Class vs Culture: The Demonized Lower Class and Culturally Different. Michael G. Wright. University of Akron

Transcription

1 Class vs Culture 1 Class vs Culture: The Demonized Lower Class and Culturally Different Michael G. Wright University of Akron

2 Class vs Culture 2 Class vs Culture: The Demonized Lower Class and Culturally Different Cultural Differences The State of Ohio is home to five major cultures/races. Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Asian, and White make up the racial demographic majority. In Stark County, there are roughly 400,000 inhabitants, only 10% or 40,000 are minorities (Stark 2014). The largest group in that pool is African American followed by Hispanic and Asian. Each group embraces their own set of social norms that influence their perspective sub-cultures. These various sub-cultures highlight the brooding of the racial insecurity that promotes discrimination. Lombroso argued that, many tribes have a relative morality, one all of their own, which they apply in their own way (Lombroso 115). Each culture uses relative morality to govern themselves within society yet these small differences are what invites stereotypes of cultures that are seen as fears to other groups, Brown Body Effect. There is a cyclical development model that minorities go through in a white dominated society and educational system that either result in a negative or positive experience. The development of a minority student within a white dominated educational system begins at a young age. There is an inverse relationship of this process and it is predicated on the acceptance and tolerance of their white counterparts. The four stages are pre-encounter, encounter, immersion-emersion, and internalization. In the pre-encounter stage, the individual begins to question or devalue their own cultural heritage because of the environment they are apart of and begin to prioritize white values and society to fit in. There is a strong desire to assimilate and acculturate into white society (Sue 94). The second stage, encounter, is the first negative or positive encounter that challenges their cultural beliefs or one they preciously desire,

3 Class vs Culture 3 acceptance, which is assimilating to white society. The third stage immersion-emersion, again predicated on experience. If a positive experience takes place the minority individual will continue to withdraw from the heritage and conform/assimilate to the majority, white society; on the other hand, if they have a negative experience the thought of white society brainwashing and a new internalized sense or heritage and cultural power is developed thwarting white society. In the final stage, internalization, the positive experience of multicultural security develops causing the student to accept cultural differences; however, a negative experience results in internalized anger against white society the main source of all problems (Sue 97). This creates a powerful multicultural or anti-cultural dichotomy that is embedded within American society an when it comes to the youth of America, the educational system. Over the course of history whites have always viewed the Brown Body (Patel 2012) as being evil, savage, and inferior. According to Sue, [minorities] are bombarded by all sides by reminders that whites and their way of life are superior and all other lifestyles are inferior, many minorities begin to wonder whether they themselves are somewhat inadequate (99). The stereotype of the Brown Body is not only fueled on by whites but also minorities who reject and demonize their culture heritage. It is unfortunate that the inferior status of minorities is constantly reinforced and perpetuated by the mass media through, television, movies, newspapers, radio, books, and magazines. This contributes to widespread stereotypes (Sue 99). This demonization of minorities not only contributes to stereotypical views within schools and society but also leverages/manipulates minorities to assimilate to dominant society standards and reject their own heritage. Minorities view their own identity negatively and are ashamed of it (Sue 101); they are also constantly reminded that they are inferior in society and in the educational system. The effect of the Brown Body whether they be Asian, Hispanic, African

4 Class vs Culture 4 American, in reality browning remains discriminatory as it continues to look like a particular black and ethnic body with a particular set of negative social meanings (Patel 36). These negative societal beliefs and stereotypes echo the case studies of Lombroso and many other influential 19 th century social science practitioners of his era. The beliefs that multiculturalism has progressed is a myth. Although much research has debunked the claims of Lombroso and his like-minded contemporaries, socioeconomic and racial stereotypes remain rooted in present day educational systems and many other societal institutions. Class and Culture in the Classroom In the American education system, the same class and cultural warfare exist and segregates our learners based on affluence and race. At the top of the feudalistic pyramid, the same group who makes the educational decisions politically, white and affluent also is true within the school and at the lowest point with the least representation in political decisions, the poor minority also the same in schools. There are multiple levels in-between that make it challenging for educators to connect on a widespread level with their students. When SES and cultural differences are coupled within a school system, the effects can be tremendous, Economic hardship and [cultural differences] makes it more difficult for caregivers to create the trusting environments that build children's secure attachments. Behavior research shows that children from impoverished homes develop psychiatric disturbances and maladaptive social functioning at a greater rate than their affluent counterparts (Jenson 2009). Students who have to overcome these two factors, SES and cultural stereotypes, are more prone to limitations such as being linked to over 50 percent of all absences in schools, impaired attention and concentration, reduced cognition, creativity, memory, and diminished social skills and social judgment, reduced motivation, determination, and effort, increased likelihood of depression, and

5 Class vs Culture 5 reduced neurogenesis (Jenson 2009). To combat these issues within the school system, educators must step up and accept the challenge. Jenson describes three areas to combat these issues, recognize the warning signs Alter the environment Empower the students (2009). Many times, educators feel that they do not have the ability or are not effectively trained to recognize warning signs or positively affect the situation. Educators must make the classroom a safe environment where students are alleviated from their home-life the problems and are able to overcome these obstacles and be successful in the classroom. Unfortunately, according to Jensen, only five to seven percent actually achieve this (2009). The question that many educators and administrators fumble over is what is to be done on leveling the playing field for low-income and culturally different students. There are a tremendous amount of obstacles non-related to school that hinder the educational experience and social development. Since, these are outside factors how can this actually be solved? Can we, educators, counteract a social crisis that has been ravaging society since the human world began? Yes! The school has the ability to correct when minorities are being punished harsher for school infractions at a rate higher than their white peers for the same offence. The school has the ability to stomp out bullying and make that a slogan within the school how about stomp out racial discrimination or not tolerate these social offenses and severely punish a student who commits these atrocities whether white, black, Asian, etc... Also, the district needs to have highly effective teachers within the school district. Severely low income schools and higher percent of minorities tend to have a mediocre educational staff, The dramatic socioeconomic divide in education doesn't help matters. High-poverty, high-minority schools receive significantly less state and local money than do more prosperous schools, and students in such schools are more likely to be taught by teachers who are inexperienced or teaching outside their specialties (Jensen 2009). Not only do these schools and more

6 Class vs Culture 6 importantly, these students, need highly qualified, subject specific certified teachers, but also administrative support district wide that prioritizes and values educating low SES and culturally different students not as a burden or challenge. Conclusion Human interaction has always been divided because of class status and cultural allegiance. This inability to understand and accept each other s differences has led to atrocities that stain the world s history. Education has the ability to break down these barriers; during the Civil Rights movement in America society was unable to solve the issue of the day it started in grade schools and colleges which then impacted society. Examples of education infiltrating and changing the mindset of society have been documented across the globe affecting society either positively or negatively. Education is the spark of change and teachers need to be trained at a higher level and more pointed education in the aspect of cultural diversity and socioeconomics. This issue has yet to change in society since it began, if educators want this problem alleviated or solved it will not be because of a societal movement, but an educational movement.

7 Class vs Culture 7 References Jensen, E. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind: What being poor does to kids' brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Lombroso, C., Gibson, M., & Rafter, N. H. (2006). Criminal man. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Patel, T. Ethnic Deviant Labels within a Terror-Panic Context: Excusing White Deviance. Ethnicity and Race in a Changing World, 4. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from Stark County Health Department. (n.d.). Retrieved July 06, 2014, from Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (1990). Counseling the culturally different: Theory and practice. New York: Wiley.