The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression 

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression?

I am going to share an experience that I had few years back. In my neighboring classroom there was a child raised by two same sex partners. (I will call the child Trek). They were very loving and caring parents, and wonderful human beings. They were no harm to anybody. My classroom children met the neighboring classroom children during everyday outdoor time. The children play together, makes new friends and talk with each other and somehow during one of these conversations, Trek had mentioned about his parents. Few days later a parent from my classroom questioned me about my classroom playing with Trek’s classroom and said she does not want her child to play with Trek and turn in to someone like his parents because they are going to go to ……and burn in there. That comment was really hard for me to hear. I went in to my teacher mode and explained that it is not proven anywhere that there is any affect on a child because he/she played with a child of same sex partners. Moreover, I explained to her that we are all entitled to our beliefs, but it is not respectful or responsible to throw it out in the meanest manner because our words have the greatest ability to stab, hurt and scar someone for life. She acted uncomfortable around me for a while but I did not show any difference, I kept up with my professionalism. The children kept up with their friendship. Even though the children have moved on to elementary schools and I do not see them anymore, the incident is in my memory because of the bias, prejudice, and oppression this situation contained.

• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

My personal belief is that everyone has the choice of lifestyle, faith, costumes that they want to practice, especially in the United States of America, where individual freedom is highly appreciated. At the same time, we need to be mindful of other human beings and their feelings. We should not take pride in hurting another living being’s emotions or wellbeing. We have to know that our specific biases, prejudice and/or oppression regarding any situation could diminish equity that matters for everyone.

• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

Frustration was huge. I could not believe my ears how strongly she talked about her belief, with all respect it made me feel as she did not care about other people’s views or believes at all. It also saddens me due to the fact that how insensitive we are as human beings. It is being shown in the media more often that the individuals are turning in to my way is the only way mentality, and with that comes less tolerance of each other. 

• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

I believe that we as the human race need to understand the importance of tolerance as well as to be mindful about the examples we are setting for our children who are looking up to us as their heroes. We have the rights, but we should not take them for granted and act ruthless. We have to keep in mind that at the end our goal should not be the use of the words as weapons to hurt someone but to use them to heal someone. To turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity, we all, not just that particular parent, has to improve our knowledge on diversity as well as tolerance of the differences.