Comments on: Education: How We Learn to Not Question

By: Steven Feldman

Steven Feldman — Sun, 08 May 2016 02:16:30 +0000

So I understand the myth of meritocracy and how it is instilled through the education system but I wonder: why can’t we teach both the overcoming of adversity as it pertains to the textbook “white, cys, straight, nondisabled, Christian men” IN ADDITION TO marginalized groups of people overcoming adversity surrounding racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other forms of discrimination? And when we do talk about marginalized identities overcoming adversity, why do we have to frame it in the same way we frame the former example? Bravery, empowerment, confidence, etc. are all traits that should be admired in anyone and highlighted in an education system but I think that some people face different obstacles in trying to acquire those traits and their path needs to be explained for ALL of the bumps and curves in the path. Privileged people may not have the same bumps or curves.

By: Lindsay Auerbach

Lindsay Auerbach — Wed, 04 May 2016 20:59:37 +0000

In America we so greatly value teaching children self-empowerment and this goes beyond education in schools. Children’s TV shows and movies also teach lessons of empowerment starting at a young age. Lessons of empowerment aren’t altogether a bad thing, but these media representations operate using a colorblind ideology and therefore are harmful, as you said Becky. I think that these teachings that start at such a young age operate in America as the foundation of the white person’s belief in a just-world, which further perpetuates the system as we know it.

By: ginellewolfe1

ginellewolfe1 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:55:45 +0000

I was just thinking about this! We don’t learn to question or think critically until we get to college, and the percentage of people who go to college is actually very low. So the people who are benefiting the most from capitalism are the ones learning to question. Additionally, I was thinking about how “good schools” and “bad schools” differ in their pedagogical approaches. In another class, we were just discussing that students in “good schools” are taught more critical thinking, while students in “bad schools” are taught to obey the rules and obey the system. How can we change education policies so that all schools can learn to question from a young age if the people in charge of these policies are the ones benefiting the most from the current system?