The topic of Racism in Education

Although very few individuals themselves would admit to being racist, it is an acknowledged fact that we live within a racist society.  This may be in part because although the outright hate of different races (usually non-whites) has become less a part of our culture due to education and progression in rights, forms of ‘casual racism’ such as stereotyping, generalizing and racist jokes still continue. This can be described as the trend of covert, as opposed to overt racism in contemporary Australian society.

This form of racism allows people to make racist remarks and stereotype people in damaging ways, without taking responsibility for the divisive nature of their actions or the potential damage it can do. 

Most individuals, when honestly reflecting on their own personal thought lives, if not comments they have made out loud, can track instances where they have demonstrated a racist attitude.  Although I do not consider myself racist, there are times when I will pre-judge others based on their appearance or cultural identity, demonstrating impatience when not all others conform to the same customs or what I would consider to be manners or decorum in general society. 

Even though I try particularly hard not to demonstrate a racist attitude, I am aware that in my circle of friends, racist jokes are consistently made to and about one particular friend who is Egyptian.  Although he is privy to these jokes and does not mind them as they are usually made with an affectionate tone, does that make this form of casual racism okay? There is a line between acknowledging our differences, and negatively stereotyping and judging others based on their race, and it is too often crossed.

The issue of casual racism is discussed in a recent article by Danielle Cronin in the Brisbane Times, following a speech made by Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane, at the annual Peace and Understanding Lecture at the University of Queensland (article found athttp://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/casual-racism-rife-in-australia-commissioner-20130918-2tzt5.html).  He encourages Australians not to ‘dismiss racism as a marginal social concern’, acknowledging the extent of prejudice and discrimination as ‘barriers to fair treatment and equal opportunity, hampered an individual's freedom to participate in the community, could impair social cohesion, and affect the target's physical health and life expectancy.’

The article is different from many in that it targets covert racism just as much as the obvious acts of racism we often see on the news. Examples given are ‘Jokes, off-handed comments, excluding co-workers from chats around the water cooler’. These casual, offhand ways of excluding and stereotyping others are so often experienced within our contemporary culture, it seems almost strange to address them with such seriousness. Certainly with my group of friends, if someone were to accuse them of racism, they would claim that it is all a joke, and since the person who the jokes are aimed at does not find the jokes offensive, it is okay.    However the speech quoted in the article calls us all to extend our vigilance on racism into our everyday lives, saying ‘racism doesn't need to be violent or malicious to count as racism’ and encouraging us to consider the consequences of such demonstrations of racism.

In Jill Dolan’s article ‘Casual Racism and Stuttering Failures: An ethics for classroom engagement’, she describes her acts of not discussing these forms of casual racism in the classroom as ‘pedagogical failures’, and noted that she found it difficult to address these situations, however discussion and building toward understanding was extremely important in building a class and individuals who were progressive, understanding and well-educated.  It is clear that the main way to work towards this ideal is to have discussions and confront the issues head-on, rather than letting them slip by and continue to foster the culture of this norm.

Similarly, The Brisbane Times article ends with a challenge quoted from Soutphommasane, where we are encouraged to talk about this issue.  To turn covert racism into something that is noticed and discussed is the next step to eliminating it, rather than letting it run rampant in our society, and as future educators, this should be a large part of our role in educating the generations to come.  Racism will not disappear overnight, particularly since it has found such underhand ways to appear, however through bringing these to light and encouraging discussion and correction of such demonstrations of covert racism, it is hoped that we may be able to change these stereotypes and the racist way of thinking we see today, for the future.

References:
Cronin, D. 'Casual Racism rife in Australia: Commissioner', Brisbane Times, 2013, accessed online at http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/casual-racism-rife-in-australia-commissioner-20130918-2tzt5.html

Dolan, J. (2012). Casual Racism and Stuttering Failures: An ethics for classroom engagement. Performance Research, 17(1), 38-46. [accessed online at http://www.tandfonline.com.wwwproxy0.library.unsw.edu.au/doi/abs/10.1080/13528165.2012.651861]