Questions for Self-Reflection

Changes or actions I can take to advance equity in my home, school, and community include listening to others and challenges they face and recognizing that sometimes there are headwinds and tailwinds that do apply that allow some to more easily access, sustain, or jumpstart given situations. I can take action by guiding others to recognize this and help them to reflect upon statements or actions they may take that imply that they might not recognize these inequities. Additionally, can also help others to identify and their own privileges, use those privileges to open conversation, and help others to recognize that in order to move forward, we must first not “take it personal”. In order for systematic change to take place moving forward we must first recognize that inequities do exist, racism does exist, and although we may not personally be responsible for some of these inequities, etc…, culturally does exist. I personally identify my race as white. At some point, over time, it has been identified that the norms of the white culture are the norms that all must work towards. It is now my responsibility to recognize that the actions of others of my own race, both historically or current may have done wrong by setting these systematic expectations. It is now my responsibility to use my knowledge, understanding, voice, and yes, my white privilege to guide others to reflect on their choices and actions, and to help facilitate systematic change.

In what ways have these assumptions been challenged? In what ways have they been reinforced? 

• I have noticed more implicit biased in TV shows then ever before. Things aren't jokes. 

 What are my identities and in what ways have my identities impacted my life? Have any of my identities provided me privilege or been a source of discrimination in certain environments?

• I have been lucky in my life and grew up privileged, as a white female who grew up in a middle class family, I have had a great amount of privilege. As a female, I have had been a little discrimination.

What were some of my assumptions about equity before I started this Challenge?
Before completing this challenge, my assumptions about equity were what I consider "on the surface". I was aware about systemic racism, but until I began to dig into the ideas in this challenge, I was not aware of how systemic racism in the past (the redlining housing units) was still affecting minorities today. I also did not consider how your identity can cause you to experience systemic racism. I also enjoyed the different activities we were able to contribute, that forced me to look at my own school materials as well as curriculum to assess if I am allowing my students to see themselves in my materials. 

What are my identities and in what ways have my identities impacted my life? Have any of my identities provided me privilege or been a source of discrimination in certain environments?
My identities are I am a young, white, female. These have impacted my life in the way I am viewed by my family/peers are incompetent of making my own decisions, as well as not as experienced as others. It has taken 9 years in the district for me to be viewed as a valuable member of the team due to my age. Growing up, I did experience privilege being white. I grew up in a suburban school where the students of minorities were rare, and thinking back many were considered "cousins" and viewed as bad kids. Now as an adult, my family still views me as the youngest, and incapable of making on own decisions, even though I am the most educated individual in my family.  

What are my identities and in what ways have my identities impacted my life? Have any of my identities provided me privilege or been a source of discrimination in certain environments?  Being a white woman, I definitely have privileges that have allowed me to get certain things more easily. However, being a woman, I have faced discriminations that all women face (gender wage gap, being offered lower positions and opportunities, etc.). Overall, this PD has offered me an opportunity to reflect on my own privileges and think about how that has impacted my life and how it may impact my students in my classroom. 
Where have I seen evidence of inequities and systemic and structural racism in my school or community? It is clear that our district & students are gifted much less opportunity for success than those suburban schools around us. At a very basic level, many of our students come to school lacking safety, shelter, and/or food which does not allow them to manage their own learning because they are constantly lacking the basics. This is something that all of my colleagues and I struggle to manage...how do we support these students? What can we offer them to help them gain the basics so that they can attend to their learning?

What were some of my assumptions about equity before I started this Challenge?
I assumed that those with good intentions shouldn't be held accountable for their inequities and microaggressions because their intentions were good. 


● In what ways have these assumptions been challenged? In what ways have they been reinforced?
It's our duty as anti-racist educators to challenge any inequity that we see or harm that we see caused even if someone's intentions are good. We need to learn from our biases and make an effort to do better.


● Where have I seen evidence of inequities and systemic and structural racism in my school or community?
Extra curriculars, curriculum, racial discrepancies in behavior referrals 

● How can I talk to my family, friends, and colleagues about what I have experienced and learned during this Challenge?
I can continue to grow my knowledge and vocabulary. I can engage in book studies and not be shy to have conversations about race and unjustice. 

● What changes or actions can I take to advance equity in my home, school, and community?
I can reevaluate the books that I read, movies and shows that I watch and people that I follow on social media. I can give more support to authors, producers and influencers of color and make sure that all faces are represented in my day to day life. 

My big take away from this series is that action speaks louder than words. Are the words being spoken actually reflecting the actions on the ground. As an educator, our job is to extend our students' access to opportunities.  We can't control everything in the world, but we can be sure that our classrooms function in a way that gives students maximum opportunities. We can also influence our school districts to do the same. Are we providing effective remediation for students who enter school with delayed language skills?  Are we providing effective remediation programs for students who fall behind in math and reading, catching them early? Are we providing students with safe and reliable transportation to and from school, K-12? Are the programs we use for reading and math effective K-12? These two skills open doors for everything else. Are our schools safe and welcoming so students will want to come to school, free of anxiety and fear? Are our schools' places where teachers want to come and teach, rather than having to rely on subs? Do we value each student as an individual who can potentially be a great contributor to our community?

Where have I seen evidence of inequities and systemic and structural racism in my school or community?

This question has many answers but one that particularly struck me was the issue of the Interstate 81 viaduct that bisects the city. The viaduct’s construction in the 1960s decimated the South Side’s predominantly African American communities, which never recovered economically. When a wave of “urban renewal” projects swept the country in the 1950s and 1960s, the interstate project enabled still further discrimination. In Syracuse, I-81’s construction bulldozed the 15th Ward, exemplifying a devastating national trend in which federal and local authorities used interstate construction as an excuse to raze “blighted” neighborhoods.

From Los Angeles to Syracuse, these proved to be cities’ poor and minority communities. As James Baldwin famously put it, “urban renewal … means Negro removal” (Arcadi, 2019). Sixty-six years ago, the unanimous Brown v. Board of Education decision declared school segregation unconstitutional, but many public districts and schools remain segregated by race and socioeconomic status today as was evidenced in Syracuse. In many cases, this was an intentional result of the design of school district and neighborhood school assignment boundaries. Since 2000, for example, 128 communities in states from Maine to Utah have attempted to secede from larger school districts (2020). The secession of wealthier and whiter areas takes local tax revenue from districts and increases the number of schools that are racially segregated.  

Debates about opportunity hoarding are not limited to particular regions or states. Even in areas that champion diversity, such as Montgomery County, Maryland the idea of analyzing school attendance boundaries or reassignment plans caused an uproar (2020).  White and Asian parents have protested that any changes to school boundaries that would reduce high concentrations of students from low-income families is unfair to parents who have “worked hard” to live in more affluent neighborhoods.  Additionally, the use of screening tests and biased admissions practices for gifted and talented programs have historically underrepresented students of certain demographics. Allies should also call on their state legislatures and local school boards to create policies that ensure equitable access to rigorous and advanced coursework for all students.

    References:

Arcadi, T. (2019, Sept 18) I-81 set inequality in concrete; its replacement must spread prosperity. Syracuse.com Retrieved from https://www.syracuse.com/opinion/2019/0 9/i-81-set-inequality-in-concrete-its-replacement-must-spread-prosperity-commentary.html on March 28, 2022  

Fighting Systemic Racism in K-12 Education: Helping Allies Move From the Keyboard to the School Board (2020. Jul 08). Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/fighting-systemic-racism-k-12-education-helping-allies-move-keyboard-school-board/ on March 28, 2022

When I consider the question “How can I talk to my family, friends, and colleagues about what I have experienced and learned during this Challenge”, I think the main impression is that I shouldn’t worry so much about the how and just do it. I’m not really good at talking about potentially divisive topics. I am definitely not a lets-talk-about-politics-and-religion type. But I think the topic is important enough to merit a “hey, guess what I learned?” when something relevant happens, like the pastor making an uneducated comment about race. And with colleagues, I will recommend this course. The resources were really valuable, and I think every SCSD educator would find something that resonates.

Several times in this course, the question of “what evidence of inequities and systemic and structural racism have I seen in my school or community” has come up, and even after much reflection, I cannot think of a single instance where the SCSD has been racist. I have been sensitive to the fact that I have felt less valuable to the schools where I’ve worked because I’m a girl and white. I fit the profile of basically every other teacher, and I feel like those in hiring positions are really eager to hire diverse candidates and men. I hear all the time how necessary it is to have male role models in the classroom, etc., but rarely how good it is that female white me has stuck around instead of bailing for a cushier suburban position. But I care about these kids too, so I’m not going to lie, it smarts a little. This course helped me internalize better that whatever advantages people of color are seeming to get right now, what I’m not seeing is the privileges that I’ve gotten along the way that they haven’t been privy to. When you look at the big picture, I’m not as disadvantaged as I may feel sometimes.

My assumptions prior to beginning this challenge centered mostly around the more obvious forms of inequity in the classroom. Prior to this experience my understanding of how to implement more equity in the classroom was limited and was defined by representation in visuals and curricular resources. While this element is important, true equity stretches further. My assumptions were challenged when exploring the specific strategies and potential pitfalls that can be utilized by staff and educators, including embedding more student perspective, voice and agency.