Start Seeing Diversity: We Don't Say Those Words

This week we are required to write about a time when you witnessed an adult or yourself reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different.  

I remember when I was a child I lived in an apartment building.  There were 20 families in our building alone and there were 3 other buildings on our  block.  I remember clearly one fourth of July where everyone was outside lighting fireworks and sitting outside.  I saw a neighbor from an adjoining building outside which we rarely saw.  She was an extremely obese women and when she sat her legs would double over.  I was shocked and kept staring at her.  My mother noticed my reaction and pulled and pinched my ear.  She gave me the "look" and I knew I better stop.    Later my mother told me that we don't stare at people.  My mom told me she is like that because she is sick so don't stare.

I think the message I got is that 1) It is rude to stare.  2) Sometimes there is a reason for people to have something wrong with them.  3) We don't do things to hurt others.   

I think an anti-bias educator would have various examples of not only people but different sized people in the classroom.  I think an anti-bias educator would have valuable literature that shows all sorts of people.  I think an anti-bias educator would make it a cornerstone of their philosophy of teaching that all sorts of people either by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and size should be respected.  Obesity is a growing epidemic and through the media and children's literature they are viewed negatively.  This can change through the sensitive teaching of an anti-bias educator.