This is an addendum to the original piece I wrote in 2016. I want to start off by expressing my
perspective. In order to being
correctly, I need to identify myself—I am a white, male, middle class, able
bodied, heterosexual male. I belong to
every dominant culture group there is.
This does not mean I haven’t worked hard to get to where I am, believe
me, I have. But what it does mean is
that my race/gender/sexual orientation/physical ability has not been an
obstacle in my life as it is for many black, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+, and
disabled people in this world.
As someone who has lived the life from my lens, I think it is
crucial to suggest that names, skin color, sexual orientation, and even the
level to which one is able bodied impact lived experiences. If you change any one of the previous
categories from what I am, you will have a vastly different life to
navigate. Weather your positions are
based in religion etc.… you do not have to agree with the life style of others,
but I do implore you to AT LEAST acknowledge that their life path is vastly
different. Taking that first step allows
you to accept someone else’s perspective as real (weather you like it or not is
irrelevant to their lived experience).
There are so many things to get into here, like
micro-aggressions, economic impact, representation in GT classes, historical
context, and damage of colorblindness (“I don’t see skin color”) but that is
not the objective of this piece. The
objective of this piece is to develop understanding and open hearts and minds
to those who are different than me (white, male, heterosexual, able-bodied) to
those who are different. I wish it was
as easy as isolating race for me, which crucially important, but I cannot
mention one without the other. Ethics is
ethical.
On to my amended piece from 2016, small edits where made…
Given historical and contemporary events, I would like to state
my position on equity in this country. To understand my perspective, I find it
important to explain my process that has brought me to this point – as this
work is a process not a political stance. I am, above all an educator. I am
tasked with educating the next generation of leaders, adults, and contributors
to society. I have participated in workshops on equity, interviewed close
friends on the role race has played in their lives (and in their kids lives),
and am currently in a program where I seek to end inequities in education. Some
amazing authors on race, class, and representation; authors include Kenneth Howe,
Paul Gorski, Tara J. Yosso, Carolyn M. Shields, Beverly Daniel Tatum, and many
others. I highly recommend reading their work to build perspective.
I have read a lot of research on how race, socioeconomic status,
and geographic placement impact academic success. I have taught and worked in
vastly different schools. I have listened to emotional performances from
underrepresented populations. I grew up idolizing people who did not look like
me. I ran a multicultural fair during my undergrad in Nebraska. I say all this
to say, I have made a life out of seeking out perspectives different than mine.
Through experiences, conversations, and research I have
concluded unequivocally that white privilege and institutional racism exist.
Although there has been much progress since the Civil Rights Act in 1964 –the
13th Amendment (1865), the work of W.E.B Dubois (1868-1963),
Malcolm X (1925-1965), and Marcus Garvey (1887-1940)– we still have a long way
to go. In my opinion, victim blaming is the most important area we need to
address. For example, what video of this person can we find of them doing
anything remotely wrong to somehow justify their wrongful death. In education, it is easy to blame students
success on their circumstances but it is much harder to learn about their
specific individual obstacles and attempt to address them: transportation, work
schedules, child care among many. We must move away from this idea of connecting
our lived experience to those of others, there is little to no reality in doing
so. We must move to a mindset of actively learning—continuously—the specific
circumstances of people different from oneself prior to passing judgment in
order to properly understand, acknowledge, address, and correct them.
This is not a “minority” issue. Those who belong to the dominant
culture (white, able bodied, heterosexual males) and subsets of that group need
to recognize their part and work against the systems that currently exist to
ever have any dream of remedying them.
