The memory that I have of experiencing bias, prejudice, and/or oppression is something that happened recently at my children's high school. There was an English teacher who would use all types of racial slurs in the classroom in front of the children. My son would come home telling me horror stories several times a week of how she referred to blacks as the “N” word and that how white people will always be superior to blacks. When I called the school to complain I was told that I was the first parent to ever complain on this teacher and that they had no knowledge of her speaking to children in this manner. Surprisingly about two weeks after I made this complaint the teacher was fired for showing a movie that was rated “R” in the classroom. The complaint came from a white mother who had adopted two asian children. It was ironic to me that my complaint as a black mother got pushed aside and when the white mother complained the teacher was fired and the story made national news. The feelings that the incident brought up for me was anger. I can’t understand why a person would treat children in this manner regardless of their race.
We have learned through our studies that prejudices are learned behaviors
and as children this behavior is not passed on to us or inherited. In today’s society although we live our lives and profess to not be bias and display prejudice tendencies I believe that everyone has these traits within them. I think that the only way to change this is for the people involved from the teacher to the administrators to change their world views.
Deon that is very discouraging to hear, and feel that your family had to experience this situation. I have seen incidents of things happening the same, when one person makes something known it is not received well unless delivered by another party. The school should have taken action at least in the interest of student identity or emotional state. The way teachers responds to cultural awareness is how students shape perspectives.
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