Course: EDUC – 6164 – 2

Week 6 Blog Assignment

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Joanne E. Lynch

Saturday 12^th October, 2013.

     Each person is entitled to respect, because of his or her distinctive and boundless value. As a matter of fact, sometimes people are being criticized by the way they look, without anyone trying to see them for who they really are on the inside. Actually, appearances can be misleading, but we have to learn to look into people’s heart to see their goodness and beauty.

    Stemming from this, is an issue I have recently heard about, which pertains to bias and prejudice at one of the government’s elementary schools in my country. This had to do with a female parent, who was unfairly treated while seeking to enroll her daughter at the school of her choice, for the new school year. First to begin with, this parent is residing outside the zonal area where the school is located. Secondly, her disheveled appearance, plus, she often carries her down syndrome son everywhere she goes, even made it more difficult for the administrator of the school to be very hesitant in enrolling her daughter at the school. Obviously, this lady and her children were discriminated against.

      Eventually, the matter had reached the macro level (Ministry of Education), but she was told by an educational official that the child’s name was not on the final list that was submitted by the school to the ministry of education, and she needs to go to the community in which she lives to register her child. However, this parent insisted that her child must attend the school she so desired, and took the courage to muster her strength; by acquiring the confidence to do what she believed was right. To be more precise, on the first day of school, the child was well attired in the school uniform, carrying her book bag on her back, and was placed by her mother, in the classroom which housed all the new entrants. As revealed by observation of Greek philosopher, Aristotle, people become brave by doing brave acts. What he really meant, is that, they may not feel very brave when they do something which requires courage, but in the act of doing it, they become brave and courageous.

      However, the bias and prejudice in this incident has diminished equity, because such action by the school administrator clearly illustrated that knowledge and understanding are lacking, about how unfair and hurtful treatment can undermine a child’s development. Likewise, the administrator needs to revisit the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child, as well as the Education Act of the country, since this can assist him or her in comprehending what it is like for treating children more fairly and affectionately.

      Consequently, this incident has brought about a feeling of empathy, which gives me the ability to know how this lady felt after being discriminated against, and to share her feelings of pain, and emotions as if they were mine. Nonetheless, I felt how to treat children more fairly and caringly, by obtaining the awareness of promoting children’s chances to blossom and succeed.

     Certainly, the administrator will have to change in order to turn this incident to an opportunity for greater equity, because, as a leader of an elementary school, he or she will desire all children grow up in a world that is not confined to bias and prejudice, so as to thrust for their ambitions or wish, and feel that whatever they want to achieve in life is viable. Also, making children endure being loved and included, than experience the pain of refusal or exclusion.

Reference

Wright, C. (2000). Values for today. Great Britain: Heinemann Educational                      

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