The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

Sometimes the memories we would like to forget are the ones that last forever.

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? 

        A memory I have of someone being prejudice was when I was working at a preschool and I observed a 3 year old teacher speaking and treating one of her students differently. After a parent teacher conference the teacher learned about this child's home life and how his mother did not "fit into" the category of parents as her other children. This teacher decided she wasn't going to work as hard with this child because she felt as if it would be a waste of her time because the mother would not follow up with the learning strategies at home. 

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

         As an educator this teacher should not have allowed for her personal biases about the mother and their family life interfere with her responsibilities as an instructor. She allowed for her personal biases to diminish her equity of this particular student on a chance of receiving the same amount of support and encouragement as the other classmates. 

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

         This incident makes me think how many other students not only in preschool's but in public schools that teachers have the same mentality as this teacher did. It makes me sad to think about how many children out there who are not given a chance or automatically labeled because of their life outside or school. 

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

         In the preschool setting I have learned each teacher is as good as their director. In this situation I believe in order for this type of behavior to change the teacher would have to see more direction and a better example set from the director in order to change her mindset on treating her students the same.