The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Blog: The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

To complete this assignment, ask yourself these questions:

• 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.

 I have experienced bias, prejudice, and oppression and I witnessed others going through the same thing. One memory I have happen in an early childhood environment. When I was an assistant many years ago, the lead teacher was a man. This was our first year working at that school. Many parents were very concerned about a male teacher working with preschoolers. We had a parent meeting at the beginning of the school year so parents can get to know us and ask questions. The lead teacher was a white male and also from Holland and in his late thirties. He was accused of being a pervert and a possible molester at the meeting because he was a male who started a career teaching young children. The parents had many inappropriate bias and concerns.

• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

These parents did not give the male teachers a chance to show how good of a teacher he was. The parents were making him inferior to female teachers because of his sex, age and even nationality.  All of these things came up as a concern.

• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

I could not believe that professional people would say such mean things and believe it was okay. They argued that they were trying to protect the children. We really needed to protect the children from these discriminating thought. I kept thinking about the children and theses parents are raising them with these bias.

• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

Teachers are not the only group who needs multicultural and diversity training. Many parents did not see how hurtful and rude they were. They kept saying how they were protecting the children from a possible threat.  He did teacher the preschoolers that year with me as an assistant and he did very well. He was an excellent teacher. The six parents that complained the most still had their doubts about him.