Denial and Access

I think Moses argument is very well put together. One thing I am not sure about in his work is that he seems, in pushing so heavily for algebra, to deny other forces that are in play in the inequity of education. I think it is impossible to deny the effect that insufficient space and quality buildings have on a districts ability to provide a quality education. I also think there is a problem of expectations in many schools and students are not being pushed to excel, not only in mathematics, but in other subject areas as well. We can see this in Tatum’s (2008) work, when it is clear that Quincy has never been pushed to read. I think Moses is right when he asserts that a radical change in the education system and the teaching of culturally relevant material along with local efforts is necessary to lessen the class gap and bring about social justice and equity in education, I’m just not sure if I buy into the idea that algebra alone is the key. I think it is a piece, a large piece, of the puzzle.

Since I have several subject areas (certified special education, elementary education, and adolescent English), it is a little tricky for me to pin down instances of historic denial from my subject area. First of all, coming from a Special Education standpoint (and this might be a bit off-topic, but important), there is research that points to an over-representation of minority students in special education. The reasons for this are numerous (I actually wrote a significant paper on it), but to name a few: cultural bias in the testing systems, language barriers (ESL students), and behavioral expectations. Placements in special education tend to be highly restrictive, which means that once a student is referred, s/he is likely paced in special education, and likely kept there for the remainder of his/her education. If we look at “Even Sweet Gentle Larry?” The Continuing Significance of Race in Education, we can see the stigma, and/or the cultural barrier that results in students of color being described as behavioral problems. This means that they are more likely to be referred to special education on that grounding than white students are. To bring this back to the idea of denial of education, these students are being denied a general education in favor of a special education (which I am not denying is absolutely necessary and beneficial to many students). The problem is that the over-representation of minorities in special education suggests that many of these students do not really have learning disabilities. Many of these students are not receiving high expectations that would push them to reach their potential and are being needlessly tracked in the special education system, resulting in a mediocre (or worse) education and/or achievement of potential. They are being denied their right to achieve the very best they can. We can counter this by really looking at how we react to behavior. Is it something we are not providing (such as clear expectations for behavior) or the way we are reacting that is limiting a student from exhibiting “proper” behavior? Questions like these are important in addressing behavior and understanding how students are feeling before we write them off as behavioral problems and track them into the special education system.

As far as English is concerned, I intend to provide my students with the support necessary to help them make their own meanings of text. I want to read from a wealth of diverse perspectives, including authors, characters, plots, and messages from a variety of different cultures and ways of being. I want to see my students represented in the work they read and the writing they produce. I want my students to practice Morrell’s critical literacy in my classroom. I believe I can facilitate this type of thinking, but I cannot be in charge of it. My students need to be free to think for themselves regardless of how I think and I cannot push my beliefs/thoughts/ideas onto them. I think this is an important way to give my students access to literacy in ways that they may have traditionally been denied.