On Race and Inequality:

This week’s readings on race left me hungry for action. McIntosh, Nieto and Bode, and Omi and Winant all present the unjust fact: racism exists, and it is not improving our way of life. All three texts raise arguments for the existence of race and racism, but an action plan-- a hint of what to do-- was neither presented, or alluded to. After so long, I was screaming in my head, I get it, but now what?! There isn’t a switch to flick, or law to pass, but there must be some process by which equitable actions can result in a true equality.

Omi and Winant present an encyclopedic article on race and racism, two terms that they argue are used erroneously interchangeably.Visiting the history of race and racism, we read a lot about hegemony’s role as both catalyst and product, as the leadership is defined by the dominant race, and that race attempts to maintain its position of leadership (I question whether or not this is a conscious act). We are also introduced to “common sense,” or the ideas presented through education, entertainment, and other forms of media. I think the best example of “common sense” would be propaganda, because truth or not, it affects the thought processes of the people, and in turn, maintains, adjusts, or completely overthrows the norms of social placement. I will say that I applaud the proposal that not being white should not equate exemption from racism. While I found the argument for racism being a matter of power intriguing, using skin tone to justify an action seems to me to be exactly what racism is.

McIntosh furthers the arguments against inequalities by pointing her finger at the most privileged sect: the white male. To be fair though, most of her article focused on a race-based bias. She lists a number of items that would apply mostly to a white person. Of course, as a white male, I found that I was able to identify with all of the scenarios presented. The one that I can’t get out of my head refers to seeing my race widely represented in media. I can picture stereotypes of white people in movies and TV (The jock, the nerd, the cheerleader, etc). Then there’s the “black guy”. What’s his stereotype? His race serves as his stereotype. I can identify with the “nerd” (the “nerd” is a stereotype, so, there is a limit to familiarity), but can every person of African descent identify with the “black guy”? I didn’t think so.

Nieto and Bode propose that the most successful teachers of diverse populations are able to understand their own heritages and background; I suppose this allows us to relate to the trials of our students. Last week in class, I identified myself as a Sicilian from Methuen, Massachusetts. Beyond that region of Italy, I know nothing about my family’s background and history, and I clearly have some personal homework to do on that account. I digress, Nieto and Bode also discuss the difference between equal and equitable, and how the two (much like “race” and “racism”) are used incorrectly interchangeably. Boiled down, equitable actions can foster an environment of equality, and together, they can provide a proper education. In my classroom, we often discuss how fair is not always equal. When dealing with learning disabilities, the accommodations for one student may not necessarily be the best options for the other, and to present the same accommodations to both students would surely result in fairly for one. We’ve further discussed at a professional development seminar that “fair” is giving each person what he or she needs to succeed.

Now I’m left feeling very emotionally charged toward the topics of race and inequality. What am I supposed to do to combat these issues in the classroom? I suppose to have a lesson on Martin Luther King Jr or Anne Frank would not be enough. Even with a strong lesson, how do I make the message spread beyond the classroom? I have some history, and plenty of definitions of race, but, in terms of making things better: now what?