by Masha Campbell, AES 340 Student
American Ethnic Studies 340 has encouraged me to reflect on my experiences and positionality within the educational system. I identify as a white, queer, cisgender woman. In addition, my ethnic background consists of Russian-Karelian heritage. I am a second-generation immigrant. I am bilingual and multicultural. My identities have dictated my experiences throughout my life. However, I was not always aware of its impact.
I attended predominantly white schools in Northeast Seattle, a historically privileged district that was impacted by redlining. As a white person, I saw my racial identity consistently represented among my educators and school curricula. I never felt my race would be an obstacle to overcome. I also did not feel like certain academic or career goals would be unattainable due to a lack of racial representation in the world. However, when it came to my multilingualism, I did feel misrepresented.
As mentioned in my first reflection, my school was not culturally sustaining. None of my teachers were multilingual, and they expected me to conform to their monolinguistic practices. Even though I was fluent in English, I was enrolled in the English language learners program for six years. I began to internalize that my multilingualism hindered my intellectual development and academic performance.
Throughout my twelve years at Seattle Public Schools (SPS), I had less than five educators of color, none of whom were Black. Seattle Public Schools prides itself on, “centering diversity and social justice,” yet their demographics and curricula say otherwise. I recently learned through OSPI’s records that 89% of Roosevelt High School’s faculty and 63% of its student body identify as white. AES 340 brings context to these concerning statistics.
The UW Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project, explains the legacy of redlining within current SPS demographics. In 1924, the neighborhood surrounding my high school (Roosevelt) announced that any person of the non-white race cannot be assigned or sold property within the neighborhood. These restrictions impacted the district’s racial population and access to generational wealth via real estate.
In addition, the aftermath of the Brown v. Board of Education decision greatly impacted the racial demographic of teachers. An Education Week article states that while the court ruling did integrate students of color, it failed to do the same with teachers of color. This was especially shocking for me to learn. I assumed the reason behind my school’s predominantly white faculty was the district. I was naive and unaware that this issue is widespread regardless of district.
My schools attempted to hire young educators of color. They were well-loved by students and very impactful. However, when budget cuts came around (which was often), they were the first to be let go due to seniority measures. This was heartbreaking for many, especially students of color who relied on these educators for emotional support.
Roosevelt High School bragged about offering courses about marginalized communities, such as American Ethnic Studies, Asian American Lit, Latin American Lit, African American Lit, and Native American Lit. However, there were many issues within these courses. All courses were offered as semester-long electives and as singletons, making them widely inaccessible. Due to their elective status, students felt the courses were not necessary. They opted for other courses deemed more desirable by colleges. Many students (including myself) took AP US History instead. The American History course was centered around the White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant narrative and offered the possibility of earning college credit. These factors prevented white students from learning different racial and cultural perspectives.
In addition, students of color felt like their identities were pushed aside and were expected to be grateful for the little representation they were given. Ethnic Studies courses weren’t viewed as an integral part of our education. My peers who attended the AES courses thought the content was impactful. However, the courses were structured toward white students and were intended to “illuminate them” rather than centering the students of color. It was frustrating to watch SPS hide behind a progressive mask while failing to follow through with their promises.
Listening to my peers of color talk about their experiences with predominantly white educators made me further understand the importance of representation in schools. Educators offer so much more than classroom instruction. They offer support and life perspectives. All students are entitled to feel that their identities are embraced.
Thanks to AES 340, I learned a lot about racial inequalities among educators/students and intend to continue. I want to become a public school speech therapist. I must educate myself on how to support my students properly. I will incorporate Critical Race Theory into my practice, continue to listen to my students, and practice self-reflection. I will not view my students based solely on their academic performance. Instead, I will embrace all their linguistic, cultural, familial, racial, and social wealth. Finally, I vow to make learning an additive rather than a subtractive experience for all my students.