Jobs have become a major factor when dealing with race. According to the article, when asked if it was felt that racial minorites in this country have equal job oppertunities as whites, 55% of whites polled yes. " The study found that white and black job seekers had the appropriate qualifications and experience for the position, whites were far more likely to be called back than blacks." Once again this is not something done on purpose, rather an issue that has just been swept under the rug and become routine.
The next reading was "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" by Peggy McIntosh. She feels that our whole lives we, as whites, have been taught the privileges of being white subconsciously. The only way to play on the same level is to recognize what has happened over the year and make a change that will last. Privlige is a system that should be equally balanced out. It should be used as a scale, a means for a level playing ground. When that "knapsack" is unpacked then everything is laid out on the table. ITs almost like animal instinct, this racial issue we keep dealing with, yes truthfully so it wont end over night. Thats our biggest problem though, we want change immediately and if we dont get that change, we don't bother. Things in life take time and issues built up over centuries take longer so why not pick away at it today!?
i think it's because people either don't know about whats going or they do know whats going on and don't want an equal power shift. I've noticed most people who are ignorant to whats going on with racial/class inequalities will make off handed comments, if you talk to them about it they seem to either get defensive or curious to things they didn't know about in the first place. For the people of a higher class who ARE aware of it usually tend to avoid the subject all together. those who hold power in offices don't want a change, they show in the lack of concern with it comes down to social welfare, aid, and assistance to their fellow men and women who are of lower classes and races. power is a funny thing, those who have it don't want to share it. the most we can do as teachers, and referring back to Delpit, is to teach those "codes" to succeed...the problem is those students who DO succeed loose sight of their relationships with people in their classes and races once they gain the power they were looking for in a first place. it's a very controlling thing, having power. Where as a i share your hopes for a fixing of problems, i don't know if they will ever get resolved sometimes...
ReplyDeleteReally great points, Raschel. I hear a lot of JOHNSON in what you are raising here. And I would love to see you dig in a little deeper -- use the format I offer in the syllabus to organize your talking points. It will help you get into the details!
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