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.