ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

I think this cartoon says it well: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/25/1094312/-White-babies-outnumbered

This article is an example of how children of color are marginalized by the words used to describe them. Being a "minority" is labeling a child with words that minimize their status. No one who hears the words minority thinks that this signifies their status as equal to the predetermined majority group. Based on her research, Dr. Yvette Jackson writes, “This governmental practice of control through classification of students set off development of a chain of marginalizing labels that fostered misperceptions about students, in turn perpetuating a cycle of prejudicing belief and low expectations.”
People hearing the word minority consciously or unconsciously have already a set of low expectations that become a self-fulling prophecy. I am further baffled by the reference to "minorities" who are people of color as the minority group when the article has just stated that they surpass the accepted majority group of whites. However, I do agree with the intent of this article about the record our schools have of educating children of color. They have often been over-represented in learning disabled groups and under-represented in gifted and talented programs. Changing the perception of these student's abilities as seen by their teachers and the system will go a long way to improving their performance. Read the "Pedagogy of Confidence" by Dr. Yvette Jackson.

I am highly disappointed to see such a race division article in your publication. We are all ONE race...The Human Race. When all of the funding, research and media coverage accurately reflects that fact...the world will become a better place!

I am really disappointed to see this type of race division so heavily endorced in your publication. You should hold yourselves to a higher standard. We are ONE race...The Human Race! When all of the funding, research and media coverage gets that point...the world will become a better place!

Older Americans' willingness to pay for educating non-whites is inextricably linked to our society's prevaiiling attitudes about those perceived as "other," whether it be in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Social and educational policies will not shift until we broaden our perspective. Individual and collective notions about diversity need to shift from from "us vs. them" to "we're a community." It is critical that educators and parents harness the courage and skills to teach our young children that we are ALL different from one another and that this human diversity is a strength, not a burden. In the process, we will teach young children the life skills necessary to thrive in our diverse nation, but we will also cultivate citizens who value fair and equitable policies that support all children, regardless of ethnic background or skin color.