The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I had an experience just today that really broke my heart.  I will start at the beginning.  I have been looking for a full-time teacher and 2 part-time caregivers for a several weeks.  I have received little to no applicants.  But today, a lady came in to apply for anything I could give her.  She wants to work with kids – a lot.  As she was filling out her application, we were talking about things – getting to know each other.  She was telling me that all her kids were grown and out of the house, her husband worked and she wanted to do something.  She has always wanted to work with kids.  While we were talking I knew she would be perfect to help out with our toddler classes.

However, when I started reviewing her app, I noticed that she did not mark if she had a diploma or GED.  I questioned her and she hung her head and said no she did not have.  She said that she had applied for several jobs lately and not gotten them because of the same reason.  I told her that State regulations required a diploma or GED, but I gave her information on how to get one if she were interested.  Other times at this point, I would have concluded the interview and closed the book on her.  But this class has really made me look into myself and want to know more about other people.

She began telling me her reasons for leaving school and I was so sad for her.  She said her mom had four kids and worked three jobs.  Her being the oldest at 7 had to get the kids up and dressed, fed and on the bus.  She said that her grades and trouble at school began at 9.  She just was so tired that she started not caring about school because she had to care about her siblings.  Her mother would tell her that she had to go to school and spank her when she would go back to sleep and miss the bus.  She quit school at age 11 in the 5^th grade because she had to do more and more to help her mother. 

 

I wanted to give her the job anyway.  I wanted to help her get the GED so she could fulfill the dream she has had for so long – to work with kids.  I made a deal with her.  She register for GED classes and prove to me that she was going and I would bring her on part-time with stipulations that she continue her classes and take her tests.  She called me an hour later – the place I told her to go did not do classes anymore, but the local community college could sign her up Wednesday afternoon.  Then she asked if she brought the registration could she start Thursday.  Then she called me back a couple of hours later.  Her neighbor had agreed to help her and they were signing her up for online classes today.  Her neighbor was going to help her with the math part.  I told her to get signed up and call me Monday with all of the particulars so we could work something out.  I told her that I would find her a spot as soon as she was done.

Her situation was oppression by poverty and condition.  She had no equity because she was forgotten and she fell through the cracks at school.  Why did her teachers never question where she was?  Her equity situation changed as she got older – she is now 52.  She married and had children.  However, who knows what might have been or what she may have been able to do and accomplish with an education.  She made me feel privileged to have an education.  I hope that I was able to give her the encouragement to get her GED because this is what she says she has always wanted to do and I would love to have her at my center.  I believe that she would be a great teacher.  When we were talking about the GED, I mentioned the CDA once she finished the GED.  Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.  “Do you really think I could do that?” she was more excited than I had seen someone in a long time. 

Even though I cannot hire her for a while, I invited her to a childcare conference (the center's treat) my organization is putting on next week.  We will have lots of child development, classroom management, art, vocabulary, how to pick appropriate toys for your age child, discipline, movement, etc.  She will get a healthy dose of what we do and have fun learning.  I think this will encourage her even more to continue.  She will also be volunteering for a few hours during the weeks prior to her taking her tests.