Whose are told and whose remain in the margins?
Whose are told and whose remain in the margins?
I really enjoyed this module; it was interesting getting to hear different stories from different ethnic people. The topic of schools only teaching one-side history is a very common topic talked about today. This can create problems and suppress people of color at an early age. I almost feel dumb sometimes because before I learned more in college, I didn't know anything about the different sides of history. I've learned more about historical events in my three years at Texas State than my twelve years of grade school. I chose to go to Texas State because it's a very diverse, inclusive school and I knew I would get to learn more about different cultures. I wish more teachers made it a priority to teach more about diversity and different sides of history. I know it's getter better, but it's still a big issue in schooling because some people don't know how to address it or are scared to talk about it. The first article on module 4 Segregated by Experience made think about a time something similar happened to me. It was back in 1st grade; I would talk a lot in class because I like talking to my friends and I was literally a kid. My teacher would always send me to the office, and she thought something was wrong with me. She never did this to the other students, but she did it to me for some reason. I never understood it back then, but as I got older, I realized it was because of my race and it kind of made me mad. Another story this made me think of was when my mom was picking me up from daycare when I was young. They asked her who her kid was, and she said my name, but they brought out some other little black girl because my mom is blacker than me. I have always had lighter skin than mom, especially when I was young, and people would always think that I was my mom's sister or someone else's kid. It's very annoying having to tell someone that this is in fact your kid. I didn't have as much of a hard time growing up because I am mixed, so I have lighter skin, but segregation of any kind needs to stop in school. School should be a safe place with equal opportunities for everyone to learn and grow. I'm also grateful to have grown up in this time because stuff may not be fully equal, but we have it so much better than it was back then. It really upsetting to learn about and hear in the 2nd article Pushing Indigenous nations to the margins: Creation of Indian Boarding Schools that the American system started out already with white people on a pedestal, so we were basically doomed at the start. This article also made me question "Why is it people's first thought that someone different from you or a different color means they're bad or threating.
I totally agree Tiyana, I am a transfer student from a PWI (primarily white institution), and transferring to a school like Texas State made me realize how little diversity my previous school had. I think that we have made great strides as a society to equalize schooling, but your stories remind me that there is still a long way to go to achieve true equity. One thing I wrote about in my assignment was how the history of various groups can influence how they treat and raise children. I wonder if your mother did anything different than my (white) mother specifically to prepare us for schooling and navigating the world in our identities.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your input and for sharing your experiences!
Tiyana, thank you for sharing your personal experiences. This is a huge issue in society today and while in some ways it's getting better, in others it isn't getting better at all and that can be disheartening. The second article on the indigenous boarding schools seems so far removed from where we are today. The general opinion is that the historical treatment of indigenous people in this country was bad and should never have happened but then you read the first article "Segregated by Experience" and you see that both black and hispanic children are still being unfairly treated compared to their white counterparts. It's not as extreme as it used to be but these students are being told to be quiet, sit still, do what you're told and don't talk for 8 hours a day, while others get to be loud and goof off and actively participate in their education. It's something to ponder what we can do as future educators to break that cycle.
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