Critical learning requires a
degree of vulnerability from
the learner and the teacher. But
when the traumas of systemic
oppression are unaddressed
in the classroom, marginal-
ized students aren’t given the
chance they deserve to show
their own vulnerability, and
thus aren’t given the chance to
engage in a wholly authentic
and meaningful learning expe-
rience.
First, let’s make no mistake:
Being vulnerable means being
courageous. We often underes-
timate how courage translates
in a classroom setting. Criti-
cally engaging with material
requires putting ourselves in
a state in which we’re open
to potential failure. This is
especially true in the arts and
humanities which ask us to
draw from our own lived human
experience during the learn-
ing process. Although drasti-
cally understated, the daunting
challenge of arts courses is
being emotionally vulnerable.
For students impacted by trau-
ma, this vulnerability can be a
difficult commitment to make,
for any class.
Educators should strive to
cultivate a learning environ-
ment in which students tap
into their own vulnerability in
order to succeed.
This means removing the
punishment from education
which manifests itself in the
formal and hidden curriculum.
Western
Philosopher
Louis
Althusser in his piece Ideology
and Ideological State Appara-
tuses first describes the ways
in which the punitive or repres-
sive nature of educational insti-
tutions serves as a means to
reproduce class inequality. He
asserts that this repression and
punishment shows up in both
the “formal curriculum” which
refers to the official courses,
lessons and academic learn-
ing taught to the student — as
well as in what educators call
the “hidden curriculum” which
refers to the transference of
conventions, norms and beliefs
in the classroom.
The
formal
curriculum’s
punitive
nature
manifests
itself in American schools by
its design; strict yet often arbi-
trary and superficial grading
systems cause students to focus
on the completion of assign-
ments rather than engagement
in material. Mechanical memo-
rization and rhythmic repeti-
tion establish an environment
in which students are afraid
to take risks and become what
Paulo Freire describes in Peda-
gogy of Freedom as “slaves to
the text.” In this current aca-
demic
environment,
largely
attributable to what Freire
refers to as the banking model
of education, critical capacity,
the curiosity of the learner and
the autonomy of the learner
are essentially non-existent.
Students learn under coercion
rather than out of a pure inter-
est for knowledge about the
wondrous world we live in.
When the threat of a poor grade
takes precedence over learn-
ing, the likelihood of cheating,
dis-engagement, dropping out
and other adverse behaviors in
the classroom increases.
The
hidden
curriculum’s
punitive nature, on the other
hand, manifests itself more
subtly, yet still is just as dis-
paraging. Colonized classroom
management punishes students
for tardiness and absenteeism
(which fails to apply a holis-
tic approach to the underly-
ing reasons as to why students
might be late or have to miss
class) and punishes students
for not following rules in class
or misbehaving (rather than
re-directing
or
seeking
to
understand the root cause of
a student’s insubordination).
Discipline disparities for Black
students as well as students
with disabilities persist before
pre-K, and overall, Latinx,
Black and Native/Indingenous
students are given disciplin-
ary punishment at dispropor-
tionate rates, contributing to
the ongoing school-to-prison
pipeline nexus that plagues our
communities to this day.
Additionally,
Althusser’s
notion of education serving as a
reproduction of class inequali-
ty allows us to see how students
of higher socio-economic sta-
tus are able to be more vulner-
able and take more risks in the
classroom. With access to tech-
nology, tutoring, academic sup-
port, prep-courses and highly
educated parents students at
their disposal, wealthier stu-
dents are put at a significant
advantage before even stepping
foot in the classroom.
Couple
this
with
the
immense amount of opportu-
nities that students of higher
income are able to take advan-
tage of. High school clubs such
as Speech and Debate and
Model United Nations, sum-
mer camps, private dance and
vocal lessons, club sports and
many other prominent, enrich-
ing opportunities all require
money, time, access to trans-
portation and resources. Many
of us take for granted how
these activities cultivate our
intellect, and thus, allow us to
achieve at high levels. All these
activities require a degree of
courage (and vulnerability) in
order to participate which aids
us in the long run.
Outside of systemic barri-
ers,
marginalized
students
are grossly underrepresented
in the classroom, which con-
tributes to their inability to
be emotionally vulnerable in
learning spaces. An under-
whelming 2% of educators are
black males, whereas nearly
80% of the teaching workforce
is comprised of white Christian
women.
Without
representation,
without an educator who can
authentically understand your
identity, and your struggle, and
your oppression, the critical
learning process cannot fully
take place for anyone.
As an aspiring educator of
color, gaining current expe-
rience in Crescendo Detroit,
where I teach acting, establish-
ing a pedagogy that empowers
students to engage at a critical
level in which they are able
to be vulnerable is key. This
entails preparing a curriculum
that favors the autonomy of my
student, cultivates their inner
curiosity and draws on their
own lived experience in an
uplifting manner.
Having a trauma-informed,
intentional
approach
about
who is being represented in
the material, what themes
and ideas the material dis-
cusses and how the material is
accessed (especially in this vir-
tual setting), are all necessary
efforts in education.
While there’s a lot educators
can do to allow students to be
more vulnerable in classes, we
as students should keep in mind
the critical role we play in aid-
ing our own learning. Learning
is a lifelong, dynamic process.
As the Leaders and Best, for-
tunate enough to receive a top-
notch quality education at the
No. 1 ranking public school in
the nation, we should always
strive to make the most of our
academic journey, with the
hopes that one day, a critical
learning experience will be
available to all.
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan in Color
6 — Wednesday, November 11, 2020
puzzle by sudokusnydictation.com
By Bryant White
©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
11/11/20
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
11/11/20
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
ACROSS
1 Instances of night
vision?
7 What crooks may
beat
11 QB targets
14 Washing aid for
pupils
15 Balm ingredient
16 Mil. branch
disbanded in
1978
17 Balancing point
20 “Pronto!”
21 If all goes wrong
22 “Four score
and seven
years __ ... ”
25 “A Walk Among
the Tombstones”
star Neeson
27 Islamic deity
28 Be convenient
32 Fr. holy woman
33 Tailless cat
34 Like Erik the Red
36 Director Kazan
37 Sweets ... and,
in three parts, a
hint to the four
longest Across
answers
39 Veers off sharply
43 Phil or Steve with
Olympic slalom
medals in the
same race
45 Knight neighbor
46 Cut for an agt.
49 Transports to a
new location
53 2000s first lady
Bush
55 Low on the Mohs
scale
56 Ending for Gator
57 Pinball players’
haunts
60 Usually fuzzy
tabloid pics
62 Anti-aging
procedure
67 Jimmy Eat World
genre
68 Bull or boar
69 Parlor piece
70 Identity thief’s
target: Abbr.
71 Sommer of
movies
72 English teacher’s
stack to grade
DOWN
1 Solstice mo.
2 Corned beef
bread
3 Poetic twilight
4 Official records
5 Oaty breakfast
mix
6 Injury often iced
7 Battle of Britain
gp.
8 Fish food plant
9 Left on a cruise
10 Shipping routes
11 Wields, as a
baton
12 Torments
13 Grim Reaper
tool
18 Fish with
vermilion fins
19 Spine abbr.,
maybe
22 Cartoon maker
of Dehydrated
Boulders
23 Rink success
24 All: Pref.
26 Miss in an advice
column
29 Midterm, e.g.
30 Drop off
31 Hang out on a
line
35 Vampire
Weekend lead
vocalist Koenig
37 “__-ching!”
38 Flight board
abbr.
40 Davenport’s
home
41 Provoke
42 Scottish isle
44 Scholar’s world
46 Finishes second
47 Billiards shots
48 Jojo’s Arizona
home, in the
Beatles’ “Get
Back”
50 Markers in a
pot
51 Flow out
52 Mall directory
listings
54 Farm butter
58 Lat. shortener
59 Hose material
61 Some PX patrons
63 Biscuit middle?
64 One of four
rhyming Greek
letters
65 Daisy Ridley’s
role in three “Star
Wars” films
66 “I agree”
SUDOKU
WHISPER
“Racism isn’t
over this is just
the starting
point.”
“my heart’s been
broken 2 many
times by chinese
restaurants here”
11/04/20
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
15 Alone, at a party
17 Christian sch. in
32 The Red Baron,
The murders of George Floyd,
Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Tay-
lor and numerous other inno-
cent Black people this year
sparked a revolution yearning
for change Black people have
needed for many years. With
worldwide daily protests and
heavy social media conversa-
tions about race, it feels like the
world is finally waking up to
the injustices Black people have
faced for centuries in America.
But how much reform can there
really be in systemic racism if
the systems that encourage this
oppression fail to change? Indi-
viduals are constantly being told
to fix the racial biases present in
this country when most of the
blame should be shifted towards
corporate performative activ-
ism. It is easy for brands to say
that they want to see change
and are in solidarity with those
who are suffering from the sys-
temic challenges of this country.
It is easy to post an Instagram
picture condemning racism to
make themselves look good.
But if there is no real change or
accountability being taken for
their contributions to the sys-
temic challenges marginalized
communities face, the preached
activism is useless. The reality
of this corporate performative
activism has resulted in the con-
tinued oppression of marginal-
ized groups of people. It’s great
that brands like Aunt Jemima
and
Uncle
Ben
recognized
the racist foundation of their
brands, but the surface level
activism only further establish-
es the very institutions we are
trying to get rid of. Were all the
promises from brands and cor-
porations to do better genuine?
Or were they just stunts used to
keep consumers coming?
Following the protests and
pledges from brands to do bet-
ter for the Black community,
Sharon
Chuter,
Founder
of
Uoma Beauty decided to ques-
tion these claims. She launched
an Instagram campaign called
#pulluporshutup
where
she
challenged these pledges of
solidarity by asking companies
to release the number of Black
people they have in positions
higher than field and retail lev-
els. With there being an average
of 10% of Black college gradu-
ates in America, Chuter wanted
to see how many brands have at
least 10% of Black representa-
tion in those higher positions.
As I followed this campaign,
I have been shocked to see just
how many brands that I support
still have little to no Black voic-
es in leadership positions. Even
some of my favorites who have
voiced their support for diversi-
ty, including Netflix, Apple and
Nike, all surprised me in how
little Black representation they
have. Netflix has only 7% Black
representation across the orga-
nization, 8% in leadership roles
and none in executive positions.
Apple has only 3% of Black voic-
es in leadership roles, and 9%
Black representation through-
out the company. Nike has no
Black representation in execu-
tive positions, and only 4.8% in
corporate levels. These brands
thrive on Black dollars, but can’t
hire these same people to lead
their companies?
Some
brands
pledged
to
increase their Black representa-
tion and donate to HBCUs and
foundations fighting for Black
lives after being called out. Uni-
lever, which is home to business-
es including Dove, Vaseline and
Lipton, committed to making
their workforce more diverse
with only 8% of Black repre-
sentation across the corpora-
tion and 17% in leadership roles.
They are also donating over $1
million dollars to bail funds
and organizations fighting for
Black lives. Coty Inc, which is
home to beauty brands includ-
ing Covergirl, Sally Hansen,
and Rimmel London, has 17.2%
of black representation across
the board and 2.9% at executive
levels. Covergirl has commit-
ted to amplifying Black beauty
influencers on their platform
and donating money to Black
Lives Matter and the NAACP
Legal Defense Fund. There are
even some companies that have
been successful in implement-
ing more than that bench mark
of 10% in their leadership posi-
tions. ELF cosmetics’ leader-
ship team is 14% Black and 45%
diverse. P & G, which is home to
Old Spice and Pantene, has 13%
Black representation in leader-
ship positions and plans to do
more. Progress has been made
with businesses seemingly tak-
ing accountability for the part
they play in systemic racism, but
is this just more corporate per-
formative activism?
In a survey of 2378 people
conducted under Chuter’s same
campaign, 70% have not seen
any of these changes happen-
ing in their company, and 69%
have seen their companies lose
momentum since June when
they said they would make these
changes. Statements commit-
ting to change look good on
paper, but it is interesting to see
just how many companies have
no intentions of improving their
faults.
In July, actress Aisha Dee
released a statement calling out
her show The Bold Type for its
part in the lack of Black repre-
sentation in Corporate Ameri-
ca. The Bold Type is one of my
favorite shows to watch because
they have difficult conversa-
tions about race, sexuality and
gender. But what is communi-
cated on screen is not always
carried out behind the scenes.
Dee revealed that it took two out
of the show’s four seasons to get
a writer of color. In forty-eight
episodes, only two of them were
directed by a Black woman, and
it took three seasons for some-
one who knew how to do tex-
tured hair to appear in dressing
rooms. The presidents of Uni-
versal TV and Freeform, where
the show is housed, have Black
women presidents, but there is
still little representation in the
production crew that creates
this show. If the need for social
change is embraced on screen,
why isn’t it practiced behind
the scenes? If what is preached
on camera isn’t translated in the
real world, the activism is per-
formative and hypocritical of
the messages they try to teach
viewers at home. It further con-
tributes to the oppression of
marginalized groups.
I am happy to see how many
people seem to be in solidar-
ity with Black voices that have
been silenced for so long. I have
also been eager to be intro-
duced to and support so many
Black owned brands through
the Instagram account @black-
ownedeverything. But the pres-
ence of corporate performative
activism does more harm than
it does good if corporations are
unable to acknowledge their
own faults. Marginalized com-
munities have suffered for too
long. Plans for change are no
longer suggested, but rather
demanded and expected. If
2020 has taught us one thing,
it is that life is unpredictable —
it is okay and also necessary to
change the principles compa-
nies were founded on. We need
real change.
The authenticity of corporate activism
MARIA PATTON
MiC Columnist
No vulnerability,
no learning
Photo by Ivan Aleksic via Unsplash
KARIS CLARK
MiC Columnist