Hi Karen,

 

It's interesting that you mention privilege in the scope of abusers. 

 

I was apart of an initiative in Memphis at Rhodes College called Common
Ground. It explored issues as they related to race only. From there one
of my classmates introduced our group to what's called the White
Privilege Conference founded by Dr. Eddie Moore who now works for the
Bush School in Seattle that you may be familiar with. This conference
explores more than racism, but moves on to issues like gender, sexual
orientation, socio-economic class, and any other -ism you can think
about in reference to how we get along or not. Even Dr. Moore admitted
that he has to be aware of how the concept of male privilege forces him
to keep what he says in check while in a room where women are present. 

 

Being an African American living in the South in an interracial
relationship, I get "reminders" about being black. Which is ironic in
that my parents raised me to be the best human I can be since you can't
help what you look like. (smile)

 

I was asked to serve as volunteer coordinator for this conference which
occurs April 1 - 4, 2009 here in Memphis. Here is a link if you are
interested in learning more.

 

http://www.uccs.edu/~wpc/ 

 

Here's a link about privilege in reference to gender.

 

http://mmcisaac.faculty.asu.edu/emc598ge/Unpacking.html

 

Have a wonderful holiday, and I look forward to reading additional
material on this topic of abusers in the classrooms.

 

Be well,

 

Dorian

 

Dorian Spears

Program Assistant

Seedco, Mid-South Regional Office

22 North Front Street, Suite 900

Memphis, TN 38103-2162

Direct: 901.528.2456

Main: 901.255.2955

Fax: 901.528.1401

www.seedco.org <http://www.seedco.org> 

 

"Bloom where you are planted."

________________________________

From: diversity-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:diversity-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Karen Wyman
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2008 11:09 AM
To: The Diversity and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Diversity 302] Re: abusers in our classrooms

 

Dear Kearney, 

I have to disagree that Kate's comment is sexist. While most men are not
abusers and are not violent, most abusers are men, and most acts of
violence, particularly those acts against women, are committed by men.
It is not unreasonable, inaccurate, or sexist to conclude that "in any
ordinary group of men that some will be violent to a greater or lesser
extent." I think Kate was being very careful not to be sexist with her
language and word choice. 

 

Also, I'd like to suggest that students are not in classes to "handle"
their classmates; they are there to learn. It is the instructor's
responsibility to create an environment in which that can occur, and
that often includes being aware of potential problems before they happen
and intervening on behalf of the safety and wellbeing of all students. I
think it is an interesting assumption to think that these hypothetical
students are necessarily "non-feminist."

 

I think that privilege is an important piece of this conversation that
is being left out. I believe that, in addition to confronting racism and
sexism, we also have a responsibility to interrupt male and white (and
other kinds, too) privilege when it rears its head. I wonder if that
might be an interesting discussion: what can we do to confront the use
of unwarranted privilege in our classrooms? How can we interrupt those
conditioned behaviors that come with that privilege? Male privilege is
one of the many tools that abusers employ to exercise power and control
over their victims, and there are a number of ways in which we, as
educators, have the opportunity to either challenge or reinforce that
privilege.  

 

Respectfully, 

Karen

 

 

 

 

________________________________

 

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