Eliminating Ableism in Education by Thomas Hehir

 Thomas Hehir worked to make people aware of ableism and eliminate the subtle ways that ableism devalues students with disabilities. It could help us to create educational environments where diverse abilities are recognized as important to our society instead of a burden or “out of the norm.” For this blog post, I put together some quotes from his work and why I think they’re important.

1.     “The devaluation of disability that results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids.”  

This quote lays the groundwork for Hehir’s argument by defining ableism in real terms. It shows how everyday assumptions can undermine the potential of students with disabilities. By giving examples what people think is “better” or more desirable, Hehir shows the subtle biases in educational practices expectations. 

2.     “However, even though these laws were strong, existing practices were often difficult to change due to deeply held negative cultural assumptions about disability.”  

Hehir is talking about the disconnect between legal mandates and everyday actions. Even with legislation on the books, the cultural beliefs about what is "normal" or "desirable" can continue to block necessary change. This is a reminder that policy alone can’t fix systemic prejudice without people putting in the effort to change their biases and attitudes. 

3.     “Some student’s failure to learn to read may be due to poor instruction, thus compounding the impact of disability.”  

This last quote is basically telling us to question when people attribute academic struggles solely to a child’s disability. It shows how inadequate teaching practices can worsen the challenges faced by students with disabilities. Disabilities are not synonymous with "problem," and making assumptions only adds to this negative stereotyping.

Aria by Richard Rodriguez

    I think Richard Rodriguez’s main goal of writing Aria was to make readers question how speaking/having a dominant public language can change personal identity and reshape intimate cultural bonds. His reflections focused on the bittersweet sacrifices that come with mastering a language that opens doors in society, even as it distances them from their family. Language isn’t just a tool for communication, it determines power and identity.

    One quote from Rodriguez is “The silence at home, however, was finally more than a literal silence” (38). This line shares the idea that learning the public language often leads to a gap in communication. Even though language can lead to success in society, it also contributes to a loss of culture and the personal ways of expressing themselves and sharing their feelings with family. Another important thing Rodriguez said was, “At last, seven years old, I came to believe what had been technically true since my birth: I was an American citizen” (36). This quote shows when his personal identity was redefined. Aria made me think critically about the process of assimilation. I didn’t realize how identity could be changed or taken away and what some people have sacrificed just to fit in.

    Rodriguez also "asked" the question, “What would they not do for their children’s well-being?” which speaks to the sacrifices made by immigrant parents. This quote reflects the reality that many families invest emotional and cultural resources into ensuring the next generation’s success. The obligation to learn and master a dominant language usually includes the cost of distancing from their original cultural identity. It reminds readers that the rewards of assimilation come at a personal, and sometimes familial, price.

Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick Finn

    Finn's main idea in Literacy with an Attitude is that the way schools teach students usually depends on their social class, which encourages inequities. One of his most compelling points is that while working class students are taught skills to "get by" and follow rules, wealthier students are empowered with the tools to lead, think critically, and challenge societal systems. This discrepancy leads to his idea of powerful literacy, which relates Paulo Freire’s idea of education as a means of liberation. Freire wanted students to critically analyze their world and develop the tools to challenge oppression. Finn also advocated for education that empowers working-class students to question inequality instead of accepting mainstream expectations. Finn’s critique of the "one-size-fits-all" curriculum is in line with culturally responsive teaching. By tailoring education to reflect students' experiences, backgrounds, and aspirations, educators could break the cycle of functional literacy and give all students access to powerful literacy.

    One quote from Finn is "a child's expectations are not determined on the day he or she enters kindergarten.” It’s sad to consider that inequality could shape a child’s future so early on, but labeling students can really negatively affect their trajectory. Like we saw with Delpit, schools often marginalize certain students who don’t “mesh” with the system, which can follow them through their whole life, and that should never happen.

What to Look for in a Classroom by Alfie Kohn

    Alfie Kohn’s What to Look for in a Classroom challenges our society’s education norms by advocating for student-centered learning environments that support autonomy, cooperation, and intrinsic motivation. Kohn’s work relates to other discussions on systemic inequities in education, especially how discipline, standardized tests, and teacher-student relationships can get in the way of authentic learning.

    My biggest take away from Kohn’s ideas is how they align with other frameworks we’ve looked at, like Delpit’s argument about power dynamics in education or Finn’s analysis of literacy and social class. Where Kohn emphasizes curiosity rather than compliance, Delpit said that abandoning structure entirely could negatively impact students from marginalized backgrounds. Progressive pedagogy is valuable, but it has to be responsive to the realities of systemic inequities. Kohn’s ideas also go along with critical pedagogy. His idea for collaborative classrooms mirrors Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which views education as a tool for liberation instead of indoctrination. The difference is Kohn focuses more on psychological motivation, whereas Freire groups learning within a larger socio-political struggle.

Troublemakers by Carla Shalaby

"He was asking for relationships in school that mirror the relationships modeled at home, care and commitment regardless of how much 'trouble' someone is in"

This quote shows how important it is for schools to encourage caring and supportive relationships with students. In real life, this can be seen in schools that implement restorative practices, which focus on building strong, positive relationships and addressing conflicts through communication and learning opportunities rather than punishment.

"Educators are often heard complaining that noncompliant children are 'just trying to get attention.' They often believe the right response is to ignore the child’s attempts. I believe it’s true that those who misbehave are often trying to get attention. Children, human as they are, require and thrive on attention—loving, generous, patient attention in which they feel seen, heard, and understood".

This focuses on understanding the needs of children who show challenging behaviors. This means that instead of ignoring or punishing those behaviors, teacher should provide the attention and support that these children need. Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs can help address the emotional and psychological needs of students.

"Classroom conversations are mainly about academic content. They invite children to be students and learners. But I wonder about a conversation that could invite them to be people, and also teachers. Knowing what Marcus might like to talk about would mean needing to know him as a person, but mostly I only get to know him as a troublemaker".

This idea reflects the need for teachers to see students as whole individuals, not just as learners. This can be achieved by creating opportunities for students to share their interests and experiences and by incorporating students' personalities into the classroom. Teachers can even use morning meetings or circle time to allow students to express themselves and build a sense of community.

"The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies" by Christine Sleeter

    The reading, "The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies," by Christine Sleeter had a lot of helpful information based on her research. She explained how the mainstream curricula once tried to include more diverse information, but then regressed and is centered around "Euro-American" experiences and historical figures, and how that can negatively impact students from different cultures and backgrounds. I chose three quotes that reflect and support her views on this right from the text. 

Quote 1: "Beginning as early as elementary school, students have been found to respond to curricula based partly on what they learn and experience in their homes and communities" (p.3).

    This is overlooked a lot in history textbooks that focus mainly on white historical figures while minimizing or even erasing the contributions of POCs. Ethnic studies makes education more inclusive and gives students a more accurate representation of history, including their own.

Quote 2: "White fifth graders believed that the Bill of Rights gives rights to everyone, about half of the Black children pointed out that not everyone has rights" (p.3).

    There's a lot of students who aren't interested/ lose interest in school because the curriculum doesn't reflect their own histories and experiences. Students from diverse backgrounds are more likely to pay attention and participate in ethnic studies courses, which supports academic motivation and success.

Quote 3: "White adults generally do not recognize the extent to which traditional main- stream curricula marginalize perspectives of communities of color and teach students of color to distrust or not take school knowledge seriously" (p.4)

    Like Sleeter said, mainstream curricula mostly focuses on European and American perspectives, making the achievements of white historical figures popular while marginalizing or overlooking the experiences and achievements of POCs. Marginalized groups are often underrepresented, making them feel disconnected from the material and less likely to engage with it seriously. There has been resistance from white parents and educators when it comes to these programs, but I don't think they recognize how important they are to the students because they are only concerned with their (white) children.

    Ethnic studies can help students develop a better understanding of social justice issues. That can empower students to become active in their communities and advocate for change. For example, students who learn about the civil rights movement through an ethnic studies program might be more likely to engage in current social justice movements or be motivated to vote and be part of a bigger cause.

"The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies"

Four I's of Oppression by TREC

The "Four I's of Oppression" by TREC explains four interconnected forms of oppression, so I wanted to talk about some examples of each.

    Ideological oppression is ingrained in a lot of people's minds and sometimes they don't realize it. I think the most common examples for this form of oppression are gender and racial stereotypes, but almost all of them end up relating back to ideological oppression. Even though our society has made a lot of progress, there is still a common belief that only (or mostly) men belong in leadership roles and women are better at caregiving or household tasks. The racial stereotypes are becoming more relevant again too, with people spreading ideas that certain races are more intelligent or hardworking than others. This is harmful because it's usually brushed off as free speech, but it encourages a dangerous mindset that can lead to harrassment and violence.

 

    Institutional oppression is widely noticed but harder to fight against, like schools in "nicer" (AKA mostly white, suburban) areas getting more funding and resources than schools in minority neighborhoods. Even though we can see the inequality, they aren't required to equally fund them, so these institutions take advantage of that. Our legal system is a common example, but this oppression is even seen in hospitals where people are treated and cared for differently just because of their skin color, gender identity, or culture. The President of the United States, who is supposed to lead our country and bring us together, threatened to cut funding to providers that offer gender-affirming care. This is how institutional oppession continues and spreads.

 

    Interpersonal oppression occurs between people, meaning harassment, bullying, microaggressions, etc. would fall under this category. When Inspiring Minds came to do our orientation, we did that exercise where we defined words and my group got "nice racism." This applies to interpersonal oppression because it essentially means that people think they have to be a bad person in other aspects to be racist, when that's not the case. Nice racism can be using microaggresions, downplaying white privilege, and ignoring blatant segregation or discrimination. A student being bullied at school by other kids because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is just one way we see interpersonal oppression in an educational setting.

 

    Internalized oppression happens when a person experiences discrimination or hate speech and they start to accept the negative beliefs of others as the truth. They might think they aren't attractive or smart enough because that's what they were told, so they end up having low self-esteem because they constantly remind themselves of those stereotypes and standards. This reminded me of when I learned about self-fulfilling prophecies, which is when how a person is treated directly affects their actual behaviors.

 

~Angel