It was refreshing, yet disturbing to see a lot of the experiences that I’ve had in print. It was refreshing because it validated my concerns and experiences with gender and racial bias’. On the other hand, it was also disturbing because there were far too many examples of how gender and racial biases shape workplace experiences for many. I’ve shared with colleagues from other schools how the boys at my school are definitely being programmed to believe that they are the best and the brightest despite there being little if any evidence to support this notion. There are many bright and capable girls and minorities that do fit this description, but they are not being touted as the best. They rarely ever seek out positions of leadership (class president, student council president, and etc) because it is understood that they will not get elected. They usually choose the lesser roles (secretary, reporter, and etc.). This mentality was foreign to me when I first started at the school. I questioned it and was told by co-workers that they simply don’t apply or run for these positions. When I questioned the kids they told me that they knew they would never get it, because the popular boys always get these roles. I also found that such positions were also part of family dynasties. In order for outsiders to truly understand the lunacy of this concept, it must be noted that this is a middle school. This whole family dynasty thing has infiltrated the school faculty. The student of the year is always teacher nominated and selected, and of course, in keeping with the local culture, it is always a white male.
Being a black female I’ve always felt like what Wachter-Boettcher describes as a “culture misfit”. I am currently the only black middle school core teacher (there are two others: 1 elementary, and a gym coach) at my school, and I so don’t fit in. I am not interested in getting drunk at the school Christmas party, and riding four-wheelers or showing my breasts to my colleagues once I’ve overindulged. Of course, I am not invited to all of the Friday night hangouts, when all of the real school decisions are made, apparently, only those that are willing to get drunk are worthy enough to attend. I am certainly not a “culture fit”. Quitting is not an option for me as it was for the women interviewed, I’ll continue to request a transfer as I do every year. I guess I fit into the “edge case” category. I strive to be the Shonda Grimes of my school every year, but unfortunately, I am met with the great resistance.
Work Cited
Wachter-Boettcher, Sara. Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech. W.W. Norton and Company, 2018. Chapters 1-3