Reflection:
The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies by Christine E. Sleeter was a very informative reading in which she highlights the research on the social and academic value of ethnic studies curricula and programs. One portion of the reading that I found very interesting was how she highlights that history books depict racism as something that happened in the past, separate from today.
I thought this was really interesting because looking back on my education, I did feel as though racism wasn't really a thing that happened today, until I got older. I grew up in a predominantly non-diverse town with only a handful of colored kids in my school. One of my best friends and neighbors growing up was a mixed girl. I remember being young and learning about slavery and racism in school and everyone in the class slowly looked over to her. As a kid, this must have been such a weird feeling for her, to be stared at by everyone in the class. I'm not sure if she got any mean or negative comments, if she did, she never mentioned them to me. After that lesson, I never thought anything of it again. I just figured that racism wasn't a thing that was still happening today and moved on with my life.
Growing up and going to college was about when I started to realize that racism does still exist today. I had some prior knowledge of it from high school but being that I wasn't in a diverse community and I didn't watch the news, I didn't really see it happening. Like Sleeter said, it was also really hard for me to connect that slavery and segregation, especially, didn't happen that long ago. I remember in first grade, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s daughter came in to speak to us. I was so blown away that she was alive, since the teachings in the history books made it seem like racism was so disconnected from today's world.
Looking at what's happening in the world today, I can say with certainty that racism is a thing that still exists. ICE aggressively stops people just based on the color of their skin or the language they speak. No matter if they're a citizen. Racial profiling has been going on for years and I wonder if there will be a time in which it will no longer exist.
In class I would like to focus on how we think we could make America a more inclusive and safe space for minority groups. I think the Chicano studies were a
good start, but how do we show that these studies aren't "anti-American" and are actually a good thing for communities?
Hey Amara!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! To give ideas about your question. I think my best teachers always taught the lessons but added something to it. If teachers framed it as like a expansion on their lesson plan rather then just ignoring it, would that help? Also pointing out the impact they have on the community would do wonders to back the topic i think.
Hey Amara! Great post. The moment you described when the whole class was looking at your mixed-race friend during a lesson on slavery is a true highlight on why Ethnic Studies is so necessary for everybody. Without a proper framework, students of color, like your friend in this example, are subjected to being "spokespeople" for their entire race. A potential answer to your question is the following: one way to "reframe" the argument is to reword it as such: is there anything more "American" than seeking the truth? It reminds me of Harvard's motto "Veritas" which means "truth" in Latin. It's no secret that it is one of the leading universities to seek the truth in all disciplines.
ReplyDeleteHi Amara, I appreciate your reflection on this week's reading. I can relate to your experience, growing up, believing racism was no longer a thing in our world. When you're young, you don’t realize just how close events from the 1900s actually are in our history. I remember my first time understanding this was after being shown a video of Holocaust survivors discussing their experience and realizing victims of the Holocaust were still alive. Building this connection to the current day deepened my understanding of their reality. Another revelation I recall was when looking outside the scope of America, and realizing for the first time that equal rights do not exist everywhere in the world, and that slavery very much still exists today. In addition to broadening American history, global history should be covered as well, both in connection to the present day.
ReplyDeleteYou have connected Sleeter’s ideas to your own educational experiences. The moment you described in class—when everyone turned to look at your friend—serves as a striking example of how the way we teach history shapes children’s understanding of race and their sense of belonging. I agree that many history textbooks give the impression that racism is merely a relic of the past, which can make it more difficult for young people to recognize how it continues to operate in everyday life.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated your reflection on the contradiction inherent in labeling ethnic studies as "un-American." As you pointed out, openness to a diversity of cultures and perspectives constitutes one of America’s fundamental strengths. This leads me to believe that part of the work of making our country more inclusive could begin by broadening the definition of what it means to be "American" within our classrooms—so that every student can view their own history as an integral part of the nation's history.