DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION

Meeting the learning needs of all students starts with understanding

your own culture and its importance to your students.
WHAT IS YOUR CULTURE?
My Cultural T-shirt
WHAT COMPRISES CULTURE?
CULTURE AS AN ICEBERG
Surface
Organizational Culture Personal
•Rules Surface •
•
Accent
Behavior

Culture
•Polices • Customs observed
• Physical
•Mission appearance
•Regulations

•Benefits • “Why”
•Hiring practices Deep •
•
Beliefs
Values

Culture
•Appraisal systems
• Perceptions
•Structure/ • Assumptions
• Emotionally charged
organization
• Communication style
•Channels of
communication
Identity Triangle

INDIVIDUAL
UNIQUENESS

COLLECTIVE IDENTITY

COMMON HUMANITY
 Identity Triangle
When an “ISM” Happens

Individual
Uniqueness is
Denied

One Aspect of Collective

Identity is Given Negative
Connotation

Common Humanity is Denied

 When People Say
“I don’t see color” or “we’re all alike”

Individuality
is Denied

Collective Identity
is Denied

Common Humanity
Is Lifted Out and Over-Emphasized
 When People Say
“We’re all individuals and we rise and fall on our
own.”

Individuality
is Over-
Emphasized

Collective Identity is Denied

Common Humanity is Denied

 INTERSECTIONALITY
• Term coined by Black feminist legal scholar Kimberlé
Crenshaw
• Multiple structures and systems of oppression
• Race and ethnicity
• Gender, gender identity, and gender expression
• Ability level
• Sexual orientation
• Socioeconomic status

• People have multiple aspects of their identity that intersect,

some are privileged and some are marginalized
PARK HILL DIVERSITY
Small group activity
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO
WITH DIVERSITY?
 DEFINITION OF “ISMS”
The systematic discrimination and exploitation
of human beings on the basis of their…
Gender = Sexism
Sexual Orientation = Heterosexism
Age = Ageism
Race = Racism
Socioeconomic = Elitism or
Status Classism
Ability = Disableism
Gender Identity = Transphobia*

* A phobia is an irrational fear of something or someone; in this case, of

someone whose biological gender does not match one’s internal, psychological
gender.
 WAYS “ISMS” SHOW UP IN SCHOOLS
• Hostile and insensitive acts
• Bias in the use of consequences/punishment
• Bias in giving active attention to students
• Bias in selection of curriculum materials
• Inequality in the amount of instruction time
• Bias in attitudes toward students
• Failure to hire racial minority teachers and other school personnel at all levels
• Denial of racist actions
 WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS ABOUT REDUCING
“ISMS”
• Facts are not sufficient to reduce prejudice.
• Persons with high self-acceptance tend to have a low degree of prejudice.
• The cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of prejudice are not necessarily related.
• A climate that fosters open discussion of negative feelings can encourage a change to more
positive attitudes.
• Understanding the process of prejudice and stereotyping can lead to more accepting attitudes.
• Social contacts between group members may reduce prejudice.
• Social class prejudice may be stronger than racial or religious prejudice.
• Films and other media can be used effectively to improve attitudes between groups.
• Amount of time spent learning about a group is directly related to reduction in prejudice.
GENDER
TRIANGL
E
RESOURCES
 QUESTIONS?
Feel free to contact me in the future:
Dr. Andy Schuerman, Coordinator of Educational Programs
Park Hill School District
schuermana@parkhill.k12.mo.us
 PARK HILL DIVERSITY
• 11,611 total students
• 12.3% - Black
• 10.1% - Hispanic
• 67.4% - White
• 10.2% - Other (Asian, American Indian, Bi-/Multi-racial)
• 27.1% - Free/Reduced Lunch
• 4.9% - English Learners (Limited English Proficient)
• 10.1% - Special Education
• 1.4% - Homeless

* 2018-19 data
PARK HILL ACHIEVEMENT BY GROUP
4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE
Group Park Hill Missouri
Black 92.66 80.55
Hispanic 90.7 86.22
White 94.18 91.81
Free/Reduced Lunch 88.57 82.5
Limited English Proficiency 91.67 72.7
Special Education 77.92 76.46
Homeless 85.19 75.95
* 2018-19 data
 PARK HILL ACHIEVEMENT BY GROUP
PROPORTIONAL ATTENDANCE RATE*
Group Park Hill Missouri
Black 83.6 78.1
Hispanic 83.7 86.2
White 89.8 89.4
Free/Reduced Lunch 76.9 81.5
Limited English Proficiency 82.3 88.5
Special Education 79.9 81.5
Homeless 57.7 65.9
* Percentage of students who have attendance rates of 90% or higher (target is 90%).
** 2018-19 data
PARK HILL ACHIEVEMENT BY GROUP
DROPOUT RATE

Group Park Hill Missouri

Black 1.8 4.8
Hispanic 1.1 2.7
White 0.6 1.3
Total 0.9 1.9
* 2019-20 data
 PARK HILL ACHIEVEMENT BY GROUP
SUBGROUP PERFORMANCE (PROF/ADVANCED)
Group Park Hill
Black 32.6
Hispanic 48.2
White 63.8
Free/Reduced Lunch 36.9
Limited English Proficiency 32.5
Special Education 20.3
Homeless 20.8
Total 57.5
* 2018-19 data