education

Positioning Social Justice Education as Something “Extra” “We have to prepare students for the test; that’s just the way it is.” “Dealing with social justice in the classroom (or workplace) takes time away from the real work we have to do.” We often hear this rationale for inaction in school (or workplace) contexts wherein teachers […]

Nora Bernard (1935–2007) Nora Bernard was a Canadian Mi’kmaq activist, member of the Millbrook First Nation, and survivor of the residential school in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia. She testified before a House of Commons Committee in 2005 saying, “Sexual and physical abuse was not the only abuse that the survivors experienced in these institutions. Abuses included

Invalidating Claims of Oppression as Oversensitivity “People just need to lighten up.” “Why don’t you people just get over it?” “I didn’t mean it that way; can’t you take a joke?” This objection is a variation on the “political correctness” objection, which implies that whenever minoritized groups and their allies speak to oppression they are

access to resources, illustrating the political power of language. The traditional names that dominant groups use for minoritized groups have their roots in racist history and were not chosen by the minoritized group (such as “Colored People” “Oriental” or “Eskimo”, which are all terms that should be avoided). Further, it really isn’t that difficult to

Rejecting the Politics of Language “What do they want us to call them now?” “You mean I have to watch everything I say?” Language is a form of knowledge construction; the language we use to name a social group shapes the way we think about that group. To think critically about language is to think

What does this insistence rationalize or excuse? Refusing to Recognize Structural and Institutional Power “Women are just as sexist as men.” “I’m the only male in my group so I am oppressed.” “People of Color are racist too.” Given the deeply embedded patterns that develop from our group identities, simply being the only dominant member

Ignoring Intersectionality “I am oppressed as a lesbian, so I might be White but I have no privilege.” 246 “I think the true oppression is classism. If we address class, all the other oppressions will disappear.” People who raise this kind of objection have usually spent a lot of time thinking about their own oppression.

Insisting on Immunity from Socialization “I was taught to treat everybody the same.” “My parents raised me to believe that it didn’t matter that I was a girl, I could be anything I wanted.” “That’s not my experience.” In addressing the claim that one has been immune to the forces of socialization, we offer the

Appealing to a Universalized Humanity “Why can’t we all just be humans?” “We all bleed red.” “It’s focusing on difference that divides us.” Biologically we are all humans, of course. But socially we are members of hierarchically organized groups. Where we are in dominant groups, we are taught to see our perspectives as neutral, objective,

  Arguing That Oppression Is Just Human Nature 244 “Injustice exists in every society—it’s just human nature.” “Somebody has to be on top.” Because it’s virtually impossible to separate nature (biology) from nurture (culture), claims that specific human dynamics are natural are very difficult to substantiate. There is no line at which we can say