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Ryan Watkins

EDSC 340

Final Project

When asked how they treat their students, all teachers would likely respond with some

sort of statement that each student is treated equally. However, this is not only completely false,

it is an unattainable goal due to people’s inherent bias, especially when it comes to race

historically. In addition, discrimination in education can come in many forms outside of race,

including our own preconceived expectations for certain students. Some teachers see a student

and based on their background, looks, or even behavior automatically associate these traits with a

predetermined assumption of who this student is and what this student will be in the classroom.

Though this response is involuntary, it cannot be permitted to interfere with a student’s

achievement, even though it has occurred in history for decade. This site is dedicated to

discussing and analyzing how discrimination, race and expectations have historically impacted

the classroom in relation to social studies courses. This will focus on the impact that

preconceived expectations and thoughts contribute to the negative impact placed on an

individual’s potential achievement. All of the following information was discussed in this EDSC

340 course.

Discrimination

Discrimination is treatment witnessed in everyday life and can be as extreme as a person

spewing hate speech at another to as small as staring someone down based on how they look or

dress. However, it takes on a completely different form in the classroom and often has an adverse

effect on student achievement. This topic was discussed during this course in great detail in
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Chapter 3 "Racism, discrimination, and expectations of students' achievement" of Affirming

Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education by Sonia Nieto and Patty Bode.

The chapter effectively illustrates the struggle of handling discrimination in the classroom by

stating that discrimination comes from one’s idea of personal superiority; this nature has a direct

impact on the how schools are structured, what the curriculum is, how teachers themselves are

educated, and how teachers interact with their colleagues, students, and the rest of the school

community (Nieto & Bode 64). This encapsulates the main connection between schools and

discrimination, which is perceptions of superiority influence our opinions from root to stem.

Personally, I believe the best method addressing this issue is to target the stem and refocusing

teachers’ emphasis in how they interact with various individuals in the school community.

In addition, this chapter displays the notion every student is judged unfairly based on

their teacher’s and their community’s stereotypical ideas of what they believe them to be in

contrast to who they truly are. An example of this discrimination could be how a student from a

poor socioeconomic background is treated as if they are less intelligent by the teacher than their

more affluent classmates. As well, discrimination can come in the form of assumptions regarding

a student’s work ethic and how this relates to either their background or race. Adding to this,

discrimination can also stem from assumption made based to how someone dresses. Personally,

while in high school there was an individual that most of my peers were afraid to talk to because

this student listed to “heavy metal” and wore ripped jeans, presenting himself in a way to lead us

all to believe he was a punk/rebel. However, upon actually speaking to him I discovered he was

one of the most genuine and kind people I had ever met. This experience signifies that by

challenging preordained ideas of my peer I discovered the discrimination that laid beneath. If

teachers are able to confront their individual discriminations, student achievement will not be
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directly affected by predetermined ideas. However, most are unwilling to challenge preconceived

notions, resulting in the discriminatory nature of schools to remain unchanged for decades.

This clearly is something that needs to be changed; however, it is not as simple as just

acknowledging the issue at hand. According to Nieto and Bode, discrimination in schools is a

systemic issue due to the nature of it: discrimination does not revolve around a single individual

but rather exists as an institutional practice. This practice is why individual effort cannot

singlehandedly fight discrimination and preconceived biases, and why systematic wide effort

must occur. Without change, the current structural inequality will always get in the way of

individuals pushing back (Nieto & Bode 64). It is extremely difficult to completely change

individual schools and their institutional practice of discrimination because of how it can be a

conscious choice compiled with subconscious actions.

Many people may not see themselves as being racist or discriminatory, and may in fact

see themselves as allies to positive change. However, this does not excuse their actions when the

knowingly abide by this institutional practice in schools. Nieto and Bode perfectly address the

hypocrisy behind the silent supporters and how there is little difference between intentional and

unintentional racism because they both factor into the status quo and ultimately whether

discrimination is intentional or not (Nieto & Bode 65). No matter how these individuals may see

themselves, they are ultimately contributing to the continued mistreatment of others. For my

personal application, I really must be aware of my own compliance in this unintentional

discrimination, which is something I would have never considered if not for this course. If this

discrimination is unchecked, it will continue to grow and have an adverse effect on the

achievement of discriminated students.

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In my opinion, the best method of responding to this form of discrimination is through

education. What I mean by this is that individuals, namely students, need to be educated on these

forms of discrimination, and there is no better classroom environment than a social studies

course. I have come to this conclusion based on both the readings of this course and personal

experience. There are countless examples of discrimination that can be found throughout history,

as well as methods of fighting against it. For example, a social studies teacher, such as myself,

could use the examples of Martin Luther King Jr. of peaceful but fiery protests of the established

treatment of select individuals. As well, discussing the issue of discrimination in schools

historically, such as segregation based on race, sex and class. Reminding students of these past

instances of discrimination could be useful, because it would display that discrimination can be

overcome with serious time and effort.

I also feel that educating students on the previously mentioned forms of discrimination

and showing them this form of protest would help generate a conversation or movement to push

back against it. It is impossible for a response against discrimination if students are not made

aware of this actions, just as it impossible for teachers for teachers to be aware of their

unintentional contribution to the institutional practice of discrimination if they are not themselves

educated on the issue. Because if the faculty and institution is not completely aware how they

act, then how can they possible eradicate this issue? This can be solved through education and

constant vigilance regarding how quickly teachers jump to conclusions regarding students. Only

through a combined union of teacher and student can the issue of discrimination in schools be

fully addressed and solved.

Another method of addressing discrimination could come by making people address their

discriminatory nature. Earlier I discussed how discrimination comes from our preconceived
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notion of superiority and as a result negatively impacts how we view students of certain

backgrounds as lesser than us. The best way of dealing with this in my opinion is to display how

discrimination in the form of class breakup, teacher hiring’s and other limiting factors built into

the current school structure. Comparisons should be made between past discriminatory acts by

schools in the past such as segregation prior to the Civil Rights Acts and the desegregation of

Little Rock Arkansas. This is where social studies courses regarding U.S. history would be

beneficial in going into full detail on these subjects in comparison to discrimination in schools

today.

Racism

Of course, sometimes this discrimination can take on a more impactful approach and be

used under the form of racism. This course’s readings demonstrate the issue of racism in school

environments more clearly than anything I have previously read. Though the end of segregation

was over 50 years ago many students of color still deal with schools segregated by race and class

by defacto segregation. Of course, this has an adverse effect on color students, which are divided

by race and class. As a result students from various races rarely interact with students from

different backgrounds than in the past, whereas poor children become forced into substandard

schools, and the high schools these students go to become “dropout factories” (Nieto & Bode

66). It is incredibly disheartening that racist segregation like this still exists and there is a

nickname for these schools that clearly abide the previously mentioned institutional practices.

With names like “dropout factories”, it is clear that this form of racism and discrimination in an

educational environment does not encourage high level achievement and that said level of

achievement is uncommon.
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I have learned through this course that this is an ongoing issue especially when

comparing these substandard schools to the more successful white schools. According to recent

studies, many schools are able to lower their achievement gap through a myriad of ways. This

includes having competent, committed, and professional educators with high expectations

students regardless of race, class or gender; who also have a curriculum built around cultural

sensitivity, while still being challenging to students. In addition to this, a community focused on

students retaining a high level of achievement is a common method of lowering the achievement

gap (Nieto & Bode 68). While all of this may appear conducive to learning and positive, many

schools fail to meet these qualities especially when it comes to cultural sensitivity.

A great example of the failure of cultural sensitivity was discussed in “What do you mean

when you say urban?” by Dyan Watson, which covers how racially diverse students are seen and

addressed in the classroom. The term “urban” is often used as a method to describe students of

various ethnicities, although it often excludes white people (Au 78). The use of this term in

reference to urban schools, as discussed in this article, is a further demonstration of how race

plays a role in schools and how students of an “urban” background are viewed by the faculty and

the community. This is compounded by arguably the most interesting aspect of the article, which

is how urban students are seen by many teachers as not being able to see education as something

to be valued because their parents do not care about their child’s education, resulting in the child

to lack initiative and fail to be on time and complete their homework (Au 78). This is a clear

sweeping generalization that chooses to place the blame on the student rather than the teacher or

the environment. How can these “urban” students possibly succeed when their teachers do not

believe in them? As well, how can these students achieve any success when their environment

places their race into a second-class classification?

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This grouping is most visible in terms of the black community, which is often seen as

being comprised of criminals rather than everyday citizens. This is discussed during the course in

the video “The Enduring Myth of Black Criminality” by Tah-Nehsi Coates, which explains that

black people are associated directly with the idea of criminality, and that almost 1/3 of every

black man has a chance of going to prison versus only 6% of white men (Coates 2:20-2:50). With

this kind of treatment outside of school, how are these students supposed to focus on what is

going on in school? Being seen and treated as a criminal at a young age will have an extreme

effect on a young person’s development into an adult.

As well, the same video relates this to the subject of social studies in the discussion and

comparison of this treatment of African-Americans historically. The video cites the fugitive slave

act and the runaway slaves Fredrick Douglas and Harriet Tubman as criminals for seeking the

betterment or freedom for themselves (Coates 1:25-2:00). I feel that this a perfect comparison to

the treatment of the “urban” students mentioned earlier. These students are often seen as being

the criminals society wants them to be, rather than the people they are. This is just another

example of how race has a detrimental effect on the success of students due to factors in and out

of the classroom.

This topic of incarceration is discussed heavily in the video “Mass Incarceration” by

Bruce Western, which notes that almost 70% of black men that drop out of high school end up in

the United States federal prison system according to data from 2005-2015 (Western 1:00-1:18).

Coming from an environment of incarceration is bound to have an effect on a student’s ability to

focus and achieve success in the classroom. This is something I need to be aware of in my future

classes because I can use this knowledge, and this specific data, to help motivate my African-

American students regardless of the inherent racism that makes achievement detrimental to them.
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However, I have learned that what I do to assist these students in the classroom will not

be enough to fight the issues that come from the effects racism has on the home. What I mean by

this is the mass incarceration of African-American’s and the effect it has on their children.

Western cites that 1/9 African American students have a parent who served time in prison, and as

a result these students have issues with academic achievement, depression and act out/behave

poorly (Western 1:20-1:39). Under the given circumstances, this is completely understandable,

yet an unacceptable consequence of the racial status quo. This is a larger issue I was not aware of

prior to this course and really shows the effort I will have to make of ensuring my students of

color can succeed despite their home environment.

I believe that being aware of how I respond to student misbehavior in the classroom is a

crucial aspect of handling race in the classroom because it more likely due to these previously

mentioned outside factors. My response to this could come in many forms, such as educating

students on the historical relevance of this issue to slavery in early United States history, or even

just detailing the mass incarceration issue in terms of what it means following the civil rights

movement. However, I feel the best possible approach would be find an appropriate way of

reaching my student without making them feeling singled out or pitied. Instead I would ask them

how they are and what I could do to help without prying into their private life.

Expectations

Another major issue regarding student achievement is the struggle of expectations. This

refers to the reliance on various stereotypes in terms of what teachers and the school community

expect for students based on their race and background. Nieto & Bode perfectly illustrate these

stereotypes in how girls are not as intelligent as boys, or black students are more musically

inclined, Jews are more intelligent, and poor people are lazy (Nieto & Bode 63). I have always
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known these stereotypes to be incorrect, though I never fully realized the damage that these

stereotypes can have on student achievement. When students believe themselves to be worth

little in terms of academia they are doomed to a self-fulfilling prophecy. As well, the high

expectations for other students can have a negative effect on student achievement,

A great example of this is the stereotype regarding Asians as being studious minorities in

the school community. However, a more accurate depiction of Asian-Americans is discussed in

the article “You’re Asian, how could you fail math?” by Benji Chang and Wayne Au. One of the

greatest examples of this accurate portrayal discussion on Asian-Americans in terms of their

failures. The authors state that they have often seen Asian students fail classes, drop out of school

and even join gangs, all of which contest the traditional idea of them as being the model minority

in the U.S. and the failure to acknowledge this fails to address the true struggles of these students

(Au 48). I really enjoy the last part of this statement and how it can relate to the role of the

teacher. In many ways the teacher sets the tone for how these stereotypes can be dealt with in the

classroom. For example, if when discussing the history of China or the Chinese railroad workers

in my social studies class, it would be better to avoid any assumptions that a Chinese student

would know all about this subject. This simple interaction can seem harmless, but can in fact

play into these dangerous high expectations and stereotypes discussed.

As well, this use of expectations based on stereotypes can be transferred to those that are

deemed less likely to academically succeed in education. This includes African American, Latino

and many other students who are assumed to do poorly because they lack the same desire and

effort as their Asian counterparts (Au 50). This is something that seems clear as day as reliance

on stereotypes to understand academic failures, but failing to account for outlying factors other

than race. However, reading this paragraph really showed me a new form of racism which
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involves diminishing other races based on the stereotypes of another race. In this case, the

studious Asian stereotype against the lazy Latino/African American student. To me, this seems to

be just another example of how lazy teachers, faculty and community members explain their own

failures to get these other stereotypes to succeed academically.

Chang and Au offer their own thoughts on how to best handle these stereotypes regarding

Asians, and I personally believe this can be transferred to every group. They state that the best

method for dealing with these stereotypes is to get to know their students both inside and outside

the classroom, including time in their community (Au 52-53). This statement is in reference to

Asian-American students; however, I think it matches perfectly for every student group. If the

teacher is willing to become involved and get to know their students then they will take a huge

step in the fight against race and discrimination in the classroom.

One of the best methods of addressing expectations during this course was the discussion

on how/where we are born as discussed by Adam Rutherford’s BBC podcasts. The first of these,

“Born Equal”, mentions that the environment we come from affects our ability to achieve

success, which he relates in terms of the lack of Welsh intelligence leading to academic

acceptance and achievement in universities prior to the 1990s in the U.K. (Rutherford 2:00-2:35).

This plays into the idea that expectations in any environment can lead to the discrimination that

limits the possibilities of success among students regardless of country. Once again, the real

factors effecting academic achievement are ignored in favor of stereotypes. Rutherford states that

factors such as parental literacy, economic status also play a role in student development,

including the use of reading at home (Rutherford 3:30-4:40). This demonstrates how outlying

factors influence academic success, rather than the continued reliance on stereotypical

expectations. I greatly enjoy how Rutherford addresses the effect reading can have on academic
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success, because it something that is often considered by non-academics. Seeing this idea put

into words and the presented evidence really made me want to include more reading, both

content related and free silent reading in my social studies course.

Rutherford’s other podcast addresses the issue with expectations in relation to genetics.

This podcast is titled “Born Different”, and discusses how the emphasis on knowing our genes

can be detrimental to our expectations. One of the scientist Rutherford chats with discusses the

adverse effect knowing our genetics can have on a person and that knowing you have “dumb”

genes can make you fulfill this expectation (Rutherford 4:50-5:15). This sentiment falls in line

with my own beliefs, that students need encouragement rather than being told they need to defy

predetermined expectations. This sentiment is later supported in the same podcast when

discussing that academic achievement is related to a combination of our genes, environment and

society, all of which make us who we are (Rutherford 8:30:-:8:55). I feel that this is the most

important note to discussing how expectations of race, gender and class form. Many people can

defy the odds and overcome their environment, however it takes a combination of all three of the

previously mentioned factors, rather than some stereotypical trait.

Ultimately, many factors will cause students to succeed and fail in the classroom. These

can range from inside the classroom to outside factors from society, however it is up to the

teacher to ensure the student finds a high level of achievement. Taking a critical role in the

student’s life is the first step in this process, and is something I will have to try to do without

overstepping my boundaries. As well, educating these students on their specific struggles

regarding race and discrimination will go a long way to helping them realize their potential. I

owe a lot of my knowledge on assisting these students to these specific discussions on race,

discrimination and expectations in EDSC 340.

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Works Cited

Chang, Benji, W. Au. (2014). “You’re Asian, how could you fail math?”. In Wayne Au’s (Ed.),

Rethinking Multicultural Education: Teaching for Racial and Cultural Justice.

Milwakuee, WI: Rethinking Schools Publication.

Coates, Tah-Nehsi. (2015, 10 September). “The Enduring Myth of Black Criminality”. The

Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/404674/enduring-myth-of-black-

criminality/

Nieto, Sonia, Patty Bode. (2012). "Racism, discrimination, and expectations of students'

achievement". Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural

Education. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Rutherford, Adam. (2014, 12 May). “Born Equal”. BBC Radio. Podcast retrieved from

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042jhl3

Rutherford, Adam. (2014, 19 May). “Born Different”. BBC Radio. Podcast retrieved from

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b042zsxv

Watson, Dyan. (2014). “What do you mean when you say urban?”. In Wayne Au’s (Ed.),

Rethinking

Multicultural Education: Teaching for Racial and Cultural Justice. Milwakuee, WI:

Rethinking Schools Publication.

Western, Bruce. (2015, 11 September). “Mass Incarceration”. The Atlantic. Retrieved from
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https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/404890/prison-inherited-trait/