An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 1

An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding

Samantha Lane
James Madison University
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 2

1.) Name your identities of privileges and identities of oppression. How do your multiple
visible and invisible identities, privileges, and oppressions shape how you have and do
experience power, privilege, and opportunity in your schooling and in your life? How will
this influence your approach in the classroom as you teach diverse students?

As a child and student, I was never confronted with the reality of my privilege and how it

rewarded me in ways that they did not others. I had a surface understanding of discrimination

and how it had affected some of my friends, but it was only when I came to college that I began

to critically think about how my life had been guided and directly impacted by different levels of

privilege and oppression. We were always told to work hard and we would be given what we

wanted, but we never thought about what that meant and why it wasnt enough for some people.

Now, as a college student and aspiring teacher, examining my privilege and biases is not just

recommended, it is necessary. As Michael Kimmel said, Privilege is invisible to those who have

it. As teachers, we cannot let our privilege be invisible to us, because if it is, then so is the

oppression of a great number of our students.

When I think about my privilege and what has impacted my opportunity and experiences

the most, the two areas that come to mind are race and location. As a white American, the ways

in which I experience privilege solely in this area could be the entire subject of this paper. As

Peggy McIntosh mentions in her article, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

(1988), we are often taught that racism only encapsulates individual acts of discrimination rather

than systematic oppression aimed at certain groups of people. Many of the items in her list

revolve around the fact that white people are not asked to speak for or represent the entire white

race, and the actions of one white person are not attributed to all other white people (McIntosh

1988). Examples of this would be number 20 on her list, I can do well in a challenging situation

without being called a credit to my race, or number thirteen, Whether I use checks, credit cards

or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 3

(McIntosh, 1988, pgs. 1-2). My accomplishments and short-comings alike are attributed to me as

a person, not the fact that I am white. In addition to this, I often see members of my race

represented in the media in a variety of complex and multi-faceted ways, both positive and

negative. The personal aspects of these individuals are never attributed to their race, but rather

who they are as a person aside from that. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of white privilege of

all is that I can discuss these aspects of my privilege and be regarded as woke or an upstanding

individual, not someone acting the victim to get special privileges even after years of

oppression and discrimination, as people of color are when they demand justice for inequities

used against them.

Related to my white privilege is the privilege of my location and where I grew up. I grew

up in Loudoun County in Northern Virginia, which has been identified as the richest county in

America. Therefore, I had access to educational and financial opportunities that many people

around the country dont get. Both of my parents are college-educated American citizens, so they

have not had as much trouble finding and keeping jobs as people not falling into these categories.

My going to college and receiving a degree like they did was always an expectation, not an

option that might not be possible. One huge aspect of my privilege and identity is the schooling I

had growing up. Schools in Northern Virginia are known for being exceptional, particularly in

Loudoun County. The schools I went to growing up were well-funded and supplied with the

materials, infrastructure, and staff that they needed to run smoothly and give us a quality

education. However, this is not the case for many of the students coming through the public-

school system in America. One example of this is outlined in Anya Kamenetzs article

discussing Freehold Borough, New Jersey, a school district with a 32% poverty rate surrounded

by districts with a 5% poverty rate. Since this township is legally separate from the surrounding
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 4

districts, they are not able to accrue any of the wealth from the surrounding areas to fund their

schools. In the United States, around half of school funding comes from property taxes of the

district (which many of the businesses in Freehold Borough do not pay) (Kamenetz 2016).

Therefore, in an area of such a high poverty rate, school funding will be significantly lower than

in a district with high income and property value. In other words, the quality of my education

was and continues to be influenced by the wealth of my community.

In addition to my race and education, my lack of a physical or learning disability is big

aspect of my privilege. Growing up, this meant that I did not have to go through IEP meetings

and procedures, I did not face taunting and bullying from my peers because of a disability, and I

was taught in an educational setting that was largely made for my learning style. Children with

physical and learning disabilities have an infinite array of experiences and needs that must be

accounted for in the classroom. In the video Dear Teacher (2015), students with mental and

learning disabilities appealed to their teachers who had trouble accommodating them in the

classroom. Some of their comments included, It makes me sad when you tell me to try harder

even though Ive already tried as hard as I can and I have to move or I really cant pay

attention (brainhighways 2015). They also gave them advice on what they could do to help

them learn better in the classroom, such as allowing them to look where they want when theyre

talking to the teacher or giving them homework that they can understand better. As someone who

has not lived with a disability, I will not be able to understand the struggles my students with a

disability will go through. At times, it might be difficult for me to know how to accommodate

them because I dont understand what they need. However, as a teacher, we should always be

looking for more ways to accommodate all our students. Students with physical and mental

disabilities deserve a quality education catered to their needs just like every other student. As
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 5

teachers, we cannot make their disability seem like a burden to us. Rather, we must embrace

them for every part of themselves and ask them what we can do for them to make their learning

experience better, not the other way around.

One aspect of my privilege that I was more aware of growing up is my sexuality. I

identify is straight, which means that as a woman I am sexually and romantically attracted to

only men. In high school, I had multiple friends who identified within the LGBTQ+ community,

and thus became familiar with some of the issues they were facing both in and outside of school.

According to a study done on Georgia students, 98% of them reported hearing homophobic

comments and 30% of them heard a faculty or staff member make a homophobic comment

(Kavanagh 2016). In addition to this, another study found that 63.5% of students felt unsafe

because of their sexual orientation, and 31.8% had missed a day of school in the past month

because they felt unsafe (Kavanagh 2016). As someone who does not identify within the

LGBTQ+ community, I have not experienced this kind of fear due to my sexual orientation and

have never missed school because I felt unsafe in that environment. As a teacher, I will need to

be mindful that, especially if I teach older grades, I will be working with students who are

discovering more about their sexual orientation and gender identity. It is my responsibility to use

inclusive language, and create a space that is welcoming of all students, and one that celebrates

who they. This also means holding those accountable who make my classroom unsafe for other

students, and having meaningful conversations about how we can better support our classmates

for who they are and not just the parts of them that are easy for us to understand.

My gender is an aspect of my identity that has many intersections of privilege and

oppression that impact me on a daily basis. On one end of the spectrum, I am a woman, and

women have faced systematic oppression based on gender in nearly every society for hundreds
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 6

of years. Unfortunately, some of these areas are related to schooling, as discussed in Soraya

Chemalys article discussing gender and racial bias in the classroom. A study found that girls

often score higher than boys on name-blind tests, but when teachers see recognizable boy and

girl names on tests boys typically score higher (Chemaly 2015). This study shows that even

teachers exhibit gender bias in the classroom that could over time negatively impact girls

education solely based on their gender. However, it is important to realize that since I am white

cisgender, my gender is an aspect of my privilege as well. I am less likely than a trans* person to

be discriminated against in the workplace and will face a lower likelihood of assault than trans*

people. Additionally, a study from Chemalys article found that black girls are more likely to be

disciplined for assertiveness in the classroom than white girls (Chemaly 2015). As a woman and

a teacher, I will likely be more perceptive to gender biases exhibited in my students and might be

more sensitive to them as they directly affect me in my life. However, I must also be aware of

how my gender intersects with different aspects of my privilege that girls in my class will not

experience. As a teacher, I must put my personal feelings aside to guide my students to a greater

understanding of gender and why gender roles are harmful to all of us. I must show my students

that anyone of any gender has a right to be happy and succeed in their society. I know that as a

teacher, I will purposely integrate this into my teaching because it is important to me and will be

meaningful for my students.

Our areas of privilege and oppression, whether we ask for them or not, influence us every

day. As teachers, we will feel the impact of this even more as we interact with our diverse and

insightful students. As a white person, I will encounter students of all different races and

ethnicities with needs and experiences that I have never dealt with personally before. Since I was

raised in an affluent area and went to a wealthy school system, I have not been exposed to
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 7

widespread poverty or schools that were not fit for constructive learning. As someone who wants

to teach in a variety of settings, I must examine how my privilege in these areas impacts my

ability to understand the nuances of these issues in education. I might not know the best way to

reach my students in poor areas or in bad schools because I did not live through that experience.

However, I know that I can learn about these areas of education and give my students the

education they deserve. Above all, I must see my students as complex individuals, not just one

aspect of their identity. They need me to be their advocate, not someone to pity them. My

students will be bright and courageous and ready to learn, and I must reciprocate those qualities

no matter where they come from or where they want to go.

4. Choose a case study in the Gorski book that we havent done and identify as many
considerations of each aspect of FORCLEAR (Ethical Key Questions) that you can think
of. What would you do in the case?

The case study that I chose to analyze was Case 10.2: English Only. In this case study,

Ms. Mancini and Ms. de Leon are two teachers at Potomac Middle School, which has

experienced an increase in the diversity of the student population in recent years and educates a

significant number of English Language Learners (ELL). Their principle, Mr. Sumpter, is

attempting to implement an English Only policy in classes which would prohibit speaking any

language other than English in the classroom. Many staff members are in favor of this as they

believe speaking other languages distracts English-speaking students and could lead them to

believe ELL students are talking about them. Ms. Ross believes that not speaking English in

school will inhibit their ability to become fluent in English, and that this is the parents fault as

well. Ms. de Leon speaks Spanish and was once an ELL herself, and both her and Ms. Mancini

take issue with the policy. However, the rest of the staff and Mr. Sumpter are insistent on starting

it up the following semester.

An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 8

The first key question to consider is fairness. First and foremost, is it fair to the ELL

students to not be able to speak in a language that they are more familiar with? According to Paul

Gorski studies have shown for years that English-only policies are harmful to learning and

morale for English learners (Gorski 2014). Is it fair to these students that their learning may be

inhibited because of the possible prejudices the staff hold? From a different perspective, is it fair

to the staff members that they may not be able to understand their students in the classroom and

thus may not be able to assist their learning fully? Finally, is it fair to the families of the ELL

students and ELL students themselves that they are not there to advocate for themselves and their

needs? Although both parties are two of the main stakeholders in this situation, they are being

given the least amount of input on what solution should be reached. Is this structure really fair?

The next factor to consider are outcomes. How will this decision affect the ELL students

of the school and their learning? As mentioned earlier, prohibiting ELLs to speak their native

language in school can hurt their learning. In Texas, it was illegal for many years for Spanish-

speaking children to speak Spanish in school in fact they were sent home for speaking any

language other than language in school (Kendall 2002). If students are kept from getting a

quality education because of their language, how will this impact not only their education but

also their perception of themselves? Additionally, how will this policy and the one at Ms.

Mancinis school contribute to the negative stigma around ELL students and their families? In

turn, how will this kind of prejudice and denial of education contribute to the single story of

ELLs and their families? As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie puts it, Show people over and over as

one thing, and that is what they will become, (Adichie 2009). It is clear that teachers in this

school have developed a single story of their students and what they must talk about in another

language, as well as their parents and how they feel about learning English. How will this policy
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 9

and single story of ELLs impact the relationship between the ELL families and the school? If the

families feel like they are being targeted by school policies and discriminated against by their

childrens teachers, they will probably not have a good impression of that school and the

education their child is receiving.

The third consideration there is responsibility. Firstly, is it the responsibility of the ELL

students to learn and speak only English in school rather than their native language. Do they

need to be forced to speak English to learn it fluently and integrate more into American society?

From another perspective, what responsibilities do the teachers have to their students to learn

more about them rather than making assumptions about their language and feelings? In her book,

Black Ants and Buddhists, Mary Cowhey talks about how at the beginning of every school year,

she spends the days before school making home visits and getting to know her students and their

families (Cowhey 2006). She says that building a relationship with the families begins with

building trust and getting to know them on a more personal level (Cowhey, 2006, pg. 195).

How could this trust be broken by the English-only policy put in place? Finally, what

responsibility does Ms. Mancini have to advocate for her students and their needs, even if it goes

beyond the rules of the school?

Fourth to consider is character of those involved. What does it say about the character of

the staff that they want this kind of policy implemented? According to Gorski, teachers should

sacrifice the safety of their comfort zone by building a process for continually assessing,

understanding, and challenging their biases and prejudices, (Gorski). If teachers do not do this

for all their students, are they a teacher of good character? Additionally, what does it say about

Ms. Mancinis character if she does not further defend her students against the accusations of the

staff? Ms. Mancini has objections, but what actions can be taken to solve this problem? Finally,
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 10

can teachers judge the character of students based on the language they are speaking, such as

when they assume that they are talking about other children in another language? Could these

assumptions be prevented if they got to know their students on a personal level as Cowhey did?

Next to consider is liberty, and what freedoms all stakeholders have in this situation. How

are ELLs freedoms to speak what language they are most comfortable with at jeopardy here?

Conversely, what freedoms do the teachers have to delegate how they want their classroom to be

run. In particular, how are one groups liberties and freedoms being privileged over anothers in

this situation? Are the teachers freedoms to speak their own language being privileged over the

ELLs to speak theirs? How does each stakeholders concept of freedom impact their opinions?

The next question to consider is empathy and how that will impact peoples feelings on

this topic. Related to Ms. de Leon, how do her own experiences cause her to have more empathy

for these students than the staff? Ms. de Leon was an ELL student herself, and thus might see

herself in the ELL students she teaches every day. How is her empathy different than that of the

staff, who appear to feel less towards their students and more towards the students who cannot

understand the native language of the ELL students? According to Gorski, teachers must engage

in a self-reflective process to explore how their identity development impacts the way they see

and experience different people. If the staff participated in this reflective process, how would

their level of empathy be different or the same?

The next level to consider is authority how does the pressure from higher authority to

implement this policy impact the decision being made? Related to this, what authority does Mr.

Sumpter have to adhere to this decision over his staff or to fight against it if he wants to? In this

situation in particular, how will authority directly and indirectly impact the education of this

select group of students?

An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 11

The last consideration are rights what rights do the ELL students have to speak what

language they want and to fight against this decision. What rights do their families, as well as

Ms. Mancini and Ms. de Leon, have to do the same? What rights do the school systems have to

put this kind policy into place? And lastly, what rights do staff members have to break this rule

in order to allow their students to get the best education that they can?

In this situation, it can be difficult to know what to do that will not go against the

authority of the school. If I were in this situation, I would be afraid to step up against this policy

for fear of losing my job. Especially as new teachers, it will be hard for us to know where we

stand and if we have any rights to go against oppressive students in the work place for our

students. Still, I would be vocal about my disdain for this rule and how damaging it can be for

my students. Outside of the classroom, I would begin advocating against the rule and trying to

gain support from other staff members. Inside the classroom, I would be doing what I would to

create a home for my students and a place where they could be proud of their identity. Since I am

a native English speaker, it will be important for me to look for resources on what can best help

different ELL students learn in my class, as I cannot draw on any personal experiences for

guidance. Wendi Pillars developed activities around treasuring her students for who they were

and having them talk about who they were what their voice was (Pillars 2016). As she says in her

article, ELL students want you to talk to them and get to know them (Pillars 2016). They want

you to be patient with them and hold them accountable for their work (Pillars 2016). I am only

one person, and cannot single-handedly dismantle the oppressive systems that exist in our

schools today. But I can make a difference for my children every single day in my classroom,

and I can foster a love for learning and for themselves that inspires them to be a thoughtful and

joyful person.
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 12

Works Cited

Adichie, C. N. (2009, July). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story [Video

File]. Retrieved from

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story

brainhighways. (2015, August 28). Dear Teacher: Heartfelt Advice for Teachers From Students.

[Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTMLzXzgB_s

Chemaly, S. (2015, February 12). All Teachers Should Be Trained to Overcome Their Hidden

Biases. Retrieved from http://time.com/3705454/teachers-biases-girls-education/

Cowhey, M. (2006). Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in

the Primary Grades. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.

Gorski, P.C. & Pothini, S.G. (2014). Case Studies On Diversity and Social Justice Education.

New York, New York: Routledge.

Gorski, P.C. 20 (Self-)Critical Things I Will Do to Become a More Equitable Educator.

Retrieved from http://www.edchange.org/handouts.html

Kamenetz, A. (2016, July 16). Islands That Separate Education Haves from Have-Nots.

Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/07/16/485559409/-islands-that-

separate-education-haves-from-have-nots

Kavanagh, K. (2016). LGBT [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from

https://canvas.jmu.edu/courses/1447200/assignments/7975325

Kendall, F. E. (2002). Understanding White Privilege. Retrieved from

http://www.cpt.org/files/Undoing%20Racism%20-%20Understanding%20White%20Priv

ilege%20-%20Kendall.pdf
An Insight into Privilege and Ethical Understanding 13

McIntosh, P. (1988). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Retrieved from

http://www.deanza.edu/faculty/lewisjulie/White%20Priviledge%20Unpacking%20the%2

0Invisible%20Knapsack.pdf

Pillars, Wendi. (2016, June 22). What English-Language Learners Wish Teachers Knew.

Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2016/06/17/what-english-language-

learners-wish-teachers-knew.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-FB