The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression
What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.
As I reflect on this question, I can share several incidents, but I will share one that stuck with me for many years. This incident occurred when I first migrated to America from Guyana, South America. My family immigrated to the USA in 1981 to New York to live with my brother and his family. I remembered thinking about the opportunity for my future and a great education I will receive, and the new friends I will make. After being in American for a few months, I started looking at options to go to college, but did not qualify for financial aid and my parents could not afford the tuition. Therefore, I began going to a state-funded career program at the Community College that offered a secretarial science certificate program.
After being in the course for a few weeks, I realize that all of my instructors were white and my classmates were majority black and Hispanic. In one of my classes of about 20 students, mostly females and minorities, my instructor who was white was upset because there were not enough typewriters for every student in the class. So she said to the class “if I had my way, only 12 of you would be in my classroom.” At that moment, one of the students asked well which 12 you would choose. Therefore, she proceeded to point out the students. I was selected and I questioned why only those students and she said “because I am being paid a good salary compared to college professors to teach you foreigners” She also stated that ‘the state of NY knows that you will succeed by working hard to achieve the goals and vision of this program so they can continue collecting federal grants.’
I felt very sad and upset to hear this after only being her in America for a few months, to know this is how people think of me. Then one of the other student that was not in the 12 asked the same question and the instructor said, ‘you were born and raised here and should not be in my class, you should be in college getting your degree instead of with the foreigners and illegal aliens who are only here for the government handouts and grants. This started a big argument in the classroom. I then said to her, I thought this program was anyone that qualifies regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture, legal status, or gender to attend so they can advance their careers in this field to become gainfully employed. She then started to rant and rave about the foreigners coming to take everything away from Americans, and we should go back to our country. Can you imagine at the age of 19 hearing this from an instructor and hearing the other classmates crying because they were hurt or laughing because they thought it was funny.
In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice, and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?
I believe that the instructor used her personal bias and prejudice against the students in the classroom. I felt that she was prejudice and tried to oppress the student with her ignorance and insults. I felt that this instructor had some personal baggage about teaching foreign students but only took the job because of the salary. She obviously was prejudice even to students that was Americans because they were not of her race as her. I believe she was trying to create an equity wedge among the students with her comments; Indicating that because students were Americans they should not be in the same class or program with foreigners; This incident forced several students to not return to the class because of her actions. I felt that she tried to diminish the equity among the students by creating segregation of race, culture, and ethnicity through making a distinction of Americans and foreigners. For me personally, I decided to take this concern up to the administrators so that something could be done about the instructor. She was disciplined and eventually fired from the entire program. We finally got a new instructor that was male and white for the typing class and enough typewriters for every student. I do remember one comment that the new instructor made to the class, he said ‘I am here to ensure that you all learn so that you can be productive citizen of America’. This quote stayed on the white board for the entire course, so that we knew that he was not biased or prejudice towards any of us.
What feelings did this incident bring up for you?
Oh! This incident brought up a variety of feelings especially at that age of becoming a young woman that did not have to deal with bias, prejudice, or racial discrimination. I was mad, upset, and just wanted to quit the program, but after talking to my brother, he said ‘don’t ever let anyone take away your desire to become educated’. As a foreigner, as the instructor indicated, I felt that I was not welcome in the country and wondered why my parents agreed to migrate to America. At first I felt that there was nothing I could do to get rid of this instructor, because she was white and was privileged. In addition, that my parents could not afford college or a private program and they would tell me to just deal with it until the course was over. I was upset and wanted to yes curse at the instructor to let her know that immigrants build this country not just white people. I wanted to tell her that she was a racist towards people of color, culture, and ethnicity. As I reflect on this now that I know more about race, culture, prejudice and biases, I do not think I was as angry or hurt then as I am now thinking about what she said to the class. I do remember some of the students wanting to hurt her physically but was restrained by others and I do remember her walking out of the room saying, “I don’t care what you all do, I have the right and privilege to say and do as I choose because I am a white American.” The sight of her stayed with me for a very long time until she was terminated from the entire program. I feel that incidents like this one either can break a person or make them stronger. In my case I have become stronger because I have empowered myself to learn about my culture, other cultures and how I fit into the dominant culture.
What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?
I believe that and hope the instructor have had the opportunity to realize her biases and prejudice to others by educating herself about racism and cultural diversity. The instructor will have to change her mindset and biases by either keeping them hidden or learn to respect others. I do not think she had the right or privilege to say the things she said to us as young students. I felt that the administrator should have made her apologize to the class before terminating her but she did not so that leaves me to believe that she did not learn anything. I hope that she do learn through that incident that to be privilege as a white person of the dominant culture does not give her the right to be mean to others by trying to oppress their learning and creating inequity among people. I hope she learn that we are all human beings first and race, culture and ethnicity is a matter of generational beliefs and values.
emsece 