Diversity Event

RIC OlympRics

Recently me and a couple of my friends atteneded the OlympRics on March 23rd. This event was hosted by one of our friends Tyler Patterson. We put a team together that consisted of 3 kids from our class Rich Wapenyi, Brandon Gauthier and myself. It also consisted of two other people. We entered this event hoping that it would work for our Diversity Event and possibly be a fun experience. And I think that we got both out of it. This event was open to everyone male, female, balck or white, and gay or straight. There where many different events during this that didn't just range in athletics. You needed to be smart because there was a trivia event (which we got last in). You needed to be able to eat a lot (Rich got 2nd!) and you needed to work as a team. There where 8 teams in this event and they awarded the top 3. Between the 8 teams they were all seperated, they werent very diverse. Everyone was teamed up within their "clicks". For example one team would be a big group of track kids while another team would be just gymnastics team. Or you would see just a group of friends that were all boys. O another example there were 3 wrestling teams during this event and they were all seperated differently. One team was all the wrestlers over 21, another was all the upperclassmen and our team was the freshman.

During the turnament there was a big issue during one of our volleyball games. And it was about whether that last hit was in or out. And now during the game there were line judges on all 4 corners so issues like this could be resolved. Anyhow, the line judge called it out which favored our team and we would have gotten a point over the first seeded team along with momentum. Then all the sudden the guy that was running the turnament stormed over and said he disagreed with this call. First of all this gut came out of nowhere, he was in the complete oppisite direction with his clipboard. He came over and discussed it with the line judge and decided himself along with someone else running the turnament that this ball was in, and the line judge kept telling him it was clearly out. Anyhow what im trying to get to is that this event completely described "Delpit" with the rules and codes of power. This guy wanted to show who was in charge and he did. He came over and demostrated he had the power which instead of making the fair decision, he hurt our team. With that decision everyone boo'd him and his call.

At the end of the turnament when we thought we got 3rd and $25 each to a resturant we came to figure out that we got 4th due to a "spirit point". To a team that had 3 guys and 2 girls. Which clearly decribed that there team got third due to being more diverse than ours. I feel like this demonstrated "Johnson" and said those taboo words but in a way without saying them. They got favored because they had girls to the fact that we didnt and we were suppose to be a big bunch of strong men. This event was a good a strong event that we attended and i felt with the issues that took place made this event work.

Talking Points: Anyon

Anyon argues that in todays schooling that students based on economice backgrounds are being schooled to be ready for certian jobs and professions. Anyon did a study on this for fifth graders from different backgrounds. Showing that we treat certian people different ways and from the get go that we still arent giving them a chance.

"teachers rarely explain why the work is being assigned, how it might connect to other assignments, or what the idea is that lies behind the procedure or gives it coherence and perhaps meaning or significance. Available textbooks are not always used, and the teachers often prepare their own dittos or put work examples on the board. Most of the rules regarding work are designations of what the children are to do; the rules are steps to follow. These steps are told to the children by the teachers and are often written on the board. The children are usually told to copy the steps as notes. These notes are to be studied. Work is often evaluated not according to whether it is right or wrong but according to whether the children followed the right steps."

This quote is showing that students from a weaker economic life arent always taught with the desire to succeed but rather to get by. The work doesnt matter whether it was righ or wrong but as you can see they just want them to get the work done. Rather then pushing these students through the walk of education they are letting them walk alone.

As we talked in class one time that students in public schools are getting beat up text books and second hand stuff while kids in private schools are getting top of the line materials for class. Private vs. Public it doesnt matter and education is an education and it should be treated the same.

"In the middle-class school, work is getting the right answer. If one accumulates enough right answers, one gets a good grade. One must follow the directions in order to get the right answers, but the directions often call for some figuring, some choice, some decision making. For example, the children must often figure out by themselves what the directions ask them to do and how to get the answer: what do you do first, second, and perhaps third? Answers are usually found in books or by listening to the teacher. Answers are usually words, sentences, numbers, or facts and dates; one writes them on paper, and one should be neat. Answers must be given in the right order, and one cannot make them up."

That quote just backs up what i was sayng earlier with students being pushed unlike the other students. These students are required to get the right answer, to where in a lower class they just want them to get the work done.

This reading shows why we have so many people struggling in the U.S. And backs up the fact where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Talking Points: Lawrence

"One More River to Cross"Recognizing the Real Injury in Brown
A Prerequisite to Shaping New Remedies
By: Charles Lawrence

Lawrence is talking about all the different points in the brown vs board of education. It seems like he is trying to show you different perspectives. Along with showing you segregation and what it means, and where it is and all the different points on it.

"Each step forward was just that, a step. There would always be "one more river to cross.""

I love this quote so much that i have to go out and just say how i feel on this. I know that this has to do with blacks and their fight. But i feel that this pertains to everyone! By me saying that no matter what you do that it is never enough. That there will always be more. Or that you are close but not close enough. And it is the title but it is just so catchy.

"Although it is admitted that all segregation may result in injury to black children, the factual question that must be resolved by the court is whether the state can be held responsible. "

This is Lawrence going back into the case like I said and showing other points on segregation if i am correct. Lawrence is showing segregation can result in a black child getting hurt.

The reading was rather easy but was a different type of reading. It was more of a legal reading at some points with every section. Different type but good.

Talking points

Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community

by Dennis Carlson

Carlson starts off with stating how society has decided what is normal and what is not. But I ask you isnt normal only what we think is normal?? So wouldnt everything be normal but at the same time its not? Carlson also shows individuals experiences in schools that have to deal with gay and its acceptance.

"On one level,LA Cage aux Foiles may be read as a very conventional text on gayness, constructed within the normalizing discourse of the time. Gay men are confirmed in their role as the Other-a bit silly, prone to emotional and hysterical outbursts, narcissistic, obsessed with sex and fancy clothes. and inhabiting an exotic and "decadent" life on the margins."

In this quote Carlson is talking about how society has made this into the average gay male. And how it has angered him that America has made this into the average gay male. Carlson makes a good point though, because when i think of a gay male myself this is what i picture. Why?? because media makes this the gay male! And not all gay men are like this.

"If, in popular culture. being straight meant being "normal:' that is, affirming (if not always practicing) bourgeois. traditional, repressive, monogamous, married sexuality, then being gay meant-by definition-the opposite. Gay identity was constructed around the experience of being a sexual outsider, deviant,and(quite literally) outlaw."

This quote once again Carlson is saying how this is what is viewed as normal and this is what is viewed as not. So basically this is allowed and this isn't. And when he says outlaw it shows of a stronger word of rather than just "not allowed" it makes you think of illegal.

"We cannot and should not attempt to impose "politically correct" beliefs 011 students; but we have a responsibility as public educators in a democratic society lO engage them in a dialogue in which ali voices get heard or represented and ill which gay students and rc..ichcrs feci free to "come out" and find their own voices ."

This is such a good quote. At the end of the story Carlson says the previous quote. And what he is saying is we cant try and tell students what is ok and what they should be or do. Except as educaters we need to help them find who they really are and let them know all these other ways and that they are ok too.

I found this reading easy to read and not hard to follow along with. It relates back to are other readings because it has to do with diversity in some way or another. We are learning that as educators you are going to see many different views from many different people, and that all are ok and should be accepted. When i read this though i kept thinking of my cousin who is gay. And the quote where it talked about the stereotypical gay and how he is nothing like that.

Talking Points

Aria

by Richard Rodriguez

Rodriguez is stating that growing up he realized that he needed to learn English and make that his first language. Rather than speaking Spanish he realized to keep up he needed to learn English so he could speak fluently, unlike his father.

Rodriguez said "Though his English improved somewhat, he retired into silence. At dinner he spoke very little. One night his children and even his wife helplessly giggled at his garbled English pronunciation of the Catholic Grace before Meals. Thereafter he made his wife recite the prayer at the start of each meal, even on formal occasions, when there were guests in the house." I feel like in this quote he is in a way stating that he doesn't generally what to be like his father in the way that he cant speak english well. Rather he wants to be fluent and keep up with everyone else.

I made this as a good piece to read. Rodriguez story was very interesting stating how he was behind at first with his language skills and didn't know anything besides a few words than learned how to speak english fluently. And realized the more english he spoke the less Spanish he spoke. He didn't wanted to talk in spanish because it would make him realize how much his life has changed and differed.

I felt this piece was easy to read and not difficult to follow or understand. It relates to the other text that we read to the same way that we are going to be teachers and it prepares to show us how many people speak in other languages and their first language isn't always english. In the other readings they always showed us how society was different.

Talking Points 1

White Privilege by Peggy Mcintosh

This article by Peggy interestingly states that gender discrimination is taught not to be recognized as race is also. Peggy touches up on some strong examples of race in our society to where just more than jobs and roles but to everyday events.

In this first quote it shows how whites don't have to worry about a simple decision as much as a black person does "Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability." This shows how the average black person may have to worry that there money may not get accepted or acknowledged in the right way due to their race and stereotypes against them.

The next quote shows the dangers of blacks still in the modern society "I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me." This is so strongly true. If i go live somewhere most of the time my new neighbors wont be worried about my skin color as they would to a black due to the stereotypes.

This article was mostly easy to read and i didn't have many problems with it. I enjoyed the article and its many points of how white Americans don't have to worry about situations because of their race like a black American does. It also states gender issues and how men are more privileged than women are in our society like whites are to blacks.

Data show racial bias

In this article Salim Muwakkil writes about how Blacks to this day still don't have the same job opportunities that whites have. Salim uses data to show situations where blacks don't get the same opportunities as whites and how a name that sounds black will be declined an interview before a white persons name.

Salim says "The study found that applicants with white-sounding names were 50 percent more likely to get called for an initial interview than applicants with black-sounding ones. " I think this is a horrible way to decide who you hire. People shouldn't be judged on race but rather their applications that they hand in.

Salim also states that "The study found that when white and black job seekers had [he appropriate qualifications and experience for the position, whites were fur more likely to be called back than blades." I believe that situations like these will change now due to our first black president.

After reading this text I came out with that things like this are horrible. How someone does not get the appropriate opportunity for a job due to their skin color. This is horrible and is not fair to someone who has worked hard to make it through college to just be turned down not because someone is better but rather there skin is lighter. I do strongly believe this will change with our new president. But i guess we just need to wait and see!