Racial Inequality In Schools
Racial Inequality in Canadian Schools
Silke Groeneweg
Introduction to Sociology: SOC-1106-002
University of Winnipeg
Student Number: 3070107
Racial inequality in Canadian schools effects students all across the country and has profound effects. The three articles discussed in this paper delve into the complexity of racial inequality in schools and examine the steps we as a society can take to begin to reduce the issue.
In the journal article “Why is Our Educational System Still Guilty of Whiteness?” Patrina Duhaney (2010) identifies and discusses the struggles of African-Canadian students in current education systems through the lens of her personal experiences. She also examines the pressure to conform felt by African-Canadian students …show more content…
and the inability of the education system to evenly distribute opportunities to all students. Duhaney’s highlights the fact that conforming strips students of their cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which only perpetuated the feeling of inferiority and decreases their desire for higher education. When exploring possible solutions to this issue Duhaney does not give any one specific solution, however, she does discuss the impact that the majority group can have, specifically when it comes to realizing the privilege and power they have.
In “Black learners in Canada” Rosalind Hampton (2012) examines the possible outcomes of “Africentric” schools in Montreal.
She describes “Africentric” schools as schools where African-Canadian students would benefit from community-based education and programmes that would help them and their families better understand the world around them and equip them with methods to respond to racial and social inequality. According to Hampton, the racial inequality experienced by students is such an issue because it makes students feel discouraged about themselves and their educational future. Emphasizing the impact of communities in this role is how Hampton’s article differs from Duhaney’s. For Hampton a way for society to reduce this issue is to advocate for and create community initiatives that can make learning “an accessible, culturally relevant, life-long process…” (Hampton, 2012, p. …show more content…
6).
Syed and Hill (2011) discuss not only the hardships faced by coloured people in Canadian society but also the increasing trend of self-awareness of white privilege.
Syed and Hill tell the story of two people who have seen the power and privilege given to races first hand. Marie, a white woman who has an adopted boy of Aboriginal descent and David, an immigrant from Britain. The study of increasing awareness of white people to their privilege and power is crucial to their argument and is not found in the other two articles. This increase in awareness is particularly clear in Marie’s story. Marie’s story goes into detail about the treatment of her adopted son how this treatment differs from the way in which her biological son has received. For Syed and Hill (2011) the way to combat racial inequality is to “encourage meaningful conversation and interaction between people of more than one colour and cultural background” (p. 6) and encourage stances of sensitivity.
All three authors paint a picture of the ongoing and complex struggle of visual minorities, specifically African-Canadians in the Canadian school system. Their consensus on the negative impacts of racial prejudice and racial privilege make clear the gravity of the issue and the need for society to
act.
Word Count: 515
References
Duhaney, P. (2010). Why is our educational system still guilty of whiteness? In Macionis, M., & Benokraitis N., & Urmetzer, P. (Eds.), Seeing ourselves: Classic, contemporary and cross-cultural readings in sociology (206-211). Toronto, ON. Pearson.
Hampton, R. (2010). Black learners in Canada. Institute of Race Relations. 52(1), (103-110). doi: 10.1177/0306396810371770
Syed, K.T., & Hill, A. (2011). Awakening to white privilege and power in Canada. Policy Futures in Education, 9(5), (608-615). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2011.9.5.608
Silke Groeneweg
Introduction to Sociology: SOC-1106-002
University of Winnipeg
Student Number: 3070107
Racial inequality in Canadian schools effects students all across the country and has profound effects. The three articles discussed in this paper delve into the complexity of racial inequality in schools and examine the steps we as a society can take to begin to reduce the issue.
In the journal article “Why is Our Educational System Still Guilty of Whiteness?” Patrina Duhaney (2010) identifies and discusses the struggles of African-Canadian students in current education systems through the lens of her personal experiences. She also examines the pressure to conform felt by African-Canadian students …show more content…
and the inability of the education system to evenly distribute opportunities to all students. Duhaney’s highlights the fact that conforming strips students of their cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which only perpetuated the feeling of inferiority and decreases their desire for higher education. When exploring possible solutions to this issue Duhaney does not give any one specific solution, however, she does discuss the impact that the majority group can have, specifically when it comes to realizing the privilege and power they have.
In “Black learners in Canada” Rosalind Hampton (2012) examines the possible outcomes of “Africentric” schools in Montreal.
She describes “Africentric” schools as schools where African-Canadian students would benefit from community-based education and programmes that would help them and their families better understand the world around them and equip them with methods to respond to racial and social inequality. According to Hampton, the racial inequality experienced by students is such an issue because it makes students feel discouraged about themselves and their educational future. Emphasizing the impact of communities in this role is how Hampton’s article differs from Duhaney’s. For Hampton a way for society to reduce this issue is to advocate for and create community initiatives that can make learning “an accessible, culturally relevant, life-long process…” (Hampton, 2012, p. …show more content…
6).
Syed and Hill (2011) discuss not only the hardships faced by coloured people in Canadian society but also the increasing trend of self-awareness of white privilege.
Syed and Hill tell the story of two people who have seen the power and privilege given to races first hand. Marie, a white woman who has an adopted boy of Aboriginal descent and David, an immigrant from Britain. The study of increasing awareness of white people to their privilege and power is crucial to their argument and is not found in the other two articles. This increase in awareness is particularly clear in Marie’s story. Marie’s story goes into detail about the treatment of her adopted son how this treatment differs from the way in which her biological son has received. For Syed and Hill (2011) the way to combat racial inequality is to “encourage meaningful conversation and interaction between people of more than one colour and cultural background” (p. 6) and encourage stances of sensitivity.
All three authors paint a picture of the ongoing and complex struggle of visual minorities, specifically African-Canadians in the Canadian school system. Their consensus on the negative impacts of racial prejudice and racial privilege make clear the gravity of the issue and the need for society to
act.
Word Count: 515
References
Duhaney, P. (2010). Why is our educational system still guilty of whiteness? In Macionis, M., & Benokraitis N., & Urmetzer, P. (Eds.), Seeing ourselves: Classic, contemporary and cross-cultural readings in sociology (206-211). Toronto, ON. Pearson.
Hampton, R. (2010). Black learners in Canada. Institute of Race Relations. 52(1), (103-110). doi: 10.1177/0306396810371770
Syed, K.T., & Hill, A. (2011). Awakening to white privilege and power in Canada. Policy Futures in Education, 9(5), (608-615). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2011.9.5.608