IDENTITY: POWER, PRIVILEGE + INTERSECTIONALITY

            Whiteness and white supremacy culture impact my students and the educational space in which I work in several ways. The school I work in is an evolution of diversity, several years ago the student population was white. However, over the years, diversity has been integrated into the population. Even though the culture of the student population has been changing, the teacher population has stayed the same, white teachers. I have worked at the school for 3 years and there have been instances that I have witnessed whiteness. As a first-generation, Latina college advisor my students are more compelled to express their feelings about how they are perceived by their teachers and guidance counselor. My students of color do not believe they can get into a college or a job because of their family background. Their teachers have told them they will end up either like their parents or siblings, meaning living in the projects, getting into gangs, drug addicts, alcoholics, and/or pregnant. I hear teachers making comments about students based on their appearance and the color of their skin. The other day I overheard the teachers talking amongst themselves sharing their positive and privileged high school experience, most of the teachers who work at the school attended Burivillle, Lincoln, and Cumberland High School. Some even still reside in these towns, and they share their wealth stories and pictures of their personal life with the students. These towns are known to be predominantly white communities and are normally greatly funded for activities and events.

Recently, I witnessed a teacher telling a student that Spanish people come from the same island and are all the same. She also mentioned that Spanish-speaking students should perfect their English because they will struggle to navigate life. All these situations have made me feel uncomfortable and my students feel like they are not able to be successful after high school. This brings me sadness about how our educators do not believe in their students. After hearing that comment I decided to write an email to the principal about the professionalism in the work space. I reported the teachers and I hope they will be spoken to and be apprehended.