Document Type
Issue Area Five
Abstract
The task of writing a position paper based on the given title poses a problem, firstly, of definition. The phrase "the difference" represents the deficit manner in which society continually views "people of color" and the White population. Specifically, we have historically chosen to use deficit thinking in education when trying to articulate characteristics of Blacks arid Whites, thanks to the testing movement and other highly questionable and devastating historical events. So, naturally, this difference alluded to in the given title must refer to the difference in expectations and performance standards that teachers hold for children of color when compared to those held for the "norm" group of White children. However, I wish to direct my comments not only to the issue of lower performance expectations, but also the generally low performance standards set by schools and how that translates in the community of people of color-specifically Black Americans. School communities expect less of Black students because they are still viewed as inferior to the norm group through acts of omission in the curriculum and culturally. These low expectations actually match the low expectations reflected in school policies in relation to personal and academic behavior.
Journal Title
Institute for Educational Leadership Monograph Series
Volume
2
Issue
2
First Page
142
Last Page
146
Publisher
Institute for Educational Leadership, University of Northern Iowa
City
Cedar Falls, IA
Copyright
©1991 Institute for Educational Leadership, College of Education, and University of Northern Iowa
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Clayton, Scharron A.
(1991)
"Issue Five: Expectations and Standards of Performance for People of Color in Education [Clayton],"
Institute for Educational Leadership Monograph Series: Vol. 2:
No.
2, Article 36.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/iel_monographs/vol2/iss2/36
