essay on discrimination for students

Essays About Discrimination: Top 5 Examples and 8 Prompts

You must know how to connect with your readers to write essays about discrimination effectively; read on for our top essay examples, including prompts that will help you write.

Discrimination comes in many forms and still happens to many individuals or groups today. It occurs when there’s a distinction or bias against someone because of their age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

Discrimination can happen to anyone wherever and whenever they are. Unfortunately, it’s a problem that society is yet to solve entirely. Here are five in-depth examples of this theme’s subcategories to guide you in creating your essays about discrimination.

1. Essay On Discrimination For Students In Easy Words by Prateek

2. personal discrimination experience by naomi nakatani, 3. prejudice and discrimination by william anderson, 4. socioeconomic class discrimination in luca by krystal ibarra, 5. the new way of discrimination by writer bill, 1. my discrimination experience, 2. what can i do to stop discrimination, 3. discrimination in my community, 4. the cost of discrimination, 5. examples of discrimination, 6. discrimination in sports: segregating men and women, 7. how to stop my discrimination against others, 8. what should groups do to fight discrimination.

“In the current education system, the condition of education and its promotion of equality is very important. The education system should be a good place for each and every student. It must be on the basis of equal opportunities for each student in every country. It must be free of discrimination.”

Prateek starts his essay by telling the story of a student having difficulty getting admitted to a college because of high fees. He then poses the question of how the student will be able to get an education when he can’t have the opportunity to do so in the first place. He goes on to discuss UNESCO’s objectives against discrimination.

Further in the essay, the author defines discrimination and cites instances when it happens. Prateek also compares past and present discrimination, ending the piece by saying it should stop and everyone deserves to be treated fairly.

“I thought that there is no discrimination before I actually had discrimination… I think we must treat everyone equally even though people speak different languages or have different colors of skin.”

In her short essay, Nakatani shares the experiences that made her feel discriminated against when she visited the US. She includes a fellow guest saying she and her mother can’t use the shared pool in a hotel they stay in because they are Japanese and getting cheated of her money when she bought from a small shop because she can’t speak English very well.

“Whether intentional or not, prejudice and discrimination ensure the continuance of inequality in the United States. Even subconsciously, we are furthering inequality through our actions and reactions to others… Because these forces are universally present in our daily lives, the way we use them or reject them will determine how they affect us.”

Anderson explains the direct relationship between prejudice and discrimination. He also gives examples of these occurrences in the past (blacks and whites segregation) and modern times (sexism, racism, etc.)

He delves into society’s fault for playing the “blame game” and choosing to ignore each other’s perspectives, leading to stereotypes. He also talks about affirmative action committees that serve to protect minorities.

“Something important to point out is that there is prejudice when it comes to people of lower class or economic standing, there are stereotypes that label them as untrustworthy, lazy, and even dangerous. This thought is fed by the just-world phenomenon, that of low economic status are uneducated, lazy, and are more likely to be substance abusers, and thus get what they deserve.”

Ibarra recounts how she discovered Pixar’s Luca and shares what she thought of the animation, focusing on how the film encapsulates socioeconomic discrimination in its settings. She then discusses the characters and their relationships with the protagonist. Finally, Ibarra notes how the movie alluded to flawed characters, such as having a smaller boat, mismatched or recycled kitchen furniture, and no shoes.

The other cast even taunts Luca, saying he smells and gets his clothes from a dead person. These are typical things marginalized communities experience in real life. At the end of her essay, Ibarra points out how society is dogmatic against the lower class, thinking they are abusers. In Luca, the wealthy antagonist is shown to be violent and lazy.

“Even though the problem of discrimination has calmed down, it still happens… From these past experiences, we can realize that solutions to tough problems come in tough ways.”

The author introduces people who called out discrimination, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Barbara Henry – the only teacher who decided to teach Ruby Bridges, despite her skin color.

He then moves on to mention the variations of present-day discrimination. He uses Donald Trump and the border he wants to build to keep the Hispanics out as an example. Finally, Bill ends the essay by telling the readers those who discriminate against others are bullies who want to get a reaction out of their victims.

Do you get intimidated when you need to write an essay? Don’t be! If writing an essay makes you nervous, do it step by step. To start, write a simple 5 paragraph essay .

Prompts on Essays About Discrimination

Below are writing prompts that can inspire you on what to focus on when writing your discrimination essay:

Essays About Discrimination: My discrimination experience

Have you had to go through an aggressor who disliked you because you’re you? Write an essay about this incident, how it happened, what you felt during the episode, and what you did afterward. You can also include how it affected the way you interact with people. For example, did you try to tone down a part of yourself or change how you speak to avoid conflict?

List ways on how you can participate in lessening incidents of discrimination. Your list can include calling out biases, reporting to proper authorities, or spreading awareness of what discrimination is.

Is there an ongoing prejudice you observe in your school, subdivision, etc.? If other people in your community go through this unjust treatment, you can interview them and incorporate their thoughts on the matter.

Tackle what victims of discrimination have to go through daily. You can also talk about how it affected their life in the long run, such as having low self-esteem that limited their potential and opportunities and being frightened of getting involved with other individuals who may be bigots.

For this prompt, you can choose a subtopic to zero in on, like Workplace Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, and others. Then, add sample situations to demonstrate the unfairness better.

What are your thoughts on the different game rules for men and women? Do you believe these rules are just? Cite news incidents to make your essay more credible. For example, you can mention the incident where the Norwegian women’s beach handball team got fined for wearing tops and shorts instead of bikinis.

Since we learn to discriminate because of the society we grew up in, it’s only normal to be biased unintentionally. When you catch yourself having these partialities, what do you do? How do you train yourself not to discriminate against others?

Focus on an area of discrimination and suggest methods to lessen its instances. To give you an idea, you can concentrate on Workplace Discrimination, starting from its hiring process. You can propose that applicants are chosen based on their skills, so the company can implement a hiring procedure where applicants should go through written tests first before personal interviews.

If you instead want to focus on topics that include people from all walks of life, talk about diversity. Here’s an excellent guide on how to write an essay about diversity .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

View all posts

Ending Discrimination in Education: a key instrument to protect the right to education

With the world’s most vulnerable children and youth at risk of missing out on education as a fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, UNESCO is urging all countries to protect better the fundamental right to learn by ratifying the Convention against Discrimination in Education, adopted on 14 December 60 years ago.

As part of a new campaign to raise awareness of the Convention, UNESCO is launching a conversation about extending our understanding of the right to education to reflect increasingly crucial global needs, namely digital inclusion, learners’ data privacy and access to lifelong learning.

The Convention, the first legally binding international instrument entirely dedicated to the right to education, has been ratified by 106 countries to date: 28% of countries in the Asia Pacific region, 46.8% in sub-Saharan Africa, 60.6% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 63.1% in Arab States to 68% and 88% respectively in Western Europe and North America, and Eastern Europe.

When they ratify the Convention, countries establish, or upgrade, policy and/or legal frameworks to meet international standards, guarantee the right to education and counter discrimination. As such, the Convention represents a powerful tool to advance the 4th Sustainable Development Goal “to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all."

Discrimination remains pervasive in education, whether on the basis of disability, gender, language, income, ethnicity, religion, migration or displacement status. About 258 million children and youth around the world are out of school, while 773 million adults, two-thirds of whom are women, are illiterate, according to data from UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities worldwide, increasing the likelihood that vulnerable students be left behind. UNESCO estimates that over 24 million learners, from the pre-primary to tertiary levels, including more than 11 million girls, risk dropping out of education. According to UNESCO’s Global Monitoring Report, about 40% of low and lower-middle income countries have not been able to support disadvantaged learners during school closures, exacerbating inequalities. One third of students – close to 500 million – were not able to access remote learning solutions, underlining the urgency of making connectivity a right.

To build back better, education systems must integrate rights-based, inclusive and non-discriminatory practices in line with the obligations enshrined in the Convention.

UNESCO’s “End Discrimination in Education” campaign aims to raise awareness of the Convention, strengthen implementation and monitoring, extend ratification and stimulate reflection on new related rights needed to prevent an exacerbation of inequalities in the digital age.

Media Contact: Clare O’Hagan
Read the text of the Convention
Join the UNESCO ‘Say no to discrimination in education’ #RightToEducation campaign
UNESCO’s work on the right to education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics

More on this subject

Call for participants and presentations: 10th UNESCO-APEID Meeting on Entrepreneurship Education

Other recent news

Meaningful Youth Engagement at the 2024 ECOSOC Youth Forum: On the path towards the Summit of the Future

Essay on Discrimination And Equality

Students are often asked to write an essay on Discrimination And Equality in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Discrimination And Equality

Understanding discrimination.

Discrimination means treating people unfairly because they are different in some way. It can be based on things like race, gender, or religion. It’s like choosing to only play with kids who have blue eyes and ignoring those with brown eyes. This isn’t fair because everyone should be treated the same.

The Concept of Equality

Equality means everyone is treated the same, no matter their differences. It’s like sharing your toys equally with your friends, whether they are boys or girls, tall or short. It’s about fairness and respect for all people.

Effects of Discrimination

Discrimination can make people feel sad, lonely, or scared. It’s like being left out of a game because you’re the smallest. This can hurt your feelings and make you feel like you’re not good enough.

Fighting Discrimination

We can fight discrimination by treating everyone equally. It’s like including all your friends in your game, even if they are different. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.

Importance of Equality

Equality is important because it allows everyone to feel valued and respected. It’s like giving everyone a chance to play in the game, no matter their size or skill. This makes everyone feel happy and included.

250 Words Essay on Discrimination And Equality

Understanding discrimination and equality.

Discrimination is when a person is treated unfairly because of who they are. It often happens because of their race, age, religion, gender, or disability. Equality is the opposite. It means treating everyone the same, no matter their differences.

Types of Discrimination

There are many types of discrimination. For example, racial discrimination is when people are treated differently because of their skin color. Gender discrimination is when people are treated differently because they’re a boy or a girl. Age discrimination is when old people or young people are not treated fairly.

Discrimination can make people feel sad, angry, or scared. It can make it hard for them to get jobs, go to school, or feel safe. It can also make them feel like they’re not important or valued.

Equality is very important. It makes sure that everyone has the same chances in life. It helps to stop discrimination and make the world a fairer place.

Fighting for Equality

To fight for equality, we can stand up against discrimination when we see it. We can also learn about different people and cultures to understand them better. And we can treat everyone we meet with respect.

In conclusion, discrimination is wrong and hurts people. Equality is right and makes the world a better place. We should all try to treat each other with kindness and fairness.

500 Words Essay on Discrimination And Equality

Discrimination is when a person is treated differently or unfairly because of who they are or because of their features. These features can be their race, religion, age, gender, or even disability. It’s like choosing one ice cream over another just because of its color, even though they taste the same. This is not fair, right? The same applies to people. Everyone should be treated equally, no matter what their features are. This is what we call ‘equality’.

There are many types of discrimination. Some of these are:

1. Racial Discrimination: This is when people are treated differently because of their race or the color of their skin. 2. Gender Discrimination: This is when people are treated differently because they are a boy or a girl. 3. Age Discrimination: This is when people are treated differently because of their age.

The Importance of Equality

Equality is very important for many reasons. First, it helps everyone to feel valued and respected. Just like every piece of a puzzle is important to complete the picture, every person is important in our society. Second, equality allows everyone to have the same opportunities. This means that everyone can reach their goals if they work hard, no matter who they are or where they come from.

How to Promote Equality

Promoting equality is not hard. Here are some ways to do it:

1. Respect Everyone: Treat everyone with kindness and respect, no matter who they are or where they come from. 2. Stand Against Discrimination: If you see someone being treated unfairly, stand up for them. Don’t be a silent watcher. 3. Learn and Teach: Learn about different cultures, religions, and people. Then, teach others what you have learned. This will help to break down barriers and promote understanding.

In conclusion, discrimination is an unfair treatment that should not be part of our society. Everyone has the right to be treated equally, no matter who they are or where they come from. By promoting respect, standing against discrimination, and teaching others about diversity, we can help to create a more equal and fair society. Remember, just like every piece of a puzzle is important, every person is important too. So, let’s treat everyone with the respect and equality they deserve.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Border
Essay on Discipline In Student Life
Essay on Disaster Risk Reduction And Management Awareness

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Neag School of Education

Reducing racism in schools: the promise of anti-racist policies.

by: Britney L. Jones
September 22, 2020
Community Engagement

Introduction

In 2020, the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others led to a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement across the nation and around the globe. The revitalization of this movement has come with increased public demand for policy change, and specific calls for anti-racist policies in schools. As a result, many educational leaders are grappling with what this means for their respective contexts, and the extent to which their school or district’s current policies measure up to public demand.

Educating and training teachers and administrators on how to enact culturally relevant and inclusive practices is one step towards eliminating racism in schools.

Educating and training teachers and administrators on how to enact culturally relevant and inclusive practices is one step towards eliminating racism in schools. Expressing a commitment to anti-racism through school policies, statements, guidelines, or codes takes these efforts a step further. Within the last decade, some schools and districts have penned their own anti-racist policies to detail the steps they are taking to disrupt racism within their locale. In this brief, I describe these policies and highlight recent initiatives aimed at eliminating racism in schools. As school and district leaders advance their own anti-racist policies and objectives, this policy brief provides guidance based on the practices of diverse districts in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Anti-Racist Policy in Schools

Anti-racist policies are usually documents drafted by a governing body and disseminated to staff, parents, and students in a particular district or school. Similar to a code of conduct, school handbook, or anti-bullying policy, the policy states the organization’s commitment to anti-racism and lays out procedures that must be followed in order to uphold the organization’s commitment to the cause of dismantling racism to create an inclusive, equity-oriented environment. Over the past decade, schools and districts, both nationally and internationally, have written and adopted policies to address racism, discrimination, and inequity in schools. U.S. districts often refer to these policies as equity policies, while in places such as the United Kingdom (U.K.), Australia, Ireland, and South Africa, similar policies are usually entitled anti-racist policies. Despite the difference in name, they often share similar objectives and features. Anti-racist and equity policies typically start with a statement of assurance that the board or governing body has considered the importance of racial equity, followed by a renunciation of discriminatory behavior within their context. Next, the document includes a definition of racism. Then, these policies describe the steps taken by the governing body to ensure equity or anti-racism.

Components of Anti-Racist Policy: Areas to Address

For this brief I examined over 25 publicly available equity or anti-racist policies from several states in the U.S. and from schools in Australia, South Africa, Ireland and the U.K. I found that most policies address racism through the lenses of:

school environment,
incident reporting,
data analysis, and

After addressing these components, policies typically offer guidance or present action steps to support implementation. These include:

providing a clear and accurate definition of racism for consumers of the policy,
devising a plan for policy dissemination,
appointing an anti-racist committee or point person,
coupling equity/anti-racist policy with other school or district-wide policies, and
partnering with external organizations.

Below I briefly describe each of these components.

School Environment: Creating an Anti-Racist/Equity-Oriented Culture and Climate

Most of the policies discuss the school environment at length. Generally, they describe ways in which school staff can create and maintain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students. One way policies describe achieving this goal is through representation of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds in curricula, texts, hallway displays, and digital media. They also state the importance of incorporating positive role models and discussing issues of race and diversity within classrooms and during school-wide events. Several anti-racist/equity policies advocate events focusing on diversity and empathy building, such as Friendship Week or Multicultural Week. Policies also describe building teachers’ awareness of racism and bias as a means to shift culture and climate in the school. These policies require teachers to be mindful of cultural assumptions and bias, develop racial literacy, enact cultural responsiveness, and understand their own identity. In the Anti-Racist Policy of Bure Valley School in the U.K., the authors offer specific examples of how this can be done, asserting that students “should be confident to speak, hear or read in their home language in school” and have their names “accurately recorded and correctly pronounced” by teachers (p. 2).

Reporting: Developing a System for Reporting Racial Incidents

Most policies also detail reporting requirements. Authors of these policies aim to ensure a system is in place to deal with incidents of racism and discrimination. This component often lays out a specific procedure for responding to an incident including requiring a written report, timeline for resolution, documentation of resolution, and family notification. In addition to forms for reporting, many anti-racist/equity policies require a racism logbook or place for complaints to be recorded permanently. These policies also describe ways in which schools could support students who may be victims of a racist or discriminatory act. Some policies note that support for students involved in an incident should be ongoing and coupled with psychological or mental health services. Additionally, some policies encourage schools to help students feel empowered to report incidents and develop strategies for dealing with racial conflict.

Staffing: Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Diverse Staff with Equity/Anti-Racist Mindsets

Many of the policies emphasize the need to recruit and retain staff members dedicated to anti-racism, and committed to providing equity-based training for new and veteran educators. In its equity statement, the Princeton Public Schools District in New Jersey states, “The goal is to attract, develop, inspire, and retain a diverse workforce within a supportive environment.” Several other schools and districts echo this sentiment within their policies by describing their efforts to diversify their staff, both in terms of demographics and beliefs. They attempt to fulfill this goal through recruitment of culturally and linguistically diverse teachers and administrators. They articulate the importance of hiring staff that mirrors the student population. Some districts or schools call for staff hiring to follow equal opportunity hiring procedures and the use of equity-oriented criteria for selection. For teachers already employed, policies name professional development and new staff training as opportunities to provide new learning around racial consciousness and inclusivity.

Data Analysis: Employing an Equity Lens to Identify Disparities and Inform Decision-Making

Several policies aim to challenge racism through race conscious data collection and review. According to these policies, “effective” review of data means testing for differences across student demographic groups in access, performance, and discipline. The Portland Public School District in Oregon suggests using data to identify and modify assessments that lead to over or under-representation of minoritized groups. For example, some policies identify focus areas such special education identification and suspension for review given the history of over-representation of students from minoritized groups in special education and among suspensions. Some state the goal of increasing the number of minoritized students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses. Others call for a closer look at how selective admissions criteria for enrollment may lead to adverse effects and the ways in which admissions testing may disadvantage students of color. Baltimore City Public Schools in Maryland states their plan to disaggregate data to “analyze trends, identify gaps, and develop racial equity priorities” (p. 4). To fulfill this objective of equity-oriented data analysis, some policies highlight the need for constant monitoring and reporting on progress towards goals.

Funding: Assessing and Allocating Funds for Equity Purposes

While undoubtedly important, funding is mentioned in only a few of the anti-racist/equity policies. Policymakers in Baltimore include the following line in their policy: “Ensure that purchasing/procurement practices provide access and economic opportunities within communities represented by students of color” (p. 4). This is one way that educational institutions can be mindful of their economic impact on the community. Schools may also decide to allot funds to ensure attainment of aforementioned objectives such as equitable hiring, staff training, and data analysis resources.

While undoubtedly important, funding is mentioned in only a few of the anti-racist/equity policies.

In sum, the policies reviewed tend to address five areas to enhance anti-racism and equity in their contexts. Creating equity-oriented objectives in the areas of school environment, incident reporting, staffing, data analysis, and funding is an important start. However, when drafting these documents, policymakers should include additional guidelines to support the implementation of anti-racist policies. Next, I describe some of the ways existing policies attempt to ensure attainment of policy objectives.

Components of Anti-Racist Policy: Process Elements to Support Implementation

Clearly and Accurately Define Racism

One way to create strong anti-racist policy is by providing a clear definition of racism to frame the policy. In addition to setting context for the policy, opening with a definition creates an opportunity to educate readers and norm on the school or district’s understanding of racism. Such definitions vary across policies. Some of the international anti-racist policies begin by distinguishing between personal and institutional racism and offer clear definitions for each. For example, in the U.K. the Truro School’s Anti-Racist policy relies on a definition from The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report, which states that institutional racism is “the collective failure of an organisation to  provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin.” The policy continues: “when a child is subject to racist bullying or harassment, their behaviour and attainment are likely to be affected; if the behaviour is treated in isolation without taking into consideration the issues and effects of racism, this can be described as institutional racism. The racist element must be explicitly recognised and dealt with” (p. 2). This definition is provided before any other components of the policy are explained. Policymakers should consider how their context defines equity and racism before laying out a plan to address these issues. Consumers of anti-racist policy may be better equipped to follow subsequent guidelines if they have a foundational understanding of the problem and the purpose of the policy.

Policy Dissemination

The second way policymakers intend to make these policies come alive is through a plan for dissemination. Many policies are available online, on the school or district website. Other strategies for distribution include a physical copy in a designated location such as a school’s main office and inclusion in student and staff handbooks. One district states that a summary of the policy will be included in students’ yearly planners. Other ideas for dissemination include public displays in prominent areas of the school, placement in newsletters, and discussions during assemblies. Importantly, several anti-racist/equity policies name all parties that should review the policy, including staff, parents, students, contractors, service provides, and any other school visitors.

Appointing a Committee or Point-Person

The third way policymakers support implementation of these policies is by putting an individual or group in charge of monitoring the school’s progress towards goals. In some cases this is the superintendent or another school leader; in other contexts, an equity committee is charged with this responsibility. For example, in Shaker Heights, Ohio there is an equity task force made up of 11 educators, nine community members, and two students. In general, the governing body or individual is required to report to the school board, make recommendations based on data, promote alignment between equity and other goals, present tools or resources, and ensure compliance with state and federal laws. Most policies describe the need for an annual report or review as part of their action plan.

Coupling Anti-Racist/Equity Policies with Other School Policies

A fourth way to promote accountability and adherence to anti-racist/equity policy is by associating it with other school policies, especially those that are well established. Most of the policies reviewed for this brief are linked to other policies focusing on topics such as: discipline, behavior, anti-bullying, school safety, the staff code of conduct, and the student code of conduct. Several anti-racist/equity policies identify their relationship to standards and curriculum and federal laws regarding race and discrimination. Attaching these policies to existing initiatives helps to integrate them into the organizational fabric of these educational institutions.

Partnering with External Organizations

Finally, to support implementation of anti-racist policy, schools and districts should seek guidance from organizations already committed to anti-racist work. Several policies name equity-based or anti-racist organizations with which they were affiliated. This is an important component because it lessens the burden on educational systems to deal with complex issues of race and equity on their own and presents the opportunity to rely on the expertise of government agencies, universities, community organizations, research organizations, and anti-racist nonprofits. This can also facilitate and strengthen relationships between schools and communities.

A Promising Example

As mentioned above, many of the existing anti-racist and equity policies were drafted after 2010. Yet, recent events and the current sociopolitical climate signal the need to revisit and strengthen these policies. One district has done just this. In June 2020, the Indianapolis Public School District in Indiana, led by superintendent Aleesia Johnson, unanimously adopted a new Racial Equity Policy and publicly affirmed that Black lives matter in a resolution. Resolution No. 7861 and Board Policy 1619 – Racial Equity Mindset, Commitment, and Actions comes at a time when the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement is palpable. This district is demonstrating how to use policy, first, to take responsibility for systemic failure to adequately support Black and Brown students in the past, and, second, to plan for a better future.

In June 2020, the Indianapolis Public School District in Indiana, led by superintendent Aleesia Johnson, unanimously adopted a new Racial Equity Policy and publicly affirmed that Black lives matter in a resolution. Resolution No. 7861 and Board Policy 1619 – Racial Equity Mindset, Commitment, and Actions comes at a time when the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement is palpable.

With this new policy, the Indianapolis Public School District details specific action steps to increase racial equity. These include:

partnership with the Racial Equity Institute (which helps organizations challenge systems of power and increase equity);
restructuring, reducing, and auditing police presence and practices in schools;
implementing a Supplier Diversity Policy with the aim of supporting local businesses (particularly those owned by women, people of color, and veterans);
creating school-based equity teams for data analysis;
increasing the recruitment and retention of Black staff;
ensuring equitable enrollment across school types;
shifting the budget to be more student centered and allocating funds to aid schools demonstrating the highest need; and
considering how housing segregation impacts school choice and limiting boundaries to school access in the enrollment process.

We can all learn from this policy, with its high level of detail alongside the very public commitment by the board and superintendent. Not only does this new policy incorporate many of the aforementioned components such as commitment to reform in the areas of funding, data analysis, and school environment, the Indianapolis Public School (IPS) District has also developed strong plans to support its implementation. The district has partnered with the Racial Equity Institute to refine goals and train staff. IPS also signals the importance of considering other areas of anti-racist policy reform such as police presence in schools, and recognizing Juneteenth as a district holiday. It is also worthwhile to note that the IPS district acted swiftly by moving up the release of this new policy (initially set to be released later in the summer) to respond to recent acts of racism and injustice in the national news. Other districts around the country should follow IPS’s lead.

Recommendations for Creating Anti-Racist Policies

The components of existing equity/anti-racist education policies described above provide a general understanding of what these policies should include: equity-oriented objectives for school climate, incident reporting, staffing, data analysis, and funding. The creators of these policies should also consider providing a clear definition of racism, laying out a plan regarding how to communicate the objectives of the policy to the broader community, specifying the individual(s) who will oversee policy implementation, identifying the connections between anti-racist policy and other school policies, and outlining how to leverage partnerships with external organizations committed to increasing equity.

In addition to these components, I share two additional suggestions for those drafting anti-racist policy. The first addresses the accessibility of anti-racist policy and associated tools or resources. The second deals with attention to the personal and interpersonal work that must be done to implement anti-racist policy. I describe each in further detail below.

Accessibility

Several schools and districts made their policies and equity tools easily accessible to staff and the public alike. Having materials and policies readily available increases the likelihood that teachers and school leaders have access to and use resources. It also creates a more collegial environment as other schools and districts attempt to create their own anti-racist policies. For example, the Minneapolis Public School District in Minnesota shares an Equity and Diversity Impact Assessment tool on their website, and the Jefferson County Public School District in Louisville, Kentucky publicly shares their tools for equity analysis. Rather than reinventing tools, other districts may choose to cite and borrow from such existing assessments. The Shaker Heights, Ohio School District website provides a link to an equity resources page with suggested reading and links to equity-oriented organizations, while the Indianapolis Public Schools website has a link to its “Say Their Names” toolkit “to help foster productive conversations about race and civil disobedience.” Links to these sorts of additional resources, readings, and campaigns offer helpful guidance as schools and districts across the country, and beyond, attempt to strengthen their anti-racist efforts.

Attention to the Personal and Interpersonal Work of Anti-Racist Policy Implementation

Districts and schools seeking to advance anti-racism and equity can attend to the aforementioned components to create effective policy. However, they must also consider the deeply personal work that is required alongside anti-racist reform. Many of these policies ask school staff to interrogate their own biases, positions of power, and privilege. The extent to which these types of personal reflection are encouraged and occur contextualizes policy implementation. Based on a study done with schools in California, the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education identified characteristics of schools with a record of narrowing the impact of racism and inequity. The authors stress the need for equity-oriented school leaders to guide staff and high levels of trust among members of the school community. This report highlights the need to consider the ways in which school-level features and interactions matter for the implementation of anti-racist or equity policy. Thus, in addition to focusing on the components within anti-racist or equity policies, we must also consider the characteristics and dispositions associated with positive change and increased student performance at the school and district level.

Some districts have supported educators in engaging in the vital personal and interpersonal work necessary to advance anti-racism and equity. Pat Savage-Williams, president of Evanston Township Board of Education in Illinois, shares advice for fellow board members looking to challenge racial inequity. In her article posted on the school board website , she promotes many of the components described in this brief, such as being data informed, using school budgets to limit disparities, and developing external partnerships. Additionally, she suggests that board members be willing to undergo a personal journey of reflection and understanding to expand their knowledge of racial issues, and should “expect opposition.” This example underscores the work that must be done on an individual and interpersonal level to make these policies come alive.

This policy described the topics addressed in anti-racist schooling policies and outlined the shifts educational leaders are making to strengthen and clarify not only their policies, but also their personal stance on racism and equity.Policymakers must consider how they define racism, the objectives of anti-racist policy, and how to make the policy actionable. After creating and revising anti-racist policies, policymakers must also consider the characteristics of the school community in which these documents will live. Following these steps can lead to policy changes that interrupt the status quo. As students and communities demand change, educational institutions must consider how they will respond and whether that response disrupts or facilitates systems of inequity.

Chart outlining steps on policies aimed at implementing anti-racism in schools.

Britney L. Jones is a doctoral candidate in the Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy program at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. Her research interests include culturally relevant and inclusive practices in K-12 contexts with a focus on teachers’ sociopolitical consciousness. Her doctoral work follows a BA in education studies and an MA in elementary teaching, both from Brown University. Britney also worked previously as a fourth-grade teacher and science curriculum developer. For more information, contact [email protected] .

CEPA is a research center based at the Neag School that seeks to inform educational leaders and policymakers on issues related to the development, implementation, and consequences of education policies. Learn more about CEPA at cepare.uconn.edu . Access the original PDF of this issue brief (including the complete Appendix).

7.2.4 English and linguistic discrimination (research essay)

Anonymous English 102 Writer

November 2020

After the Norman conquest of France in 1066, French rose to the seat of the world’s lingua franca , or a language used to communicate across all other countries (Marques para. 2). French was the language of power – anybody who was anyone boasted of speaking it (Marques para. 3). All the nobility spoke it, great philosophers wrote books in it, diplomacy was conducted in it – the reach of the French language and the French influence stretched across the globe (Marques para. 4). But from what we can observe today, it does not seem to be that way anymore. Instead, there is a new language that has replaced the once dominate French – and that language is English. But how did this happen? It was not an overnight thing, where suddenly everyone woke up speaking English and living under its influence. So how, exactly, did English come to reside in this position at the top of the language hierarchy? And after it did happen, how did it come to a point where any other languages were considered inferior?

As mentioned before, English did not used to hold the seat of power against all other languages. For much of history, it was French that controlled the globe. But entering 18th century, it started to look like French would not reign supreme for much longer (Marques para. 6). The Industrial Revolution in England pushed the country, through technological and scientific advancements, to the fore front of the scene (Marques para. 7). In addition, the British Empire began to stretch its sphere of influence across the globe, bringing English culture, and the English language, along with it (Marques para. 8). By the 19th century, the British impact spanned to all reaches of the Earth, and the barely formed, economically skyrocketing United States contributed its influence as well (Marques para. 9). According to the article “How and Why Did English Supplant French As the World’s Lingua Franca?” by Nuno Marques, “French may have been spoken in the courts of Europe all the way to Russia…. but English was the language of money, and money talks louder than philosophy.” And this certainly held true when the United States stole the spotlight from bankrupt England after WWII. In its competition against Russia during the Cold War, all eyes were on the U.S as it put forth unprecedented technologies and continued on its steady rise in power. And things only escalated from there. Today, roughly 1.5 billion people speak English – that is about 20% of the entire population on Earth (Stevens para. 2). Of those 1.5 billion, 75% of them are nonnative speakers, indicating the globality and rise the in influence of English (Stevens para. 2). It is the language of almost everything of importance – business, diplomacy, medicine, and so much more. And with English being the forefront of everything, it can be assumed that native speakers of English are given the upper hand. Any individuals speaking other languages as their primary are forced to learn English in order to spread their ideas or hold any sort of power in the gobal fields.

And there is certainly much evidence to attest to this. In the academic article “Language Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials Published in English and German,” the authors, Matthias Egger and Tanja Zellweger-Zähner, relayed their study on academic articles published English medical journals versus journals of other languages. They found that it was more likely for authors to publish statistically significant findings in English medical journals that it was for them to publish their articles in journals of their first language. According to the article “The Hidden Bias of Science’s Universal Language,” “in some non-English speaking countries… English-language academic papers outnumber publications in the country’s own language several times over (para. 1)”. This reveals that researchers are ultimately forced to publish their findings in English in order to reach a wider audience and global recognition. It also suggests the possibility of significant scientific findings being overlooked because they were not published in English and thus reached a more limited audience. In another academic article, “The Inferior Science and the Dominant Use of English in Knowledge Production: A Case Study of Korean Science and Technology,” author Kumju Hwang interviewed Korean scientists and engineers living in the U.K on perceptions of English usage. She noted that many of the Korean interviewees felt that they had a significant disadvantage because they had to devote more time and effort to learning English that could have been used elsewhere in their scientific activities (p. 407). In one interview, a scientist said “In order to learn English, we lose 20 percent of the time that could normally be spent concentrating on science. We cannot fully concentrate con science. This means that our scientific results will be reduced by 20 percent (p. 407)”. The interviewee also expressed difficulty in communication at conferences and national meetings, which she felt could lead to a disadvantage for everyone (p. 407). And yet still, if researchers want their findings to be recognized, they have to learn English and publish in an English journal. As one interviewee said, “It is…much easier to be accepted into Korean journals, due to the fact that papers of poorer quality are submitted [there]. If I discovered something important, I would not submit it to a Korean journal (p. 412).” Yet another interviewee said that there are prejudices against non-native speakers of English in the sciences that affected their ability to be successful in publishing their papers and gaining recognition for their work (p. 413).

But it’s not only countries’ academic journals that have been affected by English’s rise to power, but also their languages and cultures themselves. This first came to my attention in my German class, when my teacher was talking about something in German about the internet and she used the word googlen – to google. I thought that honestly quite amusing and it led me to think about what other words from the English language have been incorporated into the vernacular of other languages. In fact, the answer to that is – a lot. The article “The Influence of English” by R.L.G, details many examples of this, such as downloaden (download) (para. 5), and also ways in which English sentence structure has rubbed off on other languages. For example, in German you would traditionally say Es hat mir Sinn (It has sense to me), but recently people have begun to say Es macht Sinn (It makes sense) (para. 3). I find this particularly interesting seeing how the tables have turned. Before the German language borrowed words from English, they were borrowing words from French. One that when I hear for the first time had me a little bewildered is the word Chance ( same meaning in English too). The pronunciation of the word, shaunz, sounded so much more fluid that the normally harsher tone of the language that I was used to. But English isn’t innocent in this endeavor either. In fact, the language had a large habit of stealing words from other languages that has contributed to many of the common words we use today. These so called “loanwords” (I’d call them stolenwords) make up so much of our speech that we don’t even realize how much of our language we have absorbed from other languages. For example, the word ketchup comes from the Hokkien Chinese word ketsiap – which is a sauce made from fermented fish (Coleman para. 15) . Another one is cookie, which comes from koekjes , or “little cakes”, in Dutch (Coleman para.17). But not only language has changed because of English, culture has as well. What I have noticed with specifically the influence of the United States is the seemingly “Americanization”, so to speak, of other countries. The article “America’s Cultural Role in the World Today” goes into detail about this, attributing the first huge rise of American cultural influence on other countries to the United States’s consumer economy after the Second World War (Damm para. 2). One of the factors that the article attributes the influence of American culture to is the media. The technological advances, such as tv broadcasting, put American media at the head of the scene, and gave them a wider audience (Damm para. 6). Other factors include the arts – film, music, literature, art – all of which put international eyes on the United States. For example, the popularity of Hollywood and American films have sold the ‘American dream’ to people around the world (Daam para. 8). Unfortunately, the power the English language has acquired hasn’t only resulted in loanwords and domination of the film industry. It has also brought about biased beliefs that English is superior and prejudice against non-native speakers of English and speakers of other languages.

The occurrence of prejudice against non-native speakers of English and speakers of other languages is nothing new. Linguistic discrimination, or when someone is treated unfairly based on the language that they speak (or do not speak) and the way in which they speak (ex. accent, span of vocabulary) (Loehrke 2), has occurred all throughout history. This goes hand in hand with linguistic imperialism, which Rober Phillipson defines in his book Linguistic Imperialism as “the notion that certain languages dominate internationally on others. It is the way nation states privileged one language, and often sought to eradicate others, forcing their speakers to shift to the dominant language (p. 780).” Phillipson also discusses the idea of a “linguistical hierarchy” where languages are ranked as superior or inferior to one another, with the dominating language being at the top of the hierarchy (p. 2). He describes a similar pattern that has occurred in instances of linguistical hierarchy throughout history, which includes stigmatization, glorification, and rationalization (p. 2). Beginning with stigmatization, any other languages, accents, or vernaculars other than the current dominate language are deemed inferior (p.2). For instance, ancient Greeks called non-speakers of Greek barbarians, or outsiders (p. 2). Through glorification, speakers of the dominate language raise their language up on a pedestal above other languages, and with rationalization, establish a justification for why their language remains at the top of the hierarchy (p. 2). A good example of this is the belief of German as the dominate language in Nazi ideology. The Nazis glorified the German language as a language of Aryan race, a people “physically and genetically superior to others” (Smith p. 151). Stigmatization, discrimination, and biased thoughts like this are present throughout the history books, but that doesn’t mean that modern people have not been affected by it.

Linguistic discrimination is still a very real occurrence and is very harmful for everyone involved. But how and why does it occur? TEDx writer Olena Levitina, in her article “Is Language Discrimination Still a Thing?”, writes that prejudice against non-native speakers stems from a lack of understanding (para. 6). When native-speakers talk with non-native speakers and cannot understand what they are saying because of their accent, they might associate their misunderstanding with the non-native speaker not being intelligent (para 6). This thought process is extremely harmful and can lead to future beliefs that anyone with that accent is not as intelligent as someone without. For example, in the academic article title “Why Don’t We Believe Non-native Speakers?”, authors Shiri Lev-Ari and Keysar Boaz recounted experiments in which they found that people were more likely to report statements spoked by native speakers as believable than those spoken by non-native speakers (p. 1093). They noted that when listeners hear accented speech, their “processing ability”, or how well they are able to take in information and understand it, decreases, but instead of just deeming what the speaker says as harder to understand, they perceive what they are saying to be less trustworthy (p. 1095). Always being thought of as less believable than native speakers is extremely detrimental, and even in some case they can become prepared for it. This phenomenon, described by Agata Gluszek and John Dovidio in their academic article “Speaking with a Non-native Accent: Perceptions of Bias, Communication Difficulties, and Belonging in the United States”, is called “anticipated stigmatization” in which the non-native speaker already expects the native speaker to have biases against them before they even open their mouth. The authors found that accented speakers of English in the United States who previously experienced conversational problems and difficulties in communication were more likely to feel anticipated stigmatization (p. 227). They suggested that if native speakers expect non-native speakers to have a harder to communicating than they actually do, they might be more likely to avoid instances with accented speakers or similar situations where they might have communication difficulty (p. 227). Thus, Gluszek and Dovidio also reported from their experiments that non-natively accent speakers expressed more feelings of not belonging in the United States, which they attributed to anticipated stigmatization and difficulty communicating (p. 288).

Linguistic discrimination directed in any situation is harmful, but it has been especially destructive in the education system. In going back to Phillipson’s book, he says about teaching English as a second language: “the spread of English shows clearly that the ‘development’ of this language has been structurally related to and contingent upon the underdevelopment of others (p. 348).” In addition, in her article “Education Equality: Mitigating Linguistic Discrimination in Second Language Teaching”, Laura Matson says that the “ideology of English language teaching is rooted in a power structure of linguistic imperialism brought about by a history colonialism in which English speaking countries have kept non-English speaking countries in a position of subordination (p. 14)”. For example, Matson details an explanation on how anxiety affects language learners’ performance and how the ideologies of teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) have contributed to this. Generally, learners at lower proficiency levels are more reserved when learning and less willing to participate because they are afraid of making mistakes and sounding “non-native” (p. 16). This is something that I can relate to as well with my journey learning languages. Especially when I was just starting out, I was afraid to answer question or speak out loud because I didn’t want to seem “stupid”. Whenever I read something out loud, I would internally cringe because even I could hear how bad my pronunciation was. Matson believes that the reason for anxiety in learning ESL is a direct result of the way in which the language is taught. By stressing that the “native speaker” accent is the correct, and essentially the ‘perfect’, way of speaking, pressure is put on the learner emulate this speech, and when they have difficulty with this, their willingness to participate at the risk of making mistakes decreases (p. 16). This ultimately enforces the idea of standard language ideology, which is defined by Rosina Lippi-Green in her book Language in the USA as “a bias towards an abstracted, idealized, non-varying spoken language (p. 289)”. This can be an extremely damaging belief, as, in referring to English, it promotes one way to speak it as the ‘right’ way, when in fact this ideology is a fallacy (p. 289). For example, Lippi-Green says that accents can be hard to change when they do not do anything to make communication difficult (p. 289) this makes it hard for there to be one language and only one way to speak it that is ‘correct’. In the article “The Silencing of ESL Speakers”, Barbara Seidlhofer, professor at the University of Vienna, says “it is easy to dismiss [various accented forms of English] as the use of incorrect English by people who have not learned it very well, but it is an entirely natural linguistic development, an example of how any language varies and changes as it is appropriated by different communities of users (para. 11).”

Another situation in which linguistic discrimination has been detrimental is in the workplace. In the academic article “Political Skill: Explaining the Effects of Nonnative Accent on Managerial Hiring and Entreprenurial Investment Decisions”, Laura Huang et. al investigate whether there is persistent bias associated with non-native speakers having weak political skills, and thus being less likely to advance in their careers (p. 1). The bias being tested in this article, called glass-ceiling bias, occurs when an individual is barred from attaining a higher position because of implicit bias against them (p. 1). Thus the ‘glass-ceiling’ refers to the idea that the individual is so close to reaching the position that they can see it through the glass, but bias has created a ceiling between them, preventing the individual from being able to climb higher up the corporate ladder (p. 1). In the experiments, Huang et. al found that native speakers of English received higher recommendations for promotions and more entrepreneurial funding than did non-natively accent individuals, therefore signaling that non-native speakers were considered to have lower political skill (p. 10). This is particularly alarming, because it shows that although non-natively accented individuals may have the same qualifications and experience (maybe even better) as native speakers, native English speakers are more frequently chosen for promotions and advancements in their careers.

But it is also important to note that not only non-native speakers of a language are discriminated against, but even native speakers as well. The most prominent example of this is discrimination against people who speak African American English, or AAE. African American English, which also has been referred to as Ebonics, African American Vernacular English, or Black English, is a dialect spoken by many African Americans in the United States (Mufwene para. 1). The linguistic features of AAE have often been criticized and denounced as grammatically incorrect compared to ‘standard’ English. For example, the usage of “double negatives” such as in “You ain’t getting no thanks from it.”(Poplack para. 3) would garner much denunciation according to standard English grammatical rules. But the fact of the matter is, that AAE is a part of the cultural identity of many African Americans just as any other accent is a part of anyone else’s. Unfortunately, due to lack of understanding and racist based biases, speakers of AAE have been, and continue to be, discriminated against. In the book Why Are So Many Minority Students in Special Education? Understanding Race and Disability in Schools , authors Beth Harry and Janet Klinger offer a powerful example. As we discussed before, discrimination against non-native speakers of English in the education system is extremely detrimental, and the same is true for speakers of AAE in schools. Harry and Klinger found that speakers of AAE were found more often to be diagnosed with a language disorder and thus be placed in special education. The reasoned that it was often the assessors’ lack of knowledge regarding AAE and its linguistical traits that led to this diagnosis (p. 30). Assessors unfamiliar with the way that AAE functions might hear a student say something such as “he walk to school” instead of the standard English “he walks to school” and conclude that they have a language disorder, when in fact they were just speaking their native dialect. This disproportionately affects African American students, and students with other accents and dialects, giving them a disadvantage in their education. Discrimination also occurs with regional accents, most notably the Southern accent. Long held stereotypes of Southern ‘hillbillies’ and ‘rednecks’ have twisted many people’s minds, leading them to have biased views of Southerners being less educated or competent that other Americans. In the article titled “Perceptions of Competency as a Function of Accent”, Cheryl Boucher et. al found in their experiments that participants were more likely to view individuals with Southern accents as less competent that those with ‘neutral accents’ (p. 27). Participants rated the neutral speakers as being more grammatically correct and professional than speakers with Southern accents. This is similar to the common bias that African American English is grammatically incorrect compared to standard English. And it is harmful because it put speakers of AAE, those with Southern accents, and any other speakers of other stigmatized accents or dialects at an unfair disadvantage and puts untrue labels on them.

So how, then, can we stop linguistic discrimination, whether in the education system, workplace, or anywhere else? Going back to the academic article by Laura Matson, the author suggests promoting anti-racist education (p. 18). Matson argues that anti-racist education encourages a deeper look into the imbalances created between linguistically dominant and linguistically marginalized groups (p. 19). She writes that “‘merely celebrating differences (Kubota 36)’ … creates an illusion of equality that still maintains ‘existing power relations that the people on the margins are expected to assimilate to (Kubota 37)’ (p. 18)”. Matson proposes teaching English in a way that leads learners to look critically at the standard language, which allows them to question its role as a dominate language (p. 20). In the workplace and in the hiring process, writer Bridget Miller suggests in her article “Avoiding Discrimination in the Workplace” for employers to avoid “English-only” policies and train anyone related to the hiring process in unbiased interviewing (para. 3). She also wrote that it was important to note that 100% English fluency does not necessarily correlate to high job performance (para. 3). Dr. Pragya Agarwal, in her article “Accent Bias: How Can We Minimize Discrimination in the Workplace?”, says that making a conscious effort to look past bias and prejudice can create a more inclusive and amicable environment (para. 6). Through these ways, we can become more aware of our own, possibly unconscious, biases towards other non-natively accent speakers and work on ending them.

Works Cited

Lev-Ari, Shiri, and Boaz Keysar. “Why Don’t We Believe Non-Native Speakers? The Influence of Accent on Credibility.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , vol. 46, no. 6, 2010, pp. 1093–1096., doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2010.05.025.

Gluszek, Agata, and John F. Dovidio. “Speaking With a Nonnative Accent: Perceptions of Bias, Communication Difficulties, and Belonging in the United States.” Journal of Language and Social Psychology , vol. 29, no. 2, 2010, pp. 224–234., doi:10.1177/0261927×09359590.

Egger, Matthias, et al. “Language Bias in Randomized Controlled Trials Published in English and German.” The Lancet , vol. 350, no. 9074, 1997, pp. 326–329., doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(97)02419-7.

Hwang, Kumju. “The Inferior Science and the Dominant Use of English in Knowledge Production.” Science Communication , vol. 26, no. 4, 2005, pp. 390–427., doi:10.1177/1075547005275428.

Agyekum, Kofi. “Linguistic imperialism and language decolonisation in Africa through documentation and preservation.” In Jason Kandybowicz, Travis Major, Harold Torrence & Philip T. Duncan (eds.), African linguistics on the prairie: Selected papers from the 45th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, 87–104. Berlin: Language Science Press.

Phillipson, Robert. 2009. Linguistic imperialism. In Jacob L. Mey (ed.), Concise encyclopedia of pragmatics, 2nd edn., 780–782. Amsterdam: Elsevier Ltd.

Smith, Woodruff D. The Ideological Origins of Nazi Imperialism . Oxford University Press, 1986.

Matson, Laura. “Educational Equality: Mitigating Linguistic Discrimination in Second Language Teaching.” Leviathan: Interdisciplinary Journal in English , 2019.

Huang, Laura, et al. “Political Skill: Explaining the Effects of Nonnative Accent on Managerial Hiring and Entrepreneurial Investment Decisions.” Journal of Applied Psychology , vol. 98, no. 6, 2013, pp. 1005–1017., doi:10.1037/a0034125.

Harry, and Klinger. “Why Are so Many Minority Students in Special Education?: Understanding Race and Disability in Schools.” Choice Reviews Online , vol. 52, no. 05, 2014, doi:10.5860/choice.185613.

Boucher, Cheryl J., et al. “Perceptions of Competency as a Function of Accent.” Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research , vol. 18, no. 1, 2013, pp. 27–32., doi:10.24839/2164-8204.jn18.1.27.

Mufwene, Salikoko S. “African American English.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/African-American-English.

“America’s Cultural Role in the World Today.” Access International , 2008, access-internationalvg2.cappelendamm.no/c951212/artikkel/vis.html?tid=385685.

Huttner-Koros, Adam. “Why Science’s Universal Language Is a Problem for Research.” The Atlantic , Atlantic Media Company, 14 Sept. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/08/english-universal-language-science-research/400919/ .

“Did You Know Many English Words Come from Other Languages? Here Are 45!” FluentU English , www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-words-from-other-languages/.

Levitina, Olena. “Is Language Discrimination Still a Thing? • TEDxVienna.” TEDxVienna , 21 Feb. 2020, www.tedxvienna.at/blog/is-language-discrimination-still-thing/.

Miller, Bridget. “Avoiding Language Discrimination in the Workplace.” HR Daily Advisor , 7 Jan. 2018, hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2016/03/14/avoiding-language-discrimination-in-the-workplace/.

Agarwal, Dr. Pragya. “Accent Bias: How Can We Minimize Discrimination In The Workplace?” Forbes , Forbes Magazine, 30 Dec. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/12/30/bias-is-your-accent-holding-you-back/?sh=1a2b81181b5a .

R.L.G. “Deep Impact.” The Economist , The Economist Newspaper, www.economist.com/prospero/2015/07/16/deep-impact.

Stevens, Paul. “Viewpoint: The Silencing of ESL Speakers.” SHRM , SHRM, 28 Feb. 2020, www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/viewpoint-the-silencing-of-esl-speakers.aspx.

Marques, Nuno. “How And Why Did English Supplant French As The World’s Lingua Franca?” Babbel Magazine , 2017, www.babbel.com/en/magazine/how-and-why-did-english-supplant-french-as-the-world-s-lingua-franca.

Loehrke, Katie. “Language Discrimination Is a Real Issue: Here’s How to Avoid It.” Bizjournals.com , 2017, www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/human-resources/2017/11/language-discrimination-is-a-real-issue-here-s-how.html .

Poplack, Shana. “’It Don’t Be like That Now’ – the English History of African American English.” The Conversation , 20 Nov. 2020, theconversation.com/it-dont-be-like-that-now-the-english-history-of-african-american-english-129611.

Understanding Literacy in Our Lives by Anonymous English 102 Writer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Media Influence — Prejudice and Discrimination

Prejudice and Discrimination

Categories: Discrimination Media Influence

About this sample

Words: 885 |

Published: Feb 12, 2024

Words: 885 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Introduction, changing social norms, intergroup contact, consciousness-raising and self-regulation, cooperative learning, entertainment, news, and print media.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

Expert in: Social Issues Sociology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 441 words

5 pages / 2163 words

2 pages / 929 words

2 pages / 689 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Media Influence

Chaudhary, N. (2014). The TV binge: a sickness. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 3(5), 57-62.Digital Democracy Survey. (n.d.). Retrieved from Nielsen. (2013). The Digital Consumer: Binge! Binge! [...]

Media violence is a topic of growing concern in today's society, with a significant impact on individuals, especially the younger generation. In this essay, we will analyze the effects of media violence, including its potential [...]

The global impact of American gun culture is a multifaceted issue that encompasses various aspects of society, media, international relations, public safety, and culture. This essay has provided a comprehensive analysis of the [...]

Narratives play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion on police brutality. Through the media and social media, narratives capture the attention of the masses, evoking emotions and driving societal change. To effectively [...]

The influence of media and technology pervades every corner of society, captivating individuals worldwide. From children to adults, the consumption of media and technology is ubiquitous, shaping daily routines and perceptions. [...]

The rise of social media usage has caused a great impact on the younger generations. Popular social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and many more. It is very rare to come across someone from the [...]

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

SCOTUS Says You Can Discuss Race in Your College Essay. Should You?

The us supreme court banned colleges’ affirmative action admission practices, raising a question about students writing about race in their college essay.

Photo: A young, tan woman with curly hair pulled back in a ponytail sits on a couch crossed-legged as she types on her silver laptop. She wears a yellow shirt and jeans as she sits in front of a bright window.

Although the Supreme Court says college application essays may discuss race and disadvantage, BU experts say inauthentic or traumatic recollections won’t cut it. Photo by Delmaine Donson/iStock

Should You Discuss Race in Your College Essay?

“Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration or otherwise.” — Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts

“The student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. …Universities may not simply establish through application essays or other means the regime we hold unlawful today.”—Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts

Confused? So are many in higher education. When the United States Supreme Court sacked affirmative action racial preferences in June, Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority opinion, while spotlighting applicants’ personal essays, also put vague guardrails around their use. And anyway, not every young person who has suffered racial discrimination wants to revisit it in their essay, that critical part of applying to college where students tell their story in their voice.

After the SCOTUS decision, the advice from Boston University admissions and college guidance experts is this: your story must always be authentic. It can be about discrimination or other challenges met and dealt with, but it need not be. And it shouldn’t be , if writing about it means revisiting traumatic experiences.

“The essay for us is just going to continue to be as important as it always was,” notwithstanding the new legal landscape, says Kelly Walter (Wheelock’81), BU dean of admissions and associate vice president for enrollment. She has discussed the ruling with the University’s legal office, she says, and her office has tweaked BU’s two essay question options applicants must choose from. (The University also asks potential future Terriers to complete the Common Application for college, which has its own essay requirement.) The tweaks were partly in response to the court ruling, Walter says, but also to ensure that the questions conveyed to students “what BU stood for, and that we value diversity. We thought it was very important to put that out there front and center, and for them to be able to specifically respond to our commitment, our values, as it relates to one of these two essay questions.”

Those questions are:

Reflect on a social or community issue that deeply resonates with you. Why is it important to you, and how have you been involved in addressing or raising awareness about it? What about being a student at BU most excites you? How do you hope to contribute to our campus community?

While the chief justice exhorted students to share discrimination episodes in answering such questions, recent alum and current student Erika Decklar (Sargent’22, SPH’24) says that may not be comfortable for some. She is an advisor with BU Admissions College Advising Corps (CAC-BU) , which gives college application counseling to low-income and other marginalized high schoolers.

“In my experience,” Decklar says, “students from marginalized backgrounds gravitate towards writing college essays on traumatic experiences, whether they are comfortable sharing these experiences with admissions counselors or not. We have always advised and encouraged students to write about a topic that highlights their strengths, personalities, and passions—whether it is a ‘resiliency’ essay or an essay about their culture, values, or a unique passion.”

After the SCOTUS ruling, Decklar says, her advice to students has not changed. “We should continue motivating students to write about a passion, something that makes them unique, but not coach them to write about their traumatic experiences.”

Katie Hill, who directs CAC-BU, says applicants sharing in their essays what makes them special “does not require them revisiting their pain. If students so choose, we can help them write about their families and cultures, what is beautiful and makes them proud to be” of that culture.

Students from marginalized backgrounds gravitate towards writing college essays on traumatic experiences, whether they are comfortable sharing these experiences with admissions counselors or not. Erika Deklar (Sargent’22, SPH’24)

But what BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) students do not need, Hill says, is to hear from their advisors that in order to get into college, they need to open themselves up beyond their comfortable boundaries.

Walter agrees that an applicant’s story need not be an unrelenting nightmare. It’s true that some of them “are sharing things about their personal lives that I’m not sure I would have seen 20 years ago,” she says. “Students are certainly talking about their sexual identity in their essays. And some will say to us, ‘I’m telling you this [about my identity], and my parents don’t know yet.’”

But she can reel off the opening lines from three of her favorite essays over the years that were hardly gloomy. One began, Geeks come in many varieties. “We laughed. It makes you want to keep reading,” she says. Then there was the woman who started, Life is short, and so am I.

The third: By day, Louis is my trusty companion; by night, my partner in crime. “Doesn’t that make you want to read more and find out who or what Louis is?” Walter asks. (He was the applicant’s first car, a metaphor for this woman’s passion for the independence it conveyed, preparing her for the next step of going to BU, where she indeed matriculated.)

The essay is so important because it’s a given that applicants to BU can manage the academics here. “We have 80,000 students applying for admission to Boston University [annually],” Walter says, “and I think it’s fair to say that the vast majority of them can do the work academically. We’re also shaping and building a class.

“For some, it may be leadership. For some, it may be their cultural background. For others, it might be writing for the Daily Free Press. We really want to think about a wide variety of students in our first-year class.” The essay fills in blanks about applicants for admission, along with teacher and counselor recommendations, their high school activities, and their internships or jobs.

That’s not to say there aren’t lethal don’ts to avoid, most of them emphasizing the necessity of having a proofreader.

“We often get references to ‘Boston College,’” says Patrice Oppliger , a College of Communication assistant professor of communication, who solicits faculty reviews of applicants to COM’s mass communication, advertising, and public relations master’s program before making a decision.

And need we say, do your own work? Walter recalls an essay from a couple of years back where the applicant discussed life in Warren Towers. “And I was like, wait, you couldn’t have lived in Warren Towers, you’re not here yet. And it became very clear that the parent, who was an alum—I think in an effort to help—was telling her story. And somehow no one [in that family] caught that.”

So writing about dealing with discrimination, race-based or otherwise, is fine if it’s not traumatic for you to revisit— and if it’s authentic. Authenticity also includes avoiding over-reliance on artificial intelligence in crafting your essay. According to Admissions’ AI statement ,

If you opt to use these tools at any point while writing your essays, they should only be used to support your original ideas rather than to write your essays in their entirety. As potential future Terriers, we expect all applicants to adhere to the same standards of academic honesty and integrity as our current students. When representing the words or ideas of another in their original work, students should properly credit the source.

“We want to think about not just who will thrive academically at BU,” Walter says, “but also who will enrich the University community and make diverse contributions.”

Explore Related Topics:

Administration
Supreme Court
Share this story
1 Comments Add

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There is 1 comment on Should You Discuss Race in Your College Essay?

The resiliency essay is the archetypical admissions essay of our time, but it has its drawbacks: https//www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/against-land-acknowledgements-native-american/620820/

Latest from BU Today

Class of 2024 chobanian & avedisian school of medicine graduates urged to become changemakers, bu’s commencement student speaker is proud of being a changemaker, anthony hollenberg named new president of boston medical center, three inspiring bu master’s and professional graduates who plan to give back to their communities, from masks to mortarboards: class of 2024 reflects on a unique four years, introducing the winners of the 2024 metcalf awards, bu’s top teaching honors, capture the moment: use #bu2024 to be featured on the jumbotron at commencement, new cas class teaches the history of empires through fashion and beauty, for these identical triplets, bu was a chance to stand apart as individuals, seniors share some of their favorite memories of their time at bu, for this bu employee, commencement will be a family affair, seniors have some advice for their first year selves, bu softball claims patriot league title, begins ncaa tournament play friday, kahn award will carry theater arts major madeline riddick-seals back to alabama, commencement 2024: what you need to know, pov: decision to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug is long overdue, esl classes offered to bu dining services workers, sargent senior gives back to his native nairobi—through sports, providing better support to disabled survivors of sexual assault, class of 2024: songs that remind you of your last four years at boston university.

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Publications
Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

Advanced Search
Journal List
HHS Author Manuscripts

Promoting School Safety for LGBTQ and All Students

Salvatore ioverno.

University of Ghent

Schools are often unsafe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students; they frequently experience negative or hostile school climates, including bullying and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity at school. Negative school climates and discriminatory experiences can threaten LGBTQ students’ well-being.

Simultaneously, a consistent body of research identifies strategies to support LGBTQ and all students to be safe and thrive at school. First, policies that specifically identify or enumerate protected groups such as LGBTQ students create supportive contexts for all youth. Second, professional development prepares educators and other school personnel with tools to support and protect all students. Third, access to information and support related to sexual orientation and gender identity or expression (SOGIE), including curricula that is SOGIE-inclusive, provides students with resources, support, and inclusion, creating school climate. Fourth, the presence of student-led clubs or organizations such as gender-sexuality alliances (i.e., GSAs) improve students’ school experiences and well-being, and contribute to positive school climate. This article reviews the research foundations of each of these strategies and concludes with recommendations for multiple audiences: policy-makers, school personnel, parents, and students.

Students deserve safe schools. Research-based strategies promote safety for LGBTQ and all students: 1) Explicit anti-bullying policies; 2) Teacher professional development; 3) Gender-Sexuality Alliances; 4) Inclusive curricula & spaces.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students often experience negative school environments, where they are subject to victimization based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. As a result, LGBTQ students are more likely to report negative physical and mental health outcomes than their peers. Over the last decade, four strategies have emerged in the research literature to prevent or at least minimize these risks: specifically inclusive anti-bullying policies, professional development on LGBTQ issues, LGBTQ-related resources, and student-led clubs like Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) ( National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2019 , 2020 ). This paper summarizes research evidence on each of these safe-school strategies and provides recommendations for multiple audiences, including policy-makers, professional associations in the field of education, schools of education, school personnel, parents, and students.

Before reviewing the evidence, note that studies have used several ways to define sexual orientation and gender identity. We refer to “LGBTQ students,” but when referencing original research we use the language from specific studies. For example, we refer to “LGB” when a study specifically included LGB but not transgender, questioning, or queer youth. Further, most research to date has focused on only sexual orientation (or the experiences of LGB youth) or combines LGB with transgender youth. Thus, most studies have not provided specific attention to transgender and gender diverse youth, although there has been growing research attention to transgender and gender diverse youth ( Day et al., 2018 ; Ioverno & Russell, 2021 ; Olsen & Gülgöz, 2018 ; Olsen et al., 2016 ). Finally, we refer to “school personnel” in order to include teachers as well as other school personnel, including school administrators, classroom aides, cafeteria workers, or bus drivers.

Strategy #1: Inclusive, Enumerated Policies

Enumerated policies are policies that explicitly list characteristics or traits of students that may be the subject of bullying and harassment at school. Inclusive, enumerated policies are a critical tool for creating safe and supportive schools for LGBTQ and all youth ( Black et al., 2012 ; Kull et al., 2016 ).

In March 2021, President Biden made history by signing the Executive Order on Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity ( Exec. Order 14021, 2021 ). The Executive Order marks the first time that federal policy has provided legal protection against discrimination for LGBTQ students in K-12 education across the United States. However, as a presidential action, the policy lacks permanency and can be swiftly overturned by the next federal administration. Additionally, as a federal policy, federal agencies are responsible for the policy’s implementation and legal action could be pursued under this order only through the federal court system. Given the lack of action from the U.S. Congress, many states have enacted legislation over the past two decades to protect students from bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression through inclusive, enumerated policies.

Enumerated policies can be protective for students in a number of ways: they provide school educators and administrators with implementation guidance for anti-bullying policies and practices, signal to school communities that LGBTQ-based discrimination will not be tolerated, and provide students with a clear understanding of their rights to safety at school. Studies show that when enumerated policies are present, teachers show more support for their LGBT students ( Swanson & Gettinger, 2016 ) and intervene more frequently when hearing anti-LGBTQ remarks ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Further, students protected by enumerated policies are less likely to report homophobic or transphobic attitudes, remarks, and behaviors toward LGBT peers ( Horn & Szalacha, 2009 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ). This is especially true for transgender youth; Greytak et al. (2013) found that several safe school policies and practices were associated with less victimization for all LGBTQ students, but the positive impact of inclusive policies and GSAs were even stronger for transgender youth than LGB youth.

Multiple studies at state ( Meyer et al., 2019 ), national ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ; Kull et al., 2016 ), and international ( Berger et al., 2017 ) levels find that enumerated policies are associated with improved education environments for LGBTQ and all students. Specifically, in the presence of enumerated policies, LGBT students feel safer at school, hear less homophobic language, experience less identity-based victimization ( Kull et al., 2016 ), report less absenteeism at school ( Greytak, 2013 ), and are less at risk for suicide and substance use ( Frost et al., 2019 ; Hatzenbuehler & Keyes, 2013 ; Konishi et al., 2013 ).

In some cases, students, parents, and school personnel are unaware of safe schools policies and lack knowledge of explicit protections for students who are (or who are perceived to be) LGBTQ ( Schneider & Dimito, 2008 ). When policy implementation lacks appropriate communication, LGBT students may feel less assured of support by their school communities ( Swanson & Gettinger, 2016 ). To counter this, a key strategy for promoting school safety is to disseminate information about school policies so students and educators understand public policies affecting their daily environments ( Hall & Chapman, 2018 ).

Strategy #2: School Personnel Support and Training

Support from school personnel – including school administrators, educators, and staff – is critical to promoting the safety and well-being of vulnerable and marginalized students, including LGBTQ students ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Most school personnel desire to support students but may not understand the needs of LGBTQ students. For this reason, training for all school personnel to increase knowledge about supporting LGBTQ students is essential ( Greytak & Kosciw, 2010 ; Payne & Smith, 2011 ).

Studies show that when LGBTQ youth view school personnel as supportive, they feel safer at school, report less absenteeism, experience less victimization based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, feel like they belong in their school community, and maintain higher grade point averages ( Greytak et al., 2013 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ; Seelman et al., 2012 ).

A critical benchmark for supporting LGBTQ students is intervening when bullying and harassment occurs. National studies over the past five years have exposed the need for further support and training for school personnel on issues of LGBTQ identities. In a recent study, LGBTQ students reported that teachers intervene less often for homophobic remarks compared to racist or sexist remarks ( Kosciw et al., 2018 ; see also Kosciw et al., 2016 ). The lack of effective intervention by school personnel may stem from barriers including fear of backlash, a lack of education about how to support LGBTQ students, and little to no institutional support ( Meyer, 2008 ). A national study ( Greytak et al., 2016 ) from 2016 found that just 26% of teachers said they could support the needs of their LGBT students (e.g. discussing LGBT issues and advocating for inclusive, enumerated policies) without any barriers. The remaining 74% of teachers said they did not participate in supportive actions because of professional pressure from the school community (e.g., lack of administrative support or backlash from parents or community members), personal beliefs (e.g., that addressing LGBT issues is not necessary or appropriate), or practical concerns (e.g., lack of time and limited knowledge about LGBT issues).

Some LGBTQ students report even school personnel using homophobic and transphobic language. In a recent national survey of LGBTQ students, a majority (52.4%) reported hearing homophobic remarks from school personnel, while a strong majority (66.7%) have reported hearing negative remarks about gender identity and expression from school personnel ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). When educators and school administrators fail to intervene in homophobic remarks or make these kinds of remarks themselves, students become normalized to harmful, anti-LGBTQ language and learn that prejudice is acceptable at school.

Training demonstrably benefits school personnel. Pre-service and in- service professional development for school personnel on subjects of LGBTQ identities can build empathy, awareness, and self-efficacy, developing actionable supportive behaviors for LGBTQ students ( Greytak & Kosciw, 2010 ; Payne & Smith, 2011 ). For example, professional development that incorporates exposure to LGBT people raises awareness of homophobic bullying and builds teachers’ skills to intervene in homophobic behaviors ( Greytak & Kosciw, 2014 ). LGBTQ-specific training must be distinct. In a national sample of secondary school teachers ( Greytak et al., 2016 ), training on LGBT issues relates to more intervention in response to homophobic remarks, but professional development on bullying and harassment in general was not. Teacher training on LGBT issues positively associates with activities to support LGBT students ( Swanson & Gettinger, 2016 ). Students report less bullying in schools with multiple LGBT-supportive practices in place, including providing LGBT-related professional development and having an LGBT point-person available ( Gower et al., 2017 ).

Strategy #3: Student-Led Clubs (GSAs)

Student-led, LGBTQ-focused, school-based clubs (often called gay-straight alliances, or gender-sexuality alliances, i.e., GSAs), are organizations composed of students and advisors that operate like other student extracurricular clubs. Through GSAs, LGBTQ students and non- LGBTQ student allies work together to promote social inclusion and foster a positive school climate for LGBTQ and all students on their school campus. In 2018, national data from the CDC’s School Health Profiles reported that 40% of students across the U.S. attend schools with a GSA or similar club ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019 ). GSAs may be involved in a range of activities, including providing a platform for education and safety, leadership development, school-wide advocacy training, interpersonal support, and recreational activities ( Poteat et al., 2019 ).

Consistently, participation in GSAs is associated with a range of positive outcomes for students: higher grade point averages ( Walls et al., 2010 ), more school belonging ( Toomey & Russell, 2011 ), feeling safe at school ( Ioverno et al., 2016 ), and better mental health ( Poteat et al., 2019 ). In addition, greater involvement in GSAs is linked to more youth empowerment around social justice issues, increased validation from fellow students, and more hope for the future ( Poteat et al., 2019 ).

Regardless of GSA membership, simply having an active GSA at school is linked to a number of benefits for LGBT students ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ; Poteat et al., 2019 ; Walls et al., 2010 ) and heterosexual students ( Poteat et al., 2013 ; Saewyc et al., 2014 ). In a national survey of LGBT high school students, those in schools with GSAs reported less bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity, less homophobic language, and a greater sense of belonging in their school environment ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). In the first longitudinal study of LGB youth, having a GSA was associated with decreasing homophobic bullying and increasing feelings of safety one year later ( Ioverno et al., 2016 ). Relatedly, the presence of a GSA in high school can positively predict supportive attitudes towards LGBTQ individuals among college students ( Worthen, 2014 ). Finally, a meta-analysis showed that, across studies, LGBT students with GSAs in their schools are 36% more likely to feel safe and 30% less likely to report homophobic victimization compared to LGBT students in schools without GSAs ( Marx & Kettrey, 2016 ).

In addition to improved school experiences, a growing body of research has connected having a GSA at school with better mental health and health behavior for LGBT students, including lower levels of smoking, drinking and drug use, sex with casual partners ( Heck et al., 2014 ; Poteat et al., 2013 ), psychological distress and depressive symptoms ( Poteat et al., 2019 , Toomey et al., 2011 ), suicidal ideation and behavior ( Poteat & Russell, 2013 ; Saewyc et al., 2014 ; Walls et al., 2013 ), and greater self-esteem ( McCormick et al., 2015 ).

Strategy #4: Access to LGBTQ-Related Resources and Curricula

An effective strategy for creating safe and supportive schools gives all students access to LGBTQ-related resources and LGBTQ-inclusive curricula ( Snapp et al., 2015 ). LGBTQ-related resources refer to information and support services provided in libraries, schools’ websites, or posters on walls in classrooms and hallways. Schools can support the visibility of these resources through in-school assemblies or school-wide announcements or the introduction of LGBTQ-inclusive textbooks and lectures ( Burdge et al., 2013 ; Katz et al., 2016 ). LGBTQ-inclusive curricula integrate topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity within a standard school curriculum (e.g., health education, history, literature, science, or mathematics).

Most LGBTQ students in U.S. schools report that their curricula do not access LGBTQ people, history, or events ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Moreover, educators often do not know how or where to access LGBTQ-related materials ( Westheimer & Szalacha, 2015 ) or are worried that parents and/or community members may not support inclusive curricula ( Page, 2017 ). As of 2020, only four U.S. states – California, Colorado, New Jersey, and Illinois – mandate the teaching of LGBTQ history curricula.

Nevertheless, a recent national survey of LGBTQ students ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ) found that when students know how and where to access appropriate and accurate information regarding LGBTQ people at school, they feel that their schools are safer for themselves and other LGBTQ students. Further, students who say that they have learned about LGBT issues at school report less bullying ( Greytak et al., 2013 ; Snapp et al., 2016 ), more safety ( Toomey et al., 2012 ), less absenteeism ( Greytak et al., 2013 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ), and less homophobic language and negative remarks based on gender expression in their schools ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Inclusive curricula are particularly relevant to adolescent sexual health education, but sexuality education (if offered as school curricula at all) has often been either silent about or irrelevant to LGBTQ people and issues ( Pampati et al., 2020 ). Yet in one state-wide study, teacher sensitivity to LGB issues in HIV education was associated with lower sexual risk-taking in LGB youth ( Blake et al., 2001 ).

The identification of “safe spaces” or “safe zones” for LGBT students has emerged in a few studies as a central strategy for promoting positive school climates ( Katz et al., 2016 ). Safe-Zone initiatives aim to promote inclusivity and support by providing voluntary training for school personnel on LGBT issues and providing participants with “safe zone” stickers that they can use to identify spaces (e.g., a classroom or office) where students may feel free to openly discuss topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity ( Ratts et al., 2013 ). The available research on “safe spaces” has shown that such initiatives contribute to greater inclusiveness, safety, and connection at school for LGBT students ( Evans, 2002 ; Katz et al., 2016 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ).

Conclusions and Recommendations

In the last decade, strong evidence supports four strategies to create safe and supportive schools for LGBTQ and all students ( NASEM, 2019 , 2020 ). Everyone—students, parents, school personnel, and policy-makers—can suggest, support, and help implement the strategies described here. Table 1 provides specific, actionable recommendations for each strategy, for these key stakeholders. All our students deserve safe schools.

Recommendations

Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students experience discrimination or bullying at school; such experiences undermine youth health and achievement.
In the last decade, research has identified strategies to promote school safety and wellbeing for LGBTQ and all students.
Policies that specifically identify protected groups like LGBTQ students create contexts that are more supportive for LGBTQ and all youth, and are associated with student adjustment and achievement.
Professional development on LGBTQ-specific topics prepares educators and other school personnel with tools to support and protect LGBTQ and all students.
Access to information and support related to sexual orientation and gender identity or expression (SOGIE), including curricula that is SOGIE-inclusive, provides students with resources and support and promotes an inclusive school climate.
Student-led clubs or organizations such as gender-sexuality alliances (i.e., GSAs) improve students’ school experiences and well-being, and contribute to positive school climate.

Acknowledgments.

This research was supported by a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation and grant, P2CHD042849, Population Research Center, awarded to the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The authors acknowledge support for Russell from the Priscilla Pond Flawn Endowment at the University of Texas at Austin.

Author Disclosure Statement . The authors declare that there are no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Berger C, Poteat PV, & Dantas J (2017). Should I report? The role of general and sexual orientation-specific bullying policies and teacher behavior on adolescents’ reporting of victimization experiences . Journal of School Violence , 00 ( 00 ), 1–14. 10.1080/15388220.2017.1387134 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Black WW, Fedewa AL, & Gonzalez KA (2012). Effects of “Safe School” Programs and Policies on the Social Climate for Sexual-Minority Youth: A Review of the Literature . Journal of LGBT Youth , 9 ( 4 ), 321–339. 10.1080/19361653.2012.714343 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Blake SM, Ledsky R, Lehman T, Goodenow C, Sawyer R, & Hack T (2001). Preventing sexual risk behaviors among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents: The benefits of gay- sensitive HIV instruction in schools . American Journal of Public Health , 91 ( 6 ), 940–946. 10.2105/AJPH.91.6.940 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Burdge H, Snapp S, Laub C, Russell S, & Moody R (2013). Implementing Lessons that Matter: The Impact of LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum on Student Safety, Well-Being, and Achievement . 45 . [ Google Scholar ]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). School Health Profiles 2018: Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools . In Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . [ Google Scholar ]
Day JK, Perez-Brumer A, & Russell ST (2018). Safe schools? Transgender youth’s school experiences and perceptions of school climate . Journal of youth and adolescence , 47 ( 8 ), 1731–1742. 10.1007/s10964-018-0866-x [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Evans NJ (2002). The Impact of an LGBT Safe Zone Project on Campus Climate . Journal of College Student Development , 43 ( 4 ), 522–539. 10.1016/j.celrep.2011.1011.1001.7. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Exec. Order No. 14021, 86 Fed. Reg . 13803 (March 11, 2021).
Frost DM, Hammack PL, Wilson BDM, Russell ST, Lightfoot M, & Meyer IH (2019). The Qualitative Interview in Psychology and the Study of Social Change: Sexual Identity Development, Minority Stress, and Health in the Generations Study . Qualitative Psychology . 10.1037/qup0000148 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Gower AL, Forster M, Gloppen K, Johnson AZ, Eisenberg ME, Connett JE, & Borowsky IW (2017). School Practices to Foster LGBT-Supportive Climate: Associations with Adolescent Bullying Involvement . Prevention Science , 1–9. 10.1007/s11121-017-0847-4 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Greytak EA, & Kosciw JG (2010). Year One Evaluation of the New York City Department of Education “Respect for All” Training Program . New York, NY: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). [ Google Scholar ]
Greytak EA, & Kosciw JG (2014). Predictors of US teachers ‘ intervention in anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender bullying and harassment . Teaching Education , 25 ( 4 ), 410–426. 10.1080/10476210.2014.920000 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Greytak EA, Kosciw JG, & Boesen MJ (2013). Putting the “T” in “Resource”: The Benefits of LGBT-Related School Resources for Transgender Youth . Journal of LGBT Youth , 10 ( 1– 2 ), 45–63. 10.1080/19361653.2012.718522 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Greytak EA, Kosciw JG, Villenas C, & Giga NM (2016). From teasing to torment: School climate revisited. A survey of U.S. secondary school students and teachers . New York, NY: GLSEN. [ Google Scholar ]
Hall WJ, & Chapman MV (2018). Fidelity of Implementation of a State Antibullying Policy With a Focus on Protected Social Classes . Journal of School Violence , 17 ( 1 ), 58–73. 10.1080/15388220.2016.1208571 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Hatzenbuehler ML, and Keyes KM (2013). Inclusive anti-bullying policies and reduced risk of suicide and gay youth . The Journal of Adolescent Health , 53 ( 1 ), S21–S26. 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.08.010 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Heck NC, Livingston NA, Flentje A, Oost K, Stewart BT, & Cochran BN (2014). Reducing risk for illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse: High school gay-straight alliances and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth . Addictive Behaviors , 39 ( 4 ), 824–828. 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.01.007 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Horn SS, & Szalacha LA (2009). School differences in heterosexual students’ attitudes about homosexuality and prejudice based on sexual orientation . European Journal of Developmental Science , 3 , 66–81. 10.3233/DEV-2009-3108 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Ioverno S, Belser AB, Baiocco R, Grossman AH, & Russell ST (2016). The protective role of gay-straight alliances for lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning students: A prospective analysis . Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity , 3 ( 4 ), 397–406. 10.1037/sgd0000193 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Ioverno S & Russell ST (2021). School climate perceptions at the intersection of sex, grade, sexual, and gender identity . Journal of Research on Adolescence , jora.12607. 10.1111/jora.12607 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Katz J, Federici D, Ciovacco M, & Cropsey A (2016). Effect of exposure to a safe zone symbol on perceptions of campus climate for sexual minority students . Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity , 3 ( 3 ), 367–373. 10.1037/sgd0000186 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Konishi C, Saewyc E, Homma Y, & Poon C (2013). Population-level evaluation of school- based blem substance use among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents in Canada . Preventative Medicine , 57 ( 6 ), 929–933. 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.06.031 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Kosciw JG, Greytak EA, Giga NM, Villenas C, & Danischewski DJ (2016). The 2015 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools . In Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) . [ Google Scholar ]
Kosciw JG, Greytak EA, Zongrone MP, Clark CM, & Truong NL (2018). The 2017 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools . In Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) . [ Google Scholar ]
Kosciw JG, Greytak EA, Zongrone MP, Clark CM, & Truong NL (2020). The 2019 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youth in Our Nation’s Schools . In Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) . [ Google Scholar ]
Kull RM, Greytak EA, Kosciw JG, & Villenas C (2016). Effectiveness of school district antibullying policies in improving LGBT youths’ school climate . Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity , 3 ( 4 ), 407–415. 10.1037/sgd0000196 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Marx RA, & Kettrey HH (2016). Gay-Straight Alliances are Associated with Lower Levels of School-Based Victimization of LGBTQ+ Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis . Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 45 ( 7 ), 1269–1282. 10.1007/s10964-016-0501-7 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
McCormick A, Schmidt K, & Clifton E (2015). Gay-Straight Alliances: Understanding Their Impact on the Academic and Social Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning High School Students . Children & Schools , 37 ( 2 ), 71–77. 10.1093/cs/cdu028 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Meyer E (2008). Gendered harassment in secondary schools: understanding teachers’ (non) interventions . Gender and Education , 20 ( 6 ), 555–570. 10.1080/09540250802213115 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Meyer IH, Luo F, Wilson BDM, & Stone DM (2019). Sexual Orientation Enumeration in State Antibullying Statutes in the United States: Associations with Bullying, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicide Attempts among Youth . LGBT Health , 6 ( 1 ), 9–14. 10.1089/lgbt.2018.0194 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). The Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youth . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 10.17226/25388 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). Understanding the Well- Being of LGBTQI+ Populations . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 10.17226/25877 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Olson KR, Durwood L, DeMeules M, & McLaughlin KA (2016). Mental health of transgender children who are supported in their identities . Pediatrics , 137 ( 3 ). 10.1542/peds.2015-3223 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Olson KR, & Gülgöz S (2018). Early findings from the transyouth project: Gender development in transgender children . Child Development Perspectives , 12 ( 2 ), 93–97. 10.1111/cdep.12268 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Page ML (2017). From Awareness to Action: Teacher Attitude and Implementation of LGBT- Inclusive Curriculum in the English Language Arts Classroom . SAGE Open , 7 ( 4 ), 215824401773994. 10.1177/2158244017739949 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Pampati S, Johns MM, Szucs LE, Bishop MD, Mallory AB, Barrios LC, & Russell ST (2020). Sexual and Gender Minority Youth and Sexual Health Education: A Systematic Mapping Review of the Literature . Journal of Adolescent Health . 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.09.032 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Payne EC, & Smith M (2011). The reduction of stigma in schools: A new professional development model for empowering educators to support LGBTQ students . Journal of LGBT Youth , 8 ( 2 ), 174–200. 10.1080/19361653.2011.563183 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Poteat PV, Calzo JP, Yoshikawa H, Lipkin A, Ceccolini CJ, Rosenbach SB, O’Brien MD, Marx RA, Murchison GR, & Burson E (2019). Greater Engagement in Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and GSA Characteristics Predict Youth Empowerment and Reduced Mental Health Concerns . Child Development . 10.1111/cdev.13345 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Poteat PV, & Russell ST (2013). Understanding Homophobic Behavior and Its Implications for Policy and Practice . Theory Into Practice , 52 , 264–271. 10.1080/00405841.2013.829729 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Poteat PV, Sinclair KO, Digiovanni CD, Koenig BW, & Russell ST (2013). Gay- straight alliances are associated with student health: A multischool comparison of LGBTQ and heterosexual youth . Journal of Research on Adolescence , 23 ( 2 ), 319–330. 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2012.00832.x [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Ratts MJ, Kaloper M, McReady C, Tighe L, Butler SK, Dempsey K, & McCullough J (2013). Safe Space Programs in K-12 Schools: Creating a Visible Presence of LGBTQ Allies . Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling , 7 ( 4 ), 387–404. 10.1080/15538605.2013.839344 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Saewyc EM, Konishi C, Rose HA, & Homma Y (2014). School-Based Strategies to Reduce Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempts, and Discrimination among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Adolescents in Western Canada . International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies , 5 ( 1 ), 89–112. 10.1167/iovs.07-1072 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Schneider MS, & Dimito A (2008). Educators’ Beliefs about Raising Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in the Schools: The Experience in Ontario, Canada . Journal of LGBT Youth , 5 ( 4 ), 49–71. 10.1080/19361650802223003 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Seelman KL, Walls NE, Hazel C, & Wisneski H (2012). Student school engagement among sexual minority students: Understanding the contributors to predicting academic outcomes . Journal of Social Service Research , 38 ( 1 ), 3–17. 10.1080/01488376.2011.583829 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Snapp SD, Burdge H, Licona AC, Moody RL, & Russell ST (2015). Students’ Perspectives on LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum . Equity and Excellence in Education , 48 ( 2 ), 249–265. 10.1080/10665684.2015.1025614 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Snapp SD, Russell ST, Arredondo M, & Skiba R (2016). A Right to Disclose. LGBTQ Youth Representation in Data, Science, and Policy . In Advances in Child Development and Behavior (Vol. 50 ). 10.1016/bs.acdb.2015.11.005 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Swanson K, & Gettinger M (2016). Teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and supportive behaviors toward LGBT students: Relationship to Gay-Straight Alliances, antibullying policy, and teacher training . Journal of LGBT Youth , 13 ( 4 ), 326–351. 10.1080/19361653.2016.1185765 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Toomey RB, McGuire JK, & Russell ST (2012). Heteronormativity, school climates, and perceived safety for gender nonconforming peers . Journal of Adolescence , 35 ( 1 ), 187–196. 10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.03.001 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Toomey RB, & Russell ST (2011). Gay-Straight Alliances, Social Justice Involvement, and School Victimization of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Youth: Implications for School Well-Being and Plans to Vote . Youth & Society , 45 ( 4 ), 500–522. 10.1177/0044118X11422546 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Toomey RB, Ryan C, Diaz RM, & Russell ST (2011). High school Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs) and young adult well-being: An examination of GSA presence, participation, and perceived effectiveness . Applied Developmental Science , 15 ( 4 ), 175–185. 10.1080/10888691.2011.607378 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Walls NE, Laser J, Nickels SJ, & Wisneski H (2010). Correlates of cutting behavior among sexual minority youth . Social Work Research , 34 ( 4 ), 213–226. 10.1093/swr/34.4.213 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Walls NE, Wisneski H, & Kane S (2013). School Climate, Individual Support, or Both? Gay- Straight Alliances and the Mental Health of Sexual Minority Youth . School Social Work Journal , 37 ( 2 ), 88–111. [ Google Scholar ]
Westheimer K, & Szalacha LA (2015). Welcoming schools: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender-inclusive bullying prevention in elementary schools. - PsycNET . In Youth suicide and bullying: Challenges and strategies for prevention and intervention (pp. 231–245). 10.1093/med:psych/9780199950706.003.0019 [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Worthen MGF (2014). The Interactive Impacts of High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) on College Student Attitudes Toward LGBT Individuals: An Investigation of High School Characteristics . Journal of Homosexuality , 61 ( 2 ), 217–250. 10.1080/00918369.2013.839906 [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Prejudice and Discrimination Essay

Prejudice and discrimination are impossible to avoid when living in society. However, you rarely think about them, if you are not a subject of bias. At least, what I can say about myself is that I have never really thought about prejudice and discrimination, their essence, and consequences. This course helped me realize that these phenomena are complicated and versatile. I have learned that they have many levels and can be formulated by the trends in television programs, commercials, music, and cultural developments. Well, I think it might be true because if since childhood we watch television programs that depict discrimination and bias, then we start thinking of them as of a normal way of building relations with people from outside our group.

Nevertheless, I believe that media culture is not the initial source of imposing belief that treating those who are somehow not like you differently is normal. What is the most robust influential factor is the process of socialization within your group. As a kid, you start it within your family. However, growing up in a family that criticizes discrimination does not necessarily mean that you will become an unbiased adult. What matters is the further process of socialization when you become a member of a bigger group that consists of people with various ethnic, social, religious, and other backgrounds. Seeing the difference every day, you start thinking differently than when you were a part of your small social group – family. At least, it was like that for me.

When I was in a family, I was completely unbiased because I always saw people who had similar backgrounds. When watching TV, I rarely thought that programs and commercials portray differences between people with different backgrounds; I just enjoyed the process. However, when I became a part of a larger group, I started noticing that I like people who are similar to my family members more than others who differ from me in some ways. Since then, I remarked that media also plays a role in this process showing differences between men and women, stressing on racial and class segregation. That said, what I believe is the source of bias is the subconscious desire to be involved with the members of your group that becomes stronger when you see that it is highlighted on television that aims at shaping particular attitudes to the member outside the group.

Prejudice and discrimination are just one side of the process of socialization. Another side of it is acknowledging that they exist and influence other people, trying to understand what makes you biased and what are the prejudices you have. What I can say about myself is that being in a group while studying the nature of bias and discrimination was a useful experience. It helped me become somewhat less biased because I saw people with different backgrounds gathered in one group.

In fact, I realized that we all are similar because we all have some prejudices and feel uncomfortable when sharing our feelings and thoughts. I believe that the outcomes of the course might have been different if I were not to share my feelings with the group or completed the assignment on my own because constant interactions with different people helped me reduce the prejudices, and sometime later the feeling of discomfort vanished, as I realized that I can trust these people and bias cannot be justified.

Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, July 27). Prejudice and Discrimination. https://ivypanda.com/essays/prejudice-and-discrimination/

"Prejudice and Discrimination." IvyPanda , 27 July 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/prejudice-and-discrimination/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Prejudice and Discrimination'. 27 July.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Prejudice and Discrimination." July 27, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/prejudice-and-discrimination/.

1. IvyPanda . "Prejudice and Discrimination." July 27, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/prejudice-and-discrimination/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Prejudice and Discrimination." July 27, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/prejudice-and-discrimination/.

Feminist Examination of Science
Ethnic Stratification, Prejudice & Discrimination
Children's Socialization
Teenage Pregnancy and Abortion: Articles Evaluation
Hollywood Community Profile: Audience/Stakeholders
Common Property Use in the Indo-Pacific Region
Ashkenazi's and Western Zionists' Influence on Israel
Death With Dignity as a Social Concept

Gender Discrimination Essay

500 words gender discrimination essay.

Gender discrimination is when there are unfair rights between male and female. It differs because of their gender roles which ultimately leads to unequal treatment in life. Gender discrimination has been around for many centuries. However, as we are evolving, it is time to do away with such notions of gender roles. Thus, gender discrimination essay will take us through it in detail.

Causes of Gender Discrimination

There are many causes of gender discrimination. The first one has to be illiteracy . When people do not educate themselves, they continue to live in the old times. Thus, they follow the old-age sexist traditions and norms.

Education can bring about a change in this mindset because educated people will less likely partake in gender discrimination. Further, poverty is also another reason which is interlinked in a way.

It is the root cause in many places because the economic dependence remains on the male counterparts mostly. Thus, women suffer a lot from it because of the same reason. They never get out of this and stay financially dependent on men.

Furthermore, the patriarchal setup in our society plays a big role. In this setup, the male dominates almost every aspect of life. Thus, they consider themselves to be superior to others.

This way, a lot of violence and injustice is meted out against females. Thus, when there is a gender considering themselves to be superior, it becomes difficult for everyone to avail equal opportunities.

Impact of Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination has a deep impact on society as a whole. It does not just impact a specific section of the society but every part of it. First of all, it impacts children as they fall prey to gender stereotypes from a young age.

Further, it impacts young people because it impacts their behaviour, study choices, ambitions, attitudes and more. Thus, many girls do not participate in many sports and women experience physical violence more than men.

Next up, we have gender discrimination affecting adults because there is a gender pay gap between the working class. Men earn more for doing the same work as women. In addition, older women have more risk of becoming homeless than men.

It also impacts the aboriginal women because they have it a lot worse. It is more likely to happen that they can die from family violence, 11 times more than men. Even for men, it is not beneficial as it sets difficult standards for men to follow.

It draws a line on men being emotional. Thus, they can never showcase their emotions truly without being judged. Similarly, men do not parental leave in many places. Ultimately, all this results in more suicide in men. Thus, it impacts everyone.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of Gender Discrimination Essay

Gender discrimination must be checked at every stage so that no person should be denied a chance to learn and grow. Thus, everyone, no matter male or female, must get a start in life in terms of educations and other opportunities. We must come together as a society to do this.

FAQ on Gender Discrimination Essay

Question 1: Who is affected by gender inequality?

Answer 1: Gender inequality affects everyone, which includes men as well. Stereotypes about how women and men, girls and boys should be, start from their childhood and follow us to adulthood. Thus, it does not affect just one but all.

Question 2: Give an example of gender discrimination.

Answer 2: There are many examples of gender discrimination. For instance, restriction on clothing. If a man wears shorts, no one will bat an eye. However, if a woman wears shorts, she will be seen in a bad light and be called names. Similar is the case for housework.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

Travelling Essay
Picnic Essay
Our Country Essay
My Parents Essay
Essay on Favourite Personality
Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
Essay on Knowledge is Power
Essay on Gurpurab
Essay on My Favourite Season
Essay on Types of Sports

Download the App

India Today
Business Today
Reader’s Digest
Harper's Bazaar
Brides Today
Cosmopolitan
Aaj Tak Campus
India Today Hindi

Did Rahul Gandhi cook up an American story to prove his point about Dalit students?

Rahul gandhi's remarks about alleged discrimination in evaluation of lower-caste students in iit entrance exam has courted controversy. to prove his point, the congress leader compared the iit-jee with the american sat exam. but is this comparison valid.

Listen to Story

Rahul Gandhi's comment on caste, merit, and entrance tests sparks controversy
He suggests IIT-JEE exams should be set by Dalit educators
He compared India’s IIT-JEE with the American SAT, citing racial bias in SATs

Rahul Gandhi completely fabricates the story about the SAT exams and Blacks. He is out to destroy IIT-JEE too. Get out to vote or he will destroy whatever excellence we have in India pic.twitter.com/T9apUyVBK3 — We, the people of India (@India_Policy) May 6, 2024

To underline his point, Rahul Gandhi compared India’s IIT-JEE with the American SAT or the Scholastic Assessment Test, suggesting that IIT entrance exams in India should be prepared by Dalits so that more underprivileged students can get into these institutions.

He went on to describe how questions included in American SATs designed by Whites were racially biased against African Americans and Latin Americans. Gandhi says in the clip: “This went on for many years. Then one day a professor said let me try something. They got the same papers written by African Americans. They decided to get the papers written by African Americans. And when they gave the exam, do you know what happened? All the Whites failed.”

The viral clip is taken from an eight-minute video shared by Rahul Gandhi’s official YouTube channel on May 4, where he answered a question asked by a local regarding reservations and the Congress party’s proposed caste census.

What are the SAT exams that Rahul Gandhi referred to?

SATs or Scholastic Assessment Test are standardised assessment tests that most American high school students take. These tests included 98 questions in four modules: One for reading, one for writing, and two for mathematics.

Did Rahul Gandhi cook up a story about SATs?

In the video, Rahul Gandhi explained that following years of controversy about the SATs’ alleged racial bias, an experiment was conducted wherein the test was formulated by Black educators. He claimed that when this happened, all the White students who took this test failed.

Does the SAT have a racial bias?

There have been instances when the test has been accused of being formulated in a way that favours Whites over other races. Various articles written over the years , including one published by the National Education Association , the largest teachers' union in the US, cite research to show that the SATs have been racially biased .

Is Rahul Gandhi’s comparison an oversimplification?

India Today spoke to Mukesh Khare, professor emeritus in the civil engineering department at IIT Delhi. Khare said that he did not agree with Rahul Gandhi’s assertion that more Dalit professors setting entrance tests would help lower-caste students get into IITs.

He explained: “The set of professors who design the question papers do not make questions based on the aspirants’ caste. Students are not being able to get into IITs because of their educational background, not because someone from their community is not designing the question paper.”

Khare also added that in designing entrance question papers, SC, ST, and OBC academics are also involved, adding that reservations are already in place in IITs.

IN THIS STORY

Share full article

Supported by

Letter of Recommendation

What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

An illustration of a high school student with blue hair, dreaming of what to write in their college essay.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

COMMENTS

Discrimination Essay
You can also find more Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more. Long and Short Essays on Discrimination for Students and Kids in English. We provide children and students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic "Discrimination" for reference.
Essays About Discrimination: Top 5 Examples and 8 Prompts
Essay On Discrimination For Students In Easy Words by Prateek "In the current education system, the condition of education and its promotion of equality is very important. The education system should be a good place for each and every student. It must be on the basis of equal opportunities for each student in every country.
Essay on Discrimination
Students are often asked to write an essay on Discrimination in their schools and colleges. And if you're also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic. ... 500 Words Essay on Discrimination Introduction. Discrimination is a pervasive social issue that exists in various forms across the globe ...
What Students Are Saying About Race and Racism in America
Yes, we learned about slavery and racism in the United States, especially racism during the time of Martin Luther King Jr., but we kind of just stopped there. We learned nothing of police ...
Racial Discrimination and Justice in Education Essay
Web. According to the authors, an operational definition of racial battle fatigue (RBF) is the mental, emotional, and physical costs of fighting racism. RBF is employed in this article to examine the effects of racism on educators of color who work in a predominately "White profession.". The scholars share counterstories of urban academics ...
618 Discrimination Essay Topics & Writing Examples
In this article we will reveal the brief lookback to the history of discrimination and its causes, and provide a list of discrimination topics for essay, as well as paper examples on gender, disability, and racial inequality. We will write. a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts.
Ending Discrimination in Education: a key instrument to ...
The UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education is a key global legal instrument to protect the right to education and advance equal learning opportunities without regard to race, gender or any distinctions, economic or social. Discrimination remains pervasive in education, whether on the basis of disability, gender, language, income ...
Essay on Discrimination And Equality for Students
Students are often asked to write an essay on Discrimination And Equality in their schools and colleges. And if you're also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.
Reducing Racism in Schools: The Promise of Anti-Racist Policies
Editor's Note: Britney L. Jones, Neag School doctoral candidate in the Learning, Leadership, and Educational Policy program, prepared the following issue brief — in affiliation with the Center for Education Policy Analysis (CEPA) — examining school and district policies and practices aimed at eliminating racism. Introduction. In 2020, the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna ...
(PDF) The Impact of Discrimination Beyond Sense of Belonging
Results: Discrimination was experienced by 5-15% of students, with all racial/ethnic minority groups examined- including Black, Hispanic, Asian, AI/NA/NA, and Multiracial students- more likely to ...
Discrimination in School
The key issues in the case study. The main issues include: racial prejudice, disrespect for authority, superiority complexes, and lack of child discipline. This class of ten to eleven-year-olds has a lot of complications within the classroom. The white children are biased towards their black classmate, and their actions clearly illustrate this.
7.2.4 English and linguistic discrimination (research essay)
7.2.4 English and linguistic discrimination (research essay) Anonymous English 102 Writer. November 2020. After the Norman conquest of France in 1066, French rose to the seat of the world's lingua franca, or a language used to communicate across all other countries (Marques para. 2). French was the language of power - anybody who was anyone boasted of speaking it (Marques para. 3).
PDF Perceived Discrimination and Students' Behavioural Changes: The Role of
Factors that might buffer or prompt discrimination among students and the influence of teachers' discrimination on students' learning outcomes and behavioural changes must be recognized by teachers and counsellors (Sehgal et al., 2017). Among Indians, cultural
Prejudice and Discrimination: [Essay Example], 885 words
Prejudice involves favoring one's in-group and devaluing individuals in an out-group based solely on group membership (Whitley & Kite, 2016). Discrimination and prejudice can have detrimental effects on the well-being of individuals who belong to out-groups, including higher stress levels, lower wages, increased rates of detention, and poorer ...
Full article: How to counteract racism in education
Racism and Swedish educational policy. Since the emergence of a national school system in the mid-1800s, the values governing education in Sweden have shifted over time (Arneback Citation 2012).After WWII and its racist atrocities, the curriculum began to emphasize the democratic task of education: teaching students the knowledge, skills and values needed to be active democratic citizens, as ...
"Like Walking Through a Hailstorm": Discrimination Against LGBT Youth
Researchers spoke with 358 current or former students and 145 teachers, administrators, parents, service providers, and advocates for LGBT youth. All interviews were conducted in English. No ...
How Are LGBT Youths Affected by Discrimination and What Can Schools Do
This essay shows how discrimination leads to increased high school drop out rates for LGBT youths and, of greater concern, increased rates of suicide and substance abuse. ... If this method helps only two out of ten anti-gay students cease discrimination against LGBT students, I am sure that it will make a difference.
Should You Discuss Race in Your College Essay?
The US Supreme Court banned colleges' affirmative action admission practices, raising a question about students writing about race in their college essay. "Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination ...
Promoting School Safety for LGBTQ and All Students
The Executive Order marks the first time that federal policy has provided legal protection against discrimination for LGBTQ students in K-12 education across the United States. However, as a presidential action, the policy lacks permanency and can be swiftly overturned by the next federal administration. Additionally, as a federal policy ...
"Just Let Us Be": Discrimination Against LGBT Students in the
This report documents the range of abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in secondary school. It details widespread bullying and harassment, discriminatory ...
Racism Essay
Long and Short Essays on Racism for Students and Kids in English. We are providing children and students with essay samples on an extended essay of 500 words and a short piece of 150 words on the topic "Racism" for reference. Long Essay on Racism 500 Words in English. Long Essay on Racism is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.
Prejudice and Discrimination
Prejudice and Discrimination Essay. Prejudice and discrimination are impossible to avoid when living in society. However, you rarely think about them, if you are not a subject of bias. At least, what I can say about myself is that I have never really thought about prejudice and discrimination, their essence, and consequences.
Gender Discrimination Essay for Students and Children
Question 2: Give an example of gender discrimination. Answer 2: There are many examples of gender discrimination. For instance, restriction on clothing. If a man wears shorts, no one will bat an eye. However, if a woman wears shorts, she will be seen in a bad light and be called names. Similar is the case for housework.
The SFFA v. Harvard Trojan Horse Admissions Lawsuit
Abstract. Affirmative-action-hostile admissions lawsuits are modern Trojan horses. The SFFA v. Harvard/UNC case—Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, et. al., decided jointly—is the most effective Trojan horse admissions lawsuit to date.
Did Rahul Gandhi cook up an American story to prove his point about
Rahul Gandhi's remarks about alleged discrimination in evaluation of lower-caste students in IIT entrance exam has courted controversy. To prove his point, the Congress leader compared the IIT-JEE with the American SAT exam. ... Khare also added that in designing entrance question papers, SC, ST, and OBC academics are also involved, adding that ...
What I've Learned From My Students' College Essays
Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn't supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they're afraid that packaging ...