A reflection on a current educational issue in Sydney relating to culture and identity

The government imposes education policies in order to attain equality of education amongst students and prevent discriminations against any social groups, whether it be racial groups or individuals of differing socio-economic statuses. In this blog I’m highlighting the issue of racism within schools which may affect the individual’s sense of identity and views toward own cultures.

Racism is regarded negatively and highly imposed by the general society. Any act of racial discrimination held against another individual becomes a great taboo. However, racism still occurs in our everyday interactions which may pass unnoticed by most but not all. I’m referring to the act of racial micro-aggressions. This term defines the subtle acts of racial discrimination against another individual. This may be in a passingby comment or joke which is meant to be taken light-heartedly. Unfortunately, whilst for the one committing the act is unaware of the racial discriminatory implications they have made, the other individual is offended and this leads to the loss of the individual’s sense of self-recognition and cultural identity. Although this is not necessarily always the case, it most commonly detected within those of the dominant cultural group who will tend to make these racial comments which provoke the minority groups’ cultural lifestyles. An example of this is found in the video clip of our first tutorial which involved the English man asking the Asian woman ‘where are you from?’. By asking the Asian woman where she is from, there are implications that she is a foreigner or someone who doesn’t belong in the country. An innocent question becomes a racial attack against another.

I cannot help but sympathise with those who relate to the English individual. He has no intentions of offending the Asian woman, however, due to racial implications he becomes the culprit. At the same time, I personally have experienced an act of micro-aggression set against me and thus also understand why the Asian woman has found such great offense. Similarly, in Lacocque’s interviews with the Latino/a students, there is a mutual viewpoint between the individuals in which they feel targeted as a minority racial group against the White community and thus are more aware of the subtle racial comments which do occur. One student in particular was outraged when another had joked about Mexican migration despite meaning no insult. (Lacocque, 2013, p. 450) So where do we draw the line between what is considered racist or not?

I believe we should implement a different approach towards anti-racial programs for students amongst schools. Despite having been taught the negative consequences of racial acts, I recall being given theoretical situations of individuals being racist in an overt manner. I can’t help but think that these situations are highly unlikely to occur due to the taboo of racism within society. Instead, we should highlight the effects of racial micro-aggressions and the consequences which follow when one isn’t too cautious with what they comment. As stated before, individuals are saying such things without intentions of causing offense. If students are taught to pick up on these comments, there wouldn’t be victimised individuals. It is crucial that these matters are taken seriously as race in particular is a large factor in which people believe highly dictate their sense of culture and identity.

 

Reference List:

Minikel-Lacocque, J. (2013).  Racism, college and the power of words: Racial microaggressions reconsidered. American Educational Research Journal, 50, 432. DOI: 10.3102/0002831212468048