The ‘isms’ in Education This template can be used as a starter file for a photo album.

make assumptions about people’s abilities and characteristics Classism A form of oppression in which individuals and institutions… assign value to people & make assumptions about people’s abilities and characteristics because of the prejudices related to social class.

Classism occurs through… individual attitudes and behaviors the policies and practices that are set up to benefit upper classes at the expense of the lower classes, resulting in drastic income and wealth inequality the rationales and institutions that support classist systems and unequal valuing of people the culture that perpetuates the above-mentioned mechanisms Adapted from: www.classism.org

How do you think we fund our public schools?

Children in American Schools If funding for schools was based not on local property taxes but on equal funding per student, how long would it take to bring the worst schools up to acceptable conditions? What would happen in the richest schools when funding was inevitably lessened? Why has the current system of school funding, based on local property taxes, been allowed to exist for so long?

Poverty in affluent countries: the U.S. ranked #28 U.S. Poverty = less than $22,000 per year Americans live in poverty = 15% U.S. children in poverty = 24% Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/media/files/RC11-ENG-embargo.pdf

Poverty in U.S. Schools Students on free & reduced lunch = 51% AL students on free & reduced lunch = 58% Retrieved from: http://www.southerneducation.org/Our-Strategies/Research-and-Publications/New-Majority-Diverse-Majority-Report-Series/A-New-Majority-2015-Update-Low-Income-Students-Now

Across Region in U.S. Schools Retrieved from: http://www.irp.wisc.edu/faqs/faq3.htm

Poverty by Race in U.S. Schools Retrieved from: http://www.irp.wisc.edu/faqs/faq3.htm

David Berliner Educational Psychologist Professor at Arizona State University National Education Policy Center Author of: The Manufactured Crisis Collateral Damage: The Effects of High-stakes Testing on America’s Schools

The Effects of poverty How Poverty Effects Student Achievement (33-38) How Neighborhoods Effect the Poor (38-43) How Income Effects Behavior & Achievement (43-48) What Can We Do? (48-53)

What can you do about Classism? The Question of Class by Paul Gorski

What does inequality look like? Wealth Inequality in America

What is Race? Explore the 10 questions on Is Race for Real?. Complete the activity on Sorting People. Watch two slideshows in Me, My Race & I. Do the 3 modules in Where Race Lives. Journal your thoughts and findings. Place this in the center section of your portfolio.

What is the difference between Race & Racism?

Race & Racism Race is a group of categories socially constructed by us. It is not genetic. Racism, however, is the harmful effects that result from believing that race means something. It is a form of oppression based on the perception of one’s race, which includes “negative or destructive behaviors that can result in denying some groups’ life necessities as well as the privileges, rights, and opportunities enjoyed by other groups” (Sonia Nieto, p. 42)

Sonia Nieto Professor of Language, Literacy and Culture at the School of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst Focuses on diversity in relation to culture and language and inclusion/exclusion in the public schools Author of Affirming Diversity Diversity & Thriving in Schools