Bigotry In Australian Schools

Critical issues facing educators today include; educational inequity, socio-economic status of students, cultural diversity, stereotyping, dominate cultural paradigms, and social disadvantage. Because of these issues, educators will be best prepared for classroom life if they find ways to adapt and modify the learning environment in order, to provide for inclusive regardless of the learners needs. All children in Australia are presented with the opportunity to attend schools which are designed to be inclusive for any and all abilities. Due to the diverse nature of the school age population in Australia classrooms are made up of an assortment of needs in relation to social, cognitive, and physical areas of learning.

This is the government framework which assists schools to meet the requirements of the Race Relations Act 2000. It outlines ways schools through their race equality policy can promote race equality in their setting by reducing gap in education achievements between different ethnic groups and ensuring staff within the school are representative of a multicultural

Every day in Australian schools 1 in 5 students experience racism. There are so many words to describe how racism feels. Every student deals with this racism differently. Some may hide from other student’s and retract themselves from the classroom; others may fight back verbally or physically; maybe some will openly talk about how they feel. Across Australia there are thousands of students trying to learn and concentrate in a classroom. However how are these students reaching their full potential when they are exposed to racism and being told by others they are a worthless human being? (Patcher et al, 2010)

Systematic racism within education Institutions, such as the lack of adequate funding as well as subtle discrimination, continues to be the root of the problem that plagues this nation. Even though segregation was abolished in 1964, the lingering effects that remain are significant and cannot be passively mended. Although it is tempting to think that this prejudice is caused by a select few and not the many, it is clear that this problem holds more depth. Recent studies conducted by the National Education Studies (NEA) have proven that even in school’s African American students are often times targeted and punished at a significantly higher rate when compared to their white peers. The study states “Black students make up almost 40 percent of all school expulsions [in the] nation, and more than two thirds of students referred to police from schools are either black or Hispanic” (Blacks: Education Issues). This study conducted by the Department of Education, cabinet-level department of the United States

Consistently throughout the PGDE course we are studying how to become a more inclusive practitioner whether it is through campus based learning, additional readings or teaching experience in local schools. We continuously strive towards learning how to make school a more inclusive environment. This assignment exemplified with references to reading such as Government policies, legislation and research articles as well as reflecting on my own teaching experience I hope to highlight the teachers’ role in creating an inclusive environment within an individual classroom. Having studied selective literature with theories and research, which could have influenced Scottish Education Policies, I draw attention to discrepancies on matters of inclusion and social justice that exist between them and the implications they have for learning.

It is essential that educators create safe, welcoming environments that promote learning for all students in a classroom and to do this they must acknowledge issues of diversity and difference and know how to approach these issues. There are two key documents that guide educators in their planning and implementation of curriculum; The Australian Curriculum and The Early Years Learning Framework. Using these two documents to create learning programs, educators must enact an inclusive curriculum that empowers all students, regardless of differences. For educators to understand and address issues of diversity and differences such as socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, language barriers and stereotypes around gender and sexuality, they must look at their own philosophy, values and beliefs around these issues.

Racism is happening in contemporary Australia context, it is the culprit for overall poor health in Australian Indigenous communities. It destroy the Indigenous sense of identity that is crucial for the health and the wellbeing of a person. The key to solve the issue is to become culture inclusive and having holistic understanding of racism and Indigenous culture.

Whilst the majority of Australians claim that they are not racist, the terms racist or racism is very broad, meaning that a large number of Australians will not realise that their everyday actions contribute to racism. Whilst many will not be overtly racist, social actions, practices and political systems speak louder than words. The unfair treatment of the first people that was put upon them by the invaders of white English colonisers, has undoubtedly tarred the reputation and standing of Australia in the international community, particularly when it comes to the handling and treatment of non-white and minority groups. Over the years, Australia has been ridiculed by several nations as well as the United Nations (an intergovernmental organisation)

Instead of an overt racism that rejects individuals who do not fit into an existing Anglo-Australian template, contemporary racism relies on fear politics permeating heightened "popular" nationalism. Discuss.

Rauch expresses that there are a few institutions that has adapted a system banishing language that is contemplated to disgrace a person’s gender, ethnicity, color, disability and spirituality. In the school curriculum as Rauch argues, rather than eradicating ethnic division, the elimination of racist thoughts, beliefs, and fundamentals in the educational program must be

Australian politicians have tried to eliminate racism and discrimination by White Australians on indigenous Australians and immigrants but have failed. The following quotes were made by Kevin Rudd, Australian prime minister.

I attended a school with majority of whites. We did not have too many other race such as Asian people. Half of the school got alone with each other. My principal did not play about boys walking around the school sagging. There was a lot of cyberbullying between the African Americans. It was not really any racism going on at our good which is good.

On November 9, 2016, my high school became the forefront of an atrocious act of racism. Upon discovery of the racist graffiti, a million emotions scuffled up my tightened throat. I wanted to scream and barf but my body ceased to numbness. In those short moments I simultaneously felt everything and nothing at all.

Social mistreatment, including racism and discrimination, has a profound link to the fluctuation of poverty rates around the world. Discrimination based on a person’s race, religion or ethnicity has shown to boost exclusion and upturn poverty rates amongst certain groups, in this sense Indigenous Australians, who will suffer both physically and mentally from unequal access to goods and services. (Australian Government , 2011) (Australian Government, 2008).

Students come from different social and cultural backgrounds. Australia is a diverse, multicultural country with 44% of Australians born overseas or have one parent born overseas, Lawrence, Brooker, & Goodnow, (2012, p. 75). In a diverse population students bring to class their “virtual schoolbags,” (Thomson, 2002), full of different cultures, languages, religious practices, value systems and customs which may alienate them from the dominant culture. Educators must create educational environments, which cater for all microcultural groups to experience educational equality, (Banks, 2006, p. 78); otherwise the learning spaces will become hot spots for issues of diversity and difference. The Australian Curriculum recognises quality education for all students and acknowledges that students’ needs and interests vary, and that schools and teachers will plan from the curriculum in ways that respond to those needs and interests, (Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (ACARA), (2013). Therefore, educators have a greater responsibility to appreciate diversity and difference by examining their attitudes and beliefs and confront the biases, which influenced their value systems as it helps them to appreciate children’s perspectives that are different from their own. This will increase students’ success as educators apply strategies and pedagogy that welcomes and supports all students irrespective of their culture, ethnicity or race, gender, ability or their socio-economic