Running Head: RACIAL CATEGORIES

Racial Categories: To Be Or Not To Be National University Dylan Scharf December 4, 2010

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Racial categories are everywhere in society. Although we may wholeheartedly accept people for who they are, we always unconsciously categorize people by race or gender, whether they are disabled or not, even by what color of their hair. Race is the primary focus of categorization in our society, in some ways necessary and in other ways exceptionally harmful. We tend not to see people as individuals, with their own strengths and desires, but judge them by the color of skin, the accent in their voice, or the language they speak. It seems not enough for human beings to see each other as people separate from their racial category, even though we are just that, people, regardless of our outside identifiers. There are many reasons why racial categorization should be eliminated; stereotyping and individual racism are just the beginning. The Diverse Classroom states, stereotyping is the process of attributing behavioral characteristics to all members of a group (Alpert, pg. 12). Stereotyping is one of the greatest separators in society today, and nothing draws boundaries between people and neighborhoods more than stereotypes. Racial categorization goes much deeper than stereotyping though; racism becomes a significant factor when people begin to categorize each other by race and culture. Individual racism can often times be a direct bi-product of categorization, which is the prejudicial belief that ones ethnic or racial group is superior to others (Alpert, pg. 12). This often leads to violence, distrust, fear and misunderstanding, which are destructive factors in society and schools. When students begin to create racial or ethnic categorization, a dividing line tends to be perpetuated between groups. Even if a person is tolerant of others, they

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feel a certain bond or unity amongst their own. Although this can be a healthy aspect amongst ethnic groups, it can also put a splinter between them and all other groups. As this separation becomes more apparent feelings of animosity can begin to spread and stereotyping and racism eventually begin to appear. Racial categories can have a positive aspect to them which was stated in the last paragraph; they can help to promote a certain bond or unity amongst the people in the category. Although it was stated before that this could form a fragment between one category and another, it can have some positive attributes. For instance groups such as African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans have played a significant role in shaping American society (pbs.org), and without this categorization these groups would not get the benefits of these changes they made on society. Categorization can bring groups together to fight for the common good of the group itself. Take for instance the Civil Rights act of 1964, and the leaps and bounds that Dr. Martin Luther King made for the African American population in the United States. This was an effort put together by categorized groups; African Americans, Caucasian Americans and other stereotyped groups fought for the equal rights of not only African Americans but also all groups that were being segregated and prejudiced against; students, church groups, workers, and volunteers participate(d) in massive non-violent protest, civil disobedience and public education campaigns (pbs.org), making this the largest crusade for equality amongst racial groups ever.

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Even when we consider the benefits that racial categories offer to society, the issues they create cause far greater damage. Racial categories may have been able to bring people together to make societal changes when they were needed most, but in this day and age they cause greater wounds and create more suffering amongst the members of society and schools. As the world grows in population, and advancements are made in technology, it gets smaller. People need to come together as a whole and loose the categories that separate them, or as a world we are destined for failure. This is particularly important in the school system because many times this is where these categories are created. Children are not born racist, and they do not put people into categories based on how they look. These are things that they are taught, and then have to be untaught if they are going to treat all people with respect regardless of race. There are some ways that race is unknowingly perpetuated in schools that we must be made aware of if we as teachers are going to be able to stop the process toward racial categorization. The books that the students read sometimes have a couple of major underlying issues that promote racial inequalities. Most of the books that are required reading specifically in high school with a few exceptions are written by dead white men, and tend to be about ideas and concepts that many students from ethnic and multicultural backgrounds have a difficult time relating to. This is a very subversive form of racism as it is certainly not the intent of the school to seclude certain groups. Through the awareness of this subtle inequality we may be able to change the types of books that students read, and learn to include all kinds of authors and genres.

RACIAL CATEGORIES Testing can also have impact on racial inequality. Standardized testing does not necessarily take into account ethnic or cultural upbringing. For instance in an urban school in the center of New York City many students may have no idea as to what a tennis court looks like, and yet in a standardized test they are asked what kind of angle does a tennis court have? There is no way, due to their socioeconomic status and culture, that they would know this. This is a very unwitting use of racial

inequality that 99% of the time would go completely overlooked. These are the little things that cannot go over looked because they do have a great impact on the students it effects. On a standardized test the content should be appropriate for any and all students that are required to take it. The availability of media is also something that can be scanned for racial equality in most schools. The video content that is available in the library is usually directed more toward a white audience and the availability of video and dvd that is culturally diverse can be quite limited. The staff at schools is also generally very white, even if it is not intentional. This aspect was pointed out to me when I asked a Latin teacher at the school I substitute at her opinion of racial inequalities in the high school system. I never really thought about it, probably because I too am white, but for all the teachers I have had, a very small percentage of them have been nonwhite. These examples are all subtleties and may not be apparent in all schools, but they are certainly an issue in some. Although it is not a schools intention to have racial inequality, and in many cases it is certain that most schools do everything they can to provide an equal learning experience for all races and ethnicities, if carefully scrutinized there are racial inequalities everywhere.

RACIAL CATEGORIES Racial categories and inequality are something that do far more harm than

good and it should be the intent of every school to make certain that its students are treated equally and fairly, regardless of race, ethnicity, and gender. The more we as people categorize each other the further apart we become making the healing process far more difficult. We are more the same today than ever before because of the advancements in technology and travel; we should be joining together as a species on this earth not moving farther apart. This joining together must begin in the schools when minds are fresh and far more open to the possibilities of equality.

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Reference: Alpert, Madelon et al. The Diverse Classroom. Pearson Education, Boston: 2008.

Fields, B. (2003). Presentation by historian Barbara J. Fields for the Producers of RACE - March 2001. In Race: The power of illusion. Retrieved December 4, 2010, from http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm