Racial Inequity Part 2
Page 1: Racial Inequity
Course Title: EDUC 005: Introduction to Education Studies
Page 2: Agenda
Whiteness
Colorblind (Color-evasive) Ideology
Page 3: Key Concepts
Racial Structure: A social system that awards systematic privileges to one group over another (Bonilla-Silva).
Racial Ideology: Racially based frameworks used by actors to explain, justify, or challenge the racial status quo (Bonilla-Silva).
Page 4: Race 101: Whiteness
Whiteness serves as a fundamental framework for examining:
Racism
Racialization
Racial inequity
Integral in shaping social relations, culture, and ideology.
Page 5: Understanding Whiteness
Described as a system influencing multiple aspects of society.
Page 6: Racial Stereotypes
White: Perceived as civilized, rational, and intelligent.
Asian: Often seen as meek and obedient.
Black: Implicitly undefined but suggestive of negative stereotypes.
Page 7: Impact of Whiteness in Schools
Quote: "...whiteness defines what is normal, desirable, and good at the school." (Lee)
Reproduces white racial privilege through:
Attitudes and behaviors
Institutional policies and practices.
Shapes definitions of racism.
Discussion prompt: Explore the institutional culture of whiteness at University High and its implications for racial hierarchy.
Page 8: Faculty and Staff Roles
Specialized staff focus separation of race/racism issues from school culture.
Teachers often perceive diversity as outside their domain.
The efforts of specialized staff are disconnected from classroom educators' work.
Page 9: Criteria for "Talented" and "Good" Students
Characteristics:
Pro-school attitude.
English fluency.
Speech aligned with middle-class norms.
Participation in high-status extracurricular activities.
Academic strength geared towards 4-year colleges.
Page 10: Celebrating Whiteness Culture
Diversity Days: Focus on traditional arts without representation of true talent.
Risk of perpetuating ethnic stereotypes despite student resistance.
Page 11: Reproducing Racial Hierarchy
Teachers' lack of interest and knowledge in diverse student populations.
Support for elite student programs at the expense of diverse initiatives.
Faculty demographics predominantly white.
Multicultural content often absent from curricula.
Page 12: Cultural Perspectives
Cultural differences viewed through a lens of deficiency:
Hmong language considered a "problem" (Ruiz, 1984).
Assimilation viewed as inevitable.
Nonmainstream children deemed disadvantaged by their home cultures (Hess & Shipman, 1965; Lewis, 1966).
Page 13: Inequality Among Parents
Student inequality linked to parental inequality.
Discussion on unwritten rules governing school operations.
Educators often prioritize class issues over race.
Page 14: The Unequal Opportunity
Task: Analyze critiques of a video using readings from the week.
Washington Post article available in course materials.
Page 15: Color Blindness Overview
Study of college students:
627 surveyed, 10% randomly selected for interviews.
Additional 400 surveyed in the Detroit area, with 25% interviewed.
Page 16: Color-evasiveness Explained
Common discourse equates disabilities with weakness or limitations (Schalk, 2013).
Race scholars suggest that racism impairs understanding of racial injustices.
Acknowledging flaws in viewing disabilities as a deficit (Watts and Erevelles, 2004).
Page 17: Color-evasiveness Expanded
Resists framing people with disabilities as problematic or undesired.
Page 18: Central Frames of Colorblind Ideology
Frameworks include:
Abstract Liberalism
Naturalization
Cultural Racism
Minimization of Racism.
Page 19: Abstract Liberalism
Concept utilizes political and economic liberalism to abstractly discuss equality.
Example belief: "Equal opportunity" is available, contingent on individual effort.
Page 20: Naturalization Frame
Describes racial phenomena as natural occurrences:
Idea of gravitating towards likeness.
Seen as universal challenges in universities regarding minority faculty.
Page 21: Cultural Racism
Attributes racial inequalities to cultural traits of people of color.
Idea of some families being less involved in education.
Perceptions about educational backgrounds of non-white families.
Page 22: Minimization of Racism
Argues that discrimination is no longer a significant barrier for people of color.
Common assertions:
"It was worse in the past."
Present opportunities outweigh past discrimination.
Page 23: Diversity Ideology among Millennials
Represents a colorblind ideology that recognizes race but undermines systemic racism:
Acceptance: Celebrates racial identity while diminishing systemic issues.
Commodification: Focuses on individual benefits for whites.
Intent vs. Outcomes: Conflict between stated intentions and equitable outcomes.
Liability: Suggests unfairness incompatible with true meritocracy.
Page 24: Author Mention
Dr. Nolan Cabrera
Page 25: Discussion Question
Inquiry: Share observations of whiteness and color-evasive ideologies in the context of educational settings.