooling community. I am showing this to the class because we will soon be teachers and maybe teaching this subject to our kids. Ms. Baker also used to be my Spanish teacher in middle school. We do not have time to talk about this because it is happening everyday. Someone had started it. This all needs to stop. When you read this, think, can our future really be better if we can teach our students to work together?

Cranston Your Turn
01:00 AM EST on Friday, November 9, 2007
CRANSTON
Banner flap is saddening
I am writing in response to a story which was featured in the Providence Sunday Journal and covered in the Cranston Herald as well. Apparently there are residents of Cranston who are upset by the fact that there is a banner hanging on the newly renovated Cranston Stadium which lists Cranston West Falcons first [and the Cranston East Thunderbolt second]. It saddens me to think that, with all of the problems we have in this world, a small group of narrow-minded individuals can focus their time and energy on perpetuating an unhealthy, immature rivalry. Shame on The Providence Journal for insulting the collective intelligence of its readers by granting front-page news coverage to such a sophomoric controversy.
I am a graduate of Cranston High School West, but unlike some former students of both Cranston high schools, I realize that my high school days are over and I am now an adult. After teaching World Languages in schools on both “sides” of the city I have returned to Cranston West as a Spanish teacher and to give back to a place which has taught me so much. As a Spanish teacher, I not only spend time teaching kids vocabulary words and verb tenses, but strive to teach acceptance, tolerance, and appreciation for diversity as well.
Although we often think of diversity in terms of race, religion, or ethnicity, I think of diversity as respecting all people regardless of the similarities and differences we share. It is very frustrating to witness adults in the community working against these very concepts. The way I see it, you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. If we cannot show respect for the people in our own backyard how are we supposed to teach our children tolerance from a global perspective?
Everyone is entitled to their own feelings and opinions; however, if someone perceives an injustice isn’t it more productive to create an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation? Why not find ways to bring people from both schools together?
For the last two years my students have worked with students from Gladstone Elementary School on a project entitled “Reading Outside the Lines.” This involves high school Spanish students writing books in Spanish and then traveling across the imaginary lines in our city, which were created by past generations, to read to students from many different backgrounds. We seek to erase those lines by fostering an atmosphere of understanding, compassion, and empathy.
In my humble opinion, The Journal was irresponsible to print this story in such a sensationalized fashion which could now incite more trouble between the two schools. Schools today depend upon community stakeholders such as the media to assist us in our endeavors, not to make our school akin to Britney Spears in the latest edition of US Weekly.
As I sat this afternoon in the West auditorium, I was inspired by a group of students singing a song called “Actions Speak Louder than Words.” We all have faults, strengths, and weaknesses, but I think we all need to stop being jealous of what we don’t have and start being thankful for what we do. Let’s focus on the kids who play and perform on the inside of the stadium instead of the sign hanging on the outside. Although having school spirit can lead to a healthy rivalry on the field, court, or in the classroom let’s compete with ourselves to be the best people we can be. Our past may not be perfect, but our future can be better if we can teach our children to work together. We need to embrace our similarities and learn from our differences because, let’s face it, in the school of life we’re all in it together.
Julie Baker
Cranston

“Citizenship in Schools: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome"

Christopher Kliewer

Talking Points #8

Premise: Down Syndrome, community, communication, parents, teachers, students, individuality, judgments

Argument: This piece by Kliewer was taken from an article called “Schooling Children with Down Syndrome”. The lesson that this author is teaching is that community involvement is extremely important for children to learn. A child with learning disabilities, specifically Down Syndrome in this article, can flourish with the support of the community.

My Thoughts: This article, I liked. I had more interest in this one because I knew something about Downs Syndrome. I learned about this specific syndrome in high school Health classes, Psychology, and even Science. This disease is also known as Trisonomy 21. The physical characteristics of Down Syndrome typically involve low muscle tone, flat appearance of the face, upward slanting eye creases, small ears, single skin crease in the palm, extremely flexible joints, and having a large tongue. I think that it is important to know these basics before I started writing this paper. It’s not fair to write something down if you do not know about it first. Most people with Down Syndrome, as said in the article, can live independently. They are able to work and do a job well. They are actually pretty smart people. The more support any person gets, not just the disabled, the better the chances for success. Getting support from the community and being accepted into that community is a wonderful thing. One thing in the article that gave a wake up call is what can occur when we become teachers in a classroom. The teacher’s name in this paper was Shayne. Shayne saw wonderful things in her kids. What we would think as misbehaving and being rude, she saw the child as just wanting to express himself. Shayne wanted to let him be and let him learn in his own way. That was wonderful. But, let’s face it, a teacher as sensitive and accepting as Shayne is not usual. Most teachers are under stress to teach certain things by a certain date. They don’t have time for such special teaching. It’s sad. There was a quote by Kozol saying that this example of expression carries a burden of “intellectual, emotional, and spirituality” for the student, and the teacher was able to see this. Plus, there was a quote by Douglas Biklen, “society itself is hurt when schools act as cultural sorting machines—by perceived ability and behavior”. In other words, students shouldn’t be segregated by their disabilities. They should be put into a regular classroom and get support from that class community. Another student found community support by moving to another city. It’s too bad he had to do that. It’s too bad, people can’t always find support when they need it. Everyone has their own opinions about any situation, may it be in a school or in society. But there should be no judging contests. This is just one syndrome this article talks about, but it holds true for many disabilities. If someone has a syndrome, people label them as being a “downer”, and that he or she isn’t good enough and not perfect. Hey, nobody’s perfect. People who do not have this syndrome do not have the right to judge quickly about the person who does. They eat, breath, and sleep like you and me.

"One More River to Cross"

Talking Points #7

“One More River to Cross”
By: Charles Lawrence

Premise: segregation/desegregation, black/white people, judicial/political law, Brown v. Board of Education(1954), Plessy v. Ferguson, 14th Amendment, NAACP, remedy, inferior, equality, feelings, struggle

Argument: “The Brown Decision fostered a way of thinking about segregation that has allowed both the judiciary and society at large to deny the reality is critical to the framing of any meaningful remedy – judicial or political – and that Brown may ultimately be labled a success only insofar as we are able to make it stand for what it shood have stood for in 1954.”
Translation of Argument: Lawrence is trying to say segregation in schools is illegal now, but there is still segregation in society. Segregation in society is not good either, unlike the schools’ where it is illegal. People of different color should be coming together.

My Thoughts: “One More River to Cross”, by Charles Lawrence, was a little difficult to understand it all. It is obvious that he is a lawyer. The title, “One More River to Cross”, is actually from a Black folk song. The Brown v. Board of Education was a good thing but it is only one step. Blacks are still treated as inferiors. This stigma still very much lies all around us. There is not total equality. The whole purpose of segregation was not to separate the different colors but to make the Blacks feel inferior in their own place. When I think of the word “inferior” now, it seems like we are somewhat inferior also. We caused so much pain that it is not fair to be calling anyone inferior. We as people are still not equal in society. Peoples’ thinking is going to be a hard thing to change. Being White I do not even see up close how bad this discrimination really is. I need to step into their shoes to actually know what is going on. Lawrence keeps bringing up the word “remedy”. I think of this of a disease that is trying to have a cure. This is exactly what Lawrence is trying to say, and the only way to do this is to continue through life and try to get along with one another, otherwise, it can get deadly.

"Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route"

Talking Points #6
November 6, 2007

“Tracking: Why Schools Need to
Take Another Route”

Premise: tracking, schools, “less able”, high ability, students, fast/slow speed learning, groups, learning, teachers, different, “typical”, criticism/ridicule, low/middle/high class, maintaining control, discipline, comparison, socializing, “unspecial”, belief in ability, curriculum, environment, changes, alternatives

Argument: The author, Jeannie Oakes, says that educators should make a decision of whether to track students in schools. Educators should not choose the tracking system only. She wants schools to take on another route.

My Thoughts: I do not agree with the author. I think that you can still have tracking but for certain things. For example, once in a while let kids come together in groups. This way one is always not alone and can be with other diverse leveled students. This one student could be a “less able” and can maybe learn from a higher ability student. As I am still a student I know that this can be achieved. When I had my last study buddies party, I was studying with different leveled colleagues than I. I did not know if they were “A” students but getting together as a group helped. Oakes says that high ability students have more schooling experience; this is true and is a pro. Oakes also says that you can benefit from these high ability students too. But do we know what a pro with “less able” is? These kids are socializing more and they have more leisure time. They might spend more time working on one project than finishing it right away. These “less able” are disadvantaged and have fewer opportunities than of a higher ability student. In elementary school I can remember that there was a gifted program for students, so these students would not be bored. There was a time when there was not any tracking when my mother went to school and things seemed just fine. Tracking can work both ways here. These students will be labeled all through life as being bright or less of an achiever. This will of course be great for the bright group of people but maybe not for the less fortunate.

"Metaphors & Myths Have Shaped American Schools"

Kimberly Boghossian
Talking Points #5
10/30/07

“Metaphors & Myths Have Shaped
American Schools”
Premise:
diversity, white privilege, public schooling, ideology, myths, metaphors, American schools, merit, scientific efficiency, competition, progress, rich/poor, vouchers, society, desegregation, magnet/charter schools, vouchers, privatization, contributions to society, national unity, social progress, efficient, universal education, social justice, discrimination, injustice

Argument:
Changing and improving our country through education in American schools is the main theme.
Schools are a means to control society.
4 ideologies used by American school system:
1) Myths of merit – Success will come to one who works hard no matter how bad that student’s circumstances are. This myth helps wealthy people to think that they are more moral because they are successful.
2) Scientific efficiency – Setting up schools like a factory with the student as the product being produced. This is the way schools are set up today, as a business.
3) Competition – Schools are like the marketplace. The successful students and the successful schools will be the ones who survive.
4) Myths of progress – Progress is thought to be based on past successes and that it will continue to be even more successful. Many Americans realize that they cannot make a choice on how progress will affect them not trust the system.
These ideologies characterize American culture and the way it runs its schools.

My Thoughts:
Though I know I shouldn’t be surprised but I was disappointed on how political our school system is and how it is set up. This causes many clashes between schools and society. You still see this. For example, there are always disagreements on whether a subject should or should not be taught in school. One obvious subject that is controversial is sexual education. There are also some school systems that do not believe in teaching evolution.
Also, every year there is disagreement on how much money the city should give to the schools. Again, it is political because it affects people’s taxes. The wealthier communities tend to have better school systems because they have more money to get better services and equipment. As much as we are trying, our schools are still not equal in the education they provide.
One thing that bothers me is with the ideology of scientific efficiency. Today, students are required to take too many standardized tests. The teachers use up so much of their class time to teach their students strategies on how to take these tests instead of basic knowledge. There’s so much else to learn instead that is new and useful. It comes down to how the school looks in the present time instead of putting effort into teaching for the future.

"Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

Kimberly Boghossian
Talking Points #4
October 16, 2007

"Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us”

Premise:
Society , Views, “Secret Education”, Innocent, Writing for change, Power, Dreams, Behave , Think , Rich/Poor, Violence, Youth, Transforming minds, People of color , React, Real/Unreal, Mass media, Stereotypes, Ignorance, Latest fashion, Sex roles, Injustice, Challenge, Entertain, Myths

Argument:
Linda Christensen, in her essay “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us”, argues that the cartoons that young children watch are brainwashing them with bad stereotypes. These stereotypes involve economic, racial, and gender roles. In this essay, Christensen is trying to teach us to be aware of and watch for these poor stereotypes in the shows that young children are watching. She believes that the audiences of children are receiving a “secret education” and are being influenced badly by these poor stereotypes. The author wants us to take action teach the new generations of youth to learn the truth about what they are actually watching and to change what they are watching.

Comments:
Christensen mentions some examples of cartoons and how they show poor or wrong stereotypes of different groups. She is also right that people don’t want to think that they are being manipulated, especially with something as simple as a cartoon. The thing that bothered me in her essay is that children seem to be all by themselves, in isolation, watching these cartoons. Unfortunately, that may be true with too many children. But Christensen does not discuss parental and family influences on the child. Hopefully, there are other more positive influences around them so that the children will know that it was just a silly cartoon. Children will always be surrounded by these poor stereotypes, and it is up to the parents to teach their children wrong from right. These “poor” cartoons can be used as a teaching tool, and parents can start a discussion with their child. This will teach even young children to question things and not believe everything that is told them, especially by strangers, including television.
Television is slowly changing. There are still “bad” shows but diversity is being more accepted. I believe “Dora the Explorer” on Nick Jr. is an example of a show with good stereotypes. I don’t know the show that well, but I know Dora is a Hispanic girl who is smart. She is teaching kids another language. Stereotypes can be found not only on television shows, but in books, magazines, and movies. It’s all around us. It is the lessons that their parents teach through everyday life is what will stay with the child.
At the end of each fairy tale, there is a “happily ever after”, yeah right. But it’s nice to relax and dream of nice things. Cartoons and shows are good way to escape and relax, as long as you don’t take everything they say as being so. Cartoons are only amusing entertainment away from the real world, nothing else. That’s just what children need to know. It is not the real world. I am not saying that the shows that children are watching should not be critiqued. They definitely should. But they should be watched by the parents as well and used as a teaching lesson and discussion of what’s right and wrong. Children will always have bad influences around them, whether it is on TV or in the school. They need to learn to be strong individuals, to think with their own heads. When I was a kid, watching theses shows, I did not think of these subjects of race, sexuality, and the rest. I just enjoyed them. I do not think I turned into an awful bigot.
Now as I look back thinking of why I liked these cartoons is very different than this article. When I was a kid I had a different perception than now. I keyed on to colors, singing, and animals. It is really the parents that decide on what for us to watch and how to watch.

"Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community"

Kimberly Boghossian
Talking Points #3
October 9, 2007
Gayness, Multicultural Education,
and Community

Content/Premise: gayness, community, multicultural education, queer, silent, invisible, public schools, homosexual, lesbian, normalizing, real, identity formation, heterosexual, disempowered, deviant, sick, neurotic, criminal, lazy, unintelligent, abnormal, popular culture, popular culture curriculum, straight, AIDS, bar culture, rainbow flags, pink triangles, “Other”

Argument: Dennis Carlson argues that teachings about gay practices are increasingly hard to maintain. He points out some of the ways gay people and gayness have been kept in their place in the school community. Public schools can play an important role in helping to build a new democratic, multicultural community.

Evidence: This reading “Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community”, by Dennis Carlson, talked about gays. People in society, that aren’t gay, like to separate them out as “Others” just say the word. “Others” seem to have their own little gay community set up, especially gay bars. The gays have a thing called “bar culture”. This is where they like to hang out together with friends and to have their own space. Sometimes you can tell where gays like to hang out by gay symbols such as the rainbow flag or pink triangles. But, what about the people who aren’t gay in society? How are they carrying on with all this “gay” talk? Dennis Carlson provides us with many real life situations, because gays are all around us. Not just in schools, but in the media, we are pulled in about the subject of gays. Society wants to try to normalize itself by avoiding talking about gays. “It was such a sin and they should be condemned” (Sears 1991, 390). “I think gay guys are just sick. How could they do that? It’s wrong!” (Sears 1991, 391). The lesson Carlson would like to make is “Be yourself no matter who or what you are.” Dennis Carlson says a democratic multicultural education must become a dialogue in which all “voices” are heard and all “truths” are understood. In addition, all voices get heard in which gays feel free to “come out” and find their own voices.
Though I am not gay, I believe that a democratic multicultural education is the best method. Being teased and even being attacked for being who you are is just wrong. I have heard the hurtful word “faggot” in school. Everyone is different in some way, whether it is by sexual orientation, color, gender, or religion and everyone should be respected.

~Aria~

Kimberly Boghossian
Talking Points #2
October 2, 2007
~Aria~
In “Aria”, the narrator, Richard Rodriguez, gives his experience as a non-English speaking young boy in an American school. The boy speaks Spanish fluently, but he and his family are told by his teachers to learn to speak English in America. Not knowing English was keeping him behind in school. The family started to speak only English all the time. This was not an easy thing to do for them, but they stuck through it. As expected, it was easier for Richard and his siblings to learn English than his parents. It was most difficult for his father. His father never became comfortable with English and didn’t want to let go of his Spanish heritage. Now Richard and his family are bilingual.
Some educators believe in bilingualism, teaching in two languages. Richard admits that it would have been much easier if his teachers spoke Spanish to him but he has to admit that his education was better and more successful because he learned English. It’s important to learn the language of the country you live in. It’s a requirement for success. It is just as important to keep your heritage.
People coming from a foreign country worry that they are will lose all of their traditions if they stop speaking their language, but this does not have to be true. I do believe that by not speaking your birth language, you do lose some of your cultural identity. But by learning to speak English, doesn’t mean you have to forget your birth language and your roots. When Richard was learning to speak English, Spanish became his private language.
This story of Richard’s relates to my family. When my mother became old enough to enter kindergarten, her mother stopped speaking Armenian to her and spoke only English so she wouldn’t have trouble in school. My mother never learned Armenian, and so the language is now lost in our family. It’s hard for me to learn the language when it isn’t spoken in the house. Even though we try to keep our Armenian roots, a big piece of it is gone.
I wonder why the narrator of this story titled this “Aria”. Aria is supposed to be a romantic piece of music. It is very loving in the melodic sense. Richard’s love of being bilingual could be why he chose the title. Aria, the word, really looks and sounds so pretty as well.

"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"

Kimberly Boghossian
FNED Talking Points #1
September 25, 2007
“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, by Peggy McIntosh, is about the issue of white privilege. McIntosh is normally involved in women’s issues, and she compares white privilege with male privilege as working much the same way. Men are willing to say that women are disadvantaged and will even admit men have more advantages. The problem is that men are not willing to give up any of their advantages to help the women’s cause. McIntosh says that the same exact thing happens with racism of skin color.
McIntosh says that, “White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, code books, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks” (1). McIntosh asks herself, “What will I do to lessen or end it” (1)? She is saying the same thing as Allan Johnson said in his book, Privilege, Power, and Difference. Both McIntosh and Allan said that the privileged group first needs to realize that they are privileged to be able to decrease racism. White people are taught to think of their lives as being normal and average. They do not see as being white as an identity. McIntosh gives a list of privileges that whites have that they are not even aware of and take for granted. One example is that if a white moves into a new neighborhood, the neighbors will be friendly, and the whites do not need to worry about being arrested. She failed to say that it is a white neighborhood. If a white moved into a black neighborhood, people would wonder why, which is also sad. It should not matter at all who is moving into what kind of neighborhood. Everyone should be welcomed. The privileges that McIntosh lists can almost be seen as a Bill of Rights for groups of color. “Many doors open for certain people through no virtues of their own” (4). Being privileged tends to be thought of as a good thing but it also means that it can put down and dominate another person because of their race or gender.
Universal change takes many decades. McIntosh was taught to see racism only within an individual doing a mean act. But now she realizes that racism is part of the system of dominance of whites over other groups. Ending the denials about dominance and privilege is key to making the change. Are people willing to see how they are privileged and to let go this power of being privileged to help others?