What Diversity Means To Me...
When I hear the word "diversity" paired with "racism", I can already feel myself starting to get annoyed. It's not that I'm annoyed with the concepts, but how it comes across. As a preamble to what I'm about to say, this post is inspired by ZombieSlayer's recent post breifly mentioning this issue.
Last Friday was an AB day for me - no kids came to school, but teachers attend workshops. I have no idea what AB stands for, but I know I have to attend whatever meetings/workshops administration has planned. On the agenda for this day was a speech by our superintendent, followed by groups meeting to read articles about "white privilege" and how to teach diversity to our children. What I found unbelievable was that they wanted us to have deep and meaningful discussions about articles that were written in the mid-80's. Furthermore, when I asked about other kinds of inequities that I see every day against my students with special needs, I was told "Yes, but we're not talking about that today - we are talking about white privilege". Now, keep in mind that I'm not denying that "white privilege" exists or that teaching our children diversity is a good thing. However, I'm saying that devoting a day that I could be working with my very diverse group of students or at least doing the necessary paperwork that goes along with providing said students services would have been a much better use of my time. This is because I have noticed that, when one group (for example, the adminstrators of a district) decides to have a workshop about diversity, it is very limited in scope. It is "diversity" on their terms, which on that day, happened to be "white privilege" as it relates to African Americans. There is no mention of "male privilege" or "wealthy privilege". There is no mention made of the inequality that the kids I work with live with every day because of their disabilities. Also, I guess I should forget that the biggest minority group in our school district happens to be Hispanic. But, maybe there are no inequities where they are concerned, or we should not waste our time on those issues. Puhleese!
So, if you want to talk about "diversity" and expect me to take you seriously, then don't be so narrowminded to think that all of public school ills will be cured if we concentrate on making things equitable for only our African-American students. If that happens, we are putting blinders on to all the unfairness that many other people face in this world every day.
Last Friday was an AB day for me - no kids came to school, but teachers attend workshops. I have no idea what AB stands for, but I know I have to attend whatever meetings/workshops administration has planned. On the agenda for this day was a speech by our superintendent, followed by groups meeting to read articles about "white privilege" and how to teach diversity to our children. What I found unbelievable was that they wanted us to have deep and meaningful discussions about articles that were written in the mid-80's. Furthermore, when I asked about other kinds of inequities that I see every day against my students with special needs, I was told "Yes, but we're not talking about that today - we are talking about white privilege". Now, keep in mind that I'm not denying that "white privilege" exists or that teaching our children diversity is a good thing. However, I'm saying that devoting a day that I could be working with my very diverse group of students or at least doing the necessary paperwork that goes along with providing said students services would have been a much better use of my time. This is because I have noticed that, when one group (for example, the adminstrators of a district) decides to have a workshop about diversity, it is very limited in scope. It is "diversity" on their terms, which on that day, happened to be "white privilege" as it relates to African Americans. There is no mention of "male privilege" or "wealthy privilege". There is no mention made of the inequality that the kids I work with live with every day because of their disabilities. Also, I guess I should forget that the biggest minority group in our school district happens to be Hispanic. But, maybe there are no inequities where they are concerned, or we should not waste our time on those issues. Puhleese!
So, if you want to talk about "diversity" and expect me to take you seriously, then don't be so narrowminded to think that all of public school ills will be cured if we concentrate on making things equitable for only our African-American students. If that happens, we are putting blinders on to all the unfairness that many other people face in this world every day.
posted by Notta Wallflower at 6:16 PM
9 Comments:
From your comment on Zombie's blog I knew you were in Education. The Education industry has become bogged down with, as you said, meaningless cubbyholing of "diversity". If you only talk about one type of diversity (i.e. white privilege in your example), you're contradicting the meaning of diversity. In Higher Education (I'm a private college administrator) it's even worse than at the secondary/primary level - because it's run by academics and not politicians - so they over analyze it even more! It's all about numbers. If you have X% of minority students you're diverse. Forget how they're treated by old, white professors. Forget about sexism, classism, sexual orientation, etc. It's all lip service that achieves nothing. I'm with ya 100%
Another fine example of our tax dollars at work! Sheesh!!
Laura - I really enjoy your blog. So much of what you say I can relate to. If it's bad now, I can't imagine it being worse. :-/
TSHS - You know, I was joking to H that this bullshit day reminded me of the episode of South Park with the school nurse with the dead fetus attached to her head. They made this big "to do" about her having a special day (to celebrate her differences) when all she really wanted was to not be singled out and let her live her life. Funny how things get so muddled up...
You know I'm not white, so I could get away with saying this. When someone says "white privilege," it kinds of turns my ears off. I grew up in Martinez, which if you don't know is a refinery town about a half hour from you.
People have died at those refineries. Mostly white people, in fact. You go into a bar and start talking about white privilege on a day when their white co-workers just got blown in half, literally, and you won't make too many friends.
I'm so sick of all the whining. When I hear the word "diversity," I see it as a code word for reverse racism. It's downright annoying. It's so overused that it's lost its meaning.
It's all about class. If you're rich, you have more doors open to you than if you're poor, regardless of color.
I really wish we'd stop looking at color and start seeing ourselves as Americans.
Now when it comes to food, I'm all for diversity. The more ethnic foods, the better. But when we're divided by race or ethnicity, we'll never get anything accomplished.
Okay, I'll stop ranting. Good post, Notta.
Agreed that when they say diversity, they want "diversity" only how they see diversity, instead of anything realistic.
Zombie: Mostly agreed. However, you do have to admit that, within each class strata, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. do start to matter more. A rich Black man will never be seen as equal to a rich White (man or woman). Poor minority women are more socially disadvantaged than poor white men. etc. etc. I do agree that class trumps most other 'isms' - but within each class is where it becomes apparent.
ZS - I was curious to know what you thought, but judging from your post, I already had guessed.
Laura - I think the thing that's got me thinking a lot lately is my audiobook "Nickel and Dimed". If ever anything brings to mind class differences and unfairness, that book is it.
Laura - True, but speaking strictly for me, I'd much rather be a rich black dude than a poor or middle-class white dude. Of course, I won't be visiting my family in Mississippi any time soon. I'll fly them to visit me.
Julia - I missed that show. :-P
Zombie: From a first-person point of view, you're right. The wealthy black man has a better overall life than the working-class white dude. However, class isn't always readilly apparent to others. I remember a sociological experiment conducted across the country a number of years ago where two guys on opposite street corners hailed cabs. One was a white convicted felon (parolled), the other a black attorney - guess who always got passed up.
Post a Comment
<< Home