One Response to Hate
Submitted to: The Carillon
One Response to Hate
To all future teachers:
“Hate.”
I was doing homework one day, when I overheard a troubling conversation. The word “hate” was being tossed around like it had no significance. Accompanying this word were once like: “lazy,” “useless,” “welfare,” and “dirty.” This conversation was being belted out like the speakers wanted the world to here. Well, it grabbed my attention, and I listened. Sure enough, among the insults, a subject eventually arose: Natives.
“I hate them and I always will.”
It wasn’t the harsh verbal act of racism alone that bothered me; it was the fact that I was in a room full of future teachers, and one day this person is going to have a classroom of their own.
As a future teacher myself, I know that we are bound to face a classroom full of diversity; with children of all backgrounds. We have to approach every student believing that they are individuals full of potential, and having the same ability to succeed. We need to have expanded worldviews that praise and welcome all identities. And most importantly, we have to work against racism.
Teachers have to realize that as political figures, everything they say or do affects the children. They teach more than just subject areas; they teach acceptance. If a teacher has negative views or holds stereotypes towards a certain culture, and believes they are inferior in any way, it will show through in their teaching. This of course, effects student learning. Even if a teacher does not make racist comments, but turns a blind eye and lets acts of racism happen in he classroom, they are contributors. Teachers are large influences on the lives of children, and if they do not counteract racism, who will?
Racism also contributes to drop-out and crime rates, as well as making them resistant to learn. Students to not want to function in a classroom where they do not feel comfortable and accepted for who they are.
Guess what?
You, as a future teacher, are responsible for the education of the future generations, and need to be able to provide the best opportunities for all students. This involves kindness, understanding, and inclusion, not stereotypes, racism, discrimination…
Or “hate.”
To the people belting out hate words for the world to hear: I have listened, and I’m responding. I obviously can’t tell anyone how to think or act, or what to believe, but if you can’t conform to the necessary essentials of being a teacher, I suggest you rethink your faculty.
June 5, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Part of my portfolio is First Nations and Metis initiatives. In our school division we have a very small percentage of these students. However, our projected provincial populations suggest this number will most certainly increase. Becoming a cultural responsive society, will only benefit us all.
June 6, 2008 at 1:04 am
Wow, that’s a nasty attitude displayed by that person. Sometimes I think certain people really need to stop and honestly evaluate if they really have the right disposition to be a teacher. Without tracking that particular person, you can already tell that they are going to have predjudices against some of their future students, which isn’t fair. Also, you can already tell that this person will misinform his/her students or completely avoid sharing any information on Aboriginal people.
June 10, 2008 at 2:24 pm
How sad is that..I think that the teachers job is being underestimated.Nowadays teachers nearly replace parents in some cases, so their role is really important. And the fact that a teacher do have genre or an ethnic preference and that would affect his job is really bothersome.