Mya Helgason
Professor Donna Swapp
ECS 102
December 9, 2021
In order for us to become effective educators, we must aspire to create a classroom where each of our students are given the opportunity to learn and grow to the best of their ability. One of the areas that we must have a thorough understanding of, is the area of White privilege. According to scholar and activist, Peggy McIntosh, White privilege can be simply defined as “the unquestioned and unearned set of advantages, entitlements, benefits and choices bestowed upon people solely because they are white”. The system of White privilege though, is a lot less simple than the definition implies and the ramifications have created a legacy of systemic racism that permeates through this country. In this essay, I will delve into each of the dimensions of White privilege and research how they function together to create the unjust society we live in today. I will take this forward to raise awareness for critical social justice and apply what I have learned into my future classroom to become a more inclusive educator.
Stemming back to the times of European colonization, systems and laws have been put in place that give an unspoken advantage to the dominant culture in Canada. These advantages, which are the roots of White privilege have allowed biases to be created and in turn a system of racism to take hold. The ramifications of this affects most aspects of our everyday lives, even when we might not realize it. When a person grows up in the dominant culture and benefits from the systems that are in place, they are socialized in such a way that many of the biases are just thought to be the norm. According to Ӧzlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo in their academic textbook, Is everyone really equal?, socialization refers to “our systematic training into the norms of our culture” (p. 36). This goes deeper than language, religion, clothing etc. and can be found even in the way that people think about decision making, concept of time or in the way we interact with others. These little ways that we are socialized, combine to be big ideas that can affect the ease in which you are able to fit in and in the way you understand those around you. These combined differences, then create biases and in turn the biases turn into prejudice and then racism. Prejudice is “learned prejudgement about members of social groups to which we don’t belong” (Sensoy and DiAngelo, 2020, p.227). For example, dreadlocks worn to a job interview may not be seen as professional in the same way that a short, clean cut hairstyle might. This bias towards someone who follows the cultural norm of what a professional is “supposed to look like”, turns into discrimination when it affects their chance of being hired. Discrimination can be defined as “action based on prejudice” (Sesnoy and DiAngelo, 2020, p. 54). While the minority group has a lesser chance of being hired due to prejudice, the dominant groups chances of being hired are, by no merit of their own, increased. Because examples of this socialization, bias, prejudice, discrimination, and then White privilege are so prevalent it has created a society where the dominant culture holds more positions of power. This is how systemic racism is born and how patterns of oppression and White privilege continue.
From the number of people that share your background in positions of power in your community to the access to education in your dominant language to the treatment of people who look like you by law enforcement officers, there are areas where White privilege is blatant in our society. In Peggy McIntosh’s article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, published in 2006, she outlines a multitude of areas where white privilege is more obscure and where many people benefit from this privilege without even realizing it. McIntosh includes examples such as “I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race” and “I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race” (McIntosh, 2006, p.2). She goes on to talk about the accessibility of hair products, food, media personalities, books etc. that all cater to the dominant culture and reinforce even further how our society is shaped for White people (McIntosh, 2006, p.2). All of these things both little and big, add up to make it either easier or more difficult to succeed in any given situation depending on the colour of your skin. This allows people of the dominant culture to spend less time and energy “fitting in” and more time and energy into further advancing their place in society.
These examples of White privilege that we see in our society directly translate into our classrooms and into our education system. They then create contrasting obstacles for People of Colour and become roadblocks for students reaching their full potential. From the structure itself including curriculum content, and the faculty hired in positions of power, to the layout of the day and the expectations for behaviour and learning, White privilege is everywhere. Even the basics like language, food and representation in reading material, cater to the dominant culture. Safe at School published a list of such privileges White people have within the school system and many of them are once again, so entrenched in our socialization that they may not even be recognized by the dominant culture. Some of these privileges include recognition of cultural holidays and lack of concern to be educated in either a rural or urban setting. Another point to be noted is when the author wrote, “when I participate in discussion, I am not asked to speak on behalf of my ethno-cultural group” (Safe at School). This implies that the education and equality of the minoritized group is their responsibility, rather than that of the oppressor. All of these things combine to create not only obstacles and feelings of frustration but also cause self doubt and can wreak havoc on self worth at a very young age. These feelings of inferiority beginning at such a young age can lead to people of minoritized groups being socialized that their place in society is not equivalent to that of dominant culture. This reinforces White privilege as White children who grew up in a school system that was suited for them will grow up with the idea that they are deemed superior (whether this idea is conscious or not).
Recognizing that white privilege exists seems like an easy feat when faced with the examples discussed above. Why then, is the topic such a tricky one and why do we see so many barriers in understanding and change? Firstly, we have to recognize that change needs to occur in a society where the majority of people are benefitting from the systems of oppression that are in place. In R. Patrick Solomona , John P. Portelli , Beverly‐Jean Daniel, and Arlene Campbell’s 2005 academic article, “The discourse of denial: how white teacher candidates construct race, racism and ‘white privilege’, Race Ethnicity and Education”, they introduce readers to the ideas of individualism and meritocracy. We have to recognize that people in the dominant culture have been socialized to believe in individuality and have been taught that their unique abilities and merit have resulted in their success (R. P. Solomon et al., 2005, p.160). Intersectionality comes into play here as well and we will see varying levels of understanding and acceptance based on the overlapping of an individual’s life experiences and the social categorizations they have experienced. This discourse causes defensiveness and closes people off from looking within themselves for how they contribute to such issues. In the article “What is White Privilege, Really?” by Cory Collins in 2018, it is noted that “this defensiveness derails the conversation, which means that defining white privilege must often begin with defining what it’s not” (para. 12). The article goes on to say that in order for many to accept and understand the ramifications of White privilege, they must realize that it does not mean they have never struggled or worked hard for what they have, but that their race has never been a roadblock (Collins, 2018, para 12). It is these deep seeded ideas and socialized understandings that reinforce the importance of systemic racism education being introduced in schools from a young age. When awareness starts young and conversations are had in a safe, loving space, some of these preconceptions and misunderstandings can be prevented.
In a country where diversity is growing, there is so much to be learned from the mosaic of people that make up our nation. When individuals succeed and people flourish, our country flourishes and everyone benefits. On the contrary, when misunderstanding, fear, and dominance are perpetuated, our society becomes a place full of hate and resentment which in turn affects the safety and security of us all. Hate crimes grow and instead of uniting as a nation and learning and growing from one another, we divide. When every individual can reach their full potential and can be open to learning and growing together, imagine the Canada that we could be.
So how do we move towards this new Canada and how can we be an instrument for change in our world? First we must begin to shift the very mindset that has caused this system of oppression to be in place. This begins with education and meeting people where they are at in their knowledge and helping them to further their understanding of the topic. We must be willing to speak up in the face of injustice and advocate for the change we wish to see. We must do a lot more listening to the people that are being negatively affected by the systems that are in place and then share what we learn with friends, family, and colleagues.
In order for there to be systemic change at institutional or governmental level, we have to put our democracy to work. We can do this by challenging our politicians and lawmakers to advocate for awareness and funding for these issues along with learning about our political candidates and voting for people that share our beliefs and will fight for the changes at the highest levels of government.
The new understanding that I have about how deep White privilege is entrenched in so many aspects of our day-to-day lives will help me to become a better teacher and advocate for critical social justice. In order for all of my students to have the opportunity to reach their full potential, I must recognize the roadblocks that many of them are facing, both obvious and more obscure, and do everything I can to help break them down. I will be committed to listening, learning, discussing, and portraying different perspectives in my classroom in a meaningful way. Teaching about critical social justice is an essential part of effectively helping each and every one of my students to succeed and reach their full potential.
References
Mcintosh, P. (2019). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (1989) 1. On Privilege, Fraudulence, and Teaching As Learning,29-34. doi:10.4324/9781351133791-4
Sensoy, Ö, & DiAngelo, R. J. (2020). Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education. New York: Teachers College Press.
Solomona, R. P., Portelli, J. P., Daniel, B., & Campbell, A. (2005). The discourse of denial: How white teacher candidates construct race, racism and ‘white privilege’. Race Ethnicity and Education,8(2), 147-169. doi:10.1080/13613320500110519
Dillard, C., Collins, C., Shuler, J., Kjrjr, BabylonBee, Nomorerace, . . . Veritas. (n.d.). What Is White Privilege, Really? Retrieved from https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really
Safe at School. White Privilege in School Systems. Retrieved from
Mcintosh, P. (2019). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (1989) 1. On Privilege, Fraudulence, and Teaching As Learning,29-34. doi:10.4324/9781351133791-4
Sensoy, Ö, & DiAngelo, R. J. (2020). Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education. New York: Teachers College Press.
Solomona, R. P., Portelli, J. P., Daniel, B., & Campbell, A. (2005). The discourse of denial: How white teacher candidates construct race, racism and ‘white privilege’. Race Ethnicity and Education,8(2), 147-169. doi:10.1080/13613320500110519
Dillard, C., Collins, C., Shuler, J., Kjrjr, BabylonBee, Nomorerace, . . . Veritas. (n.d.). What Is White Privilege, Really? Retrieved from https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really
Safe at School. White Privilege in School Systems. Retrieved from https://www.safeatschool.ca.pdf