Question: Is racism more evident in schools as well as in the outside community than previously believed? As of 2006, Stats Canada stated that: “36 percent of visible minorities feel they have experienced discrimination and unfair treatment because of ethno-cultural characteristics; nearly 50 percent of Blacks reported discrimination or unfair treatment. By contrast, 33 percent of South Asian and Chinese respondents reported discrimination or unfair treatment”.
My idea was to see the views of children at the earliest age of education
and get their thoughts and then continue to ask questions throughout other
grade levels. Then once the education aspect was covered, I’d interview
the older age demographic such as seniors or parents of high school students
to get their views on racism/discrimination. The theory is that Canadian
schools are multicultural; the reality is that indeed we are. In a school
of 1000 you could find different races and ethnicities. Statistic Canada
states that “Today, nearly half of Canada’s citizens (47%)
are of an ethnic origin other than British, French or native-born Canadian
as well that in 2001, Statistics Canada reported that one-in-five school
children in Toronto and Vancouver were a new immigrant... However the
questions of equality and discrimination are always raised; I’ve
shed some light on these issues…
I interviewed many different age demographics to see how their perceptions
of race and ethnicity change as they progress through school and as they
continue on throughout life. The results were shocking. The idea was to
take a picture of three men, roughly the same age. All the pictures were
the same size, in height and length. No preferences were taken in the
placement of pictures. The first picture is of Booker. T. Washington,
(referred to man #1 in the interviews) who was an American educator and
famous author. The second was a picture of the last Emperor of China,
Aixinjueluo Puyi;( referred to man #2 in the interviews) who was famous
for his 10 year stay in “Re-education” camp. The last was
a man by the name of Jean-Claude Romand, (referred to man #3) in the interviews.
He was a “Common-Joe”, who eventually went psychotic and murdered
his entire family. The fist experiment was interviewing younger children;
I began the experiment by interviewing children below the age of 5. The
results for that were biased. The ages of the children were too young.
They had trouble comprehending what questions I was asking. The children
did all agree that they thought, Aixinjueluo Puyi was a doctor but even
that information is invalid. The results were inconclusive.
 |
 |
 |
Washington |
Puyi |
Romand |
The second experiment went better than the first. I interviewed a number
of grade 10 students. When it came to the describing aspect of the questionnaire
all of the participants were very vague. They described then men as “Suit,
glasses, intelligent or rich” rather then discuss their color or
orientations. (In my opinion it was because they were scared of being
labeled “discriminatory or racist”). When I asked the question
“What type of profession do you think these men do?” the answers
were interesting, many thought the first man was in engineering or a doctor.
The second was believed to be a professor and the last man was thought
to be in politics. When asked who I thought was the “Family man”
all thought Romand. When I asked “Who appears most intelligent”
everyone replied “The middle man” (referring to Aixinjueluo
Puyi) because of his appearance (I.E the glasses and Simi-smile) When
I asked “Who do you think is the most respectable” they all
agreed that it was Booker. T. Washington.
The final question was “Do you think racism / discrimination exists
in schools?” and the answer was a resounding “Yes” Some
admitted that they have personally witnessed racism in schools and other
just expressed that “It was out there” (implying racism)The
next day I interviewed a few grade 9 students. When asked the question
“ Describe these men in one word” The first man( Booker.T.Washington)
was called “Man, curly, black, tux” The second man (Aixinjueluo
Puyi ) was described as “ Glasses, Chinese” and the third
man (Jean-Claude Romand ) was described as “ Shiny forehead , big
eyebrows, nice and receding hairline”. When I asked “What
career do you think these men do?” Booker.T.Washington was guessed
as a “Politician, lawyer, dentist, and salesman.” Aixinjueluo
Puyi career was guessed as “Office worker, or a secret agent”
and Jean-Claude Romand was guessed as working as a “Car salesman,
or doctor”. When I asked “Who appears the most intelligent?”
the results were split. Two students polled thought that Aixinjueluo Puyi
appeared the most intelligent while two thought Booker.T.Washington was
the most intelligent because he looks “more professional”.
When asked “Who looks the friendliest?” one thought Aixinjueluo
Puyi and the others believed that Jean-Claude Romand was the friendliest
because of their smiles. When I inquired “who do you think is the
family man?’ All believed that Romand was the father figure. The
final question of “Do you think racism/discrimination exists in
schools?” all replied in the affirmative. “Yes-”
For my last interviews I questioned another young child. She was approximately
five years of age. When I asked the question “Who do you think could
be a daddy?” the young girl responded with Jean-Claude Romand she
also thought that Aixinjueluo Puyi appeared the friendliest and that Booker.T.Washington
was the most intelligent. At the question of “What career do you
think these men do?” She basically just named various careers (
it is this authors opinion that she didn’t really comprehend what
she was describing) However she said that Booker.T.Washington was a Doctor,
Aixinjueluo Puyi was a veterinarian and that Jean-Claude was an ‘”Office
worker”
I next interviewed her grandmother. The first question was “Describe
this man in one word” She described Washington as “honorable”
Aixinjueluo Puyi “Official” and Jean-Claude as “ Government
worker”. When I asked “What profession do you think these
men do?” She believed that Washington was “school teacher,
professor “ Aixinjueluo Puyi was a “Government or immigration”
and that Claude was a “business man” The family man was believed
to have been Jean-Claude and also that he appeared the friendliest. For
the final question “Do you believe racism exists in schools?”
I got a great response. The interviewee expressed that racism probably
still does exist in schools it’s just not as present as it was when
she was in school. She then went on to tell me about how her schools used
to be segregated, by gender, race and religion. I found this really interesting.
I’ve never met someone who actuality attended a segregated school.
It was a really great experience to have a chance to chat with her about
her past. Reflecting back, I see that I should have framed my questions
a little less vague. Depending on how you ask the question, tone, wording
and presentation will give you a very different response.
I thought that racism was very existent in schools. I still believe it
is. However, it turns out that people don’t discriminate based on
color but more so on appearance and persona. Due to the conclusion raised,
I believe that people are extremely afraid of being labeled “racist”
when I asked the question “Describe the person in one word”
every single person interviewed pondered the question for an extended
period of time. It’s this authors opinion that they were very careful
about what descriptive word they chose (trying to be vague) because I
previously informed them that the survey/questionnaire was about racism
in schools. No one gave me an example of racism or said something discriminating;
however they all agreed that it was evident in schools. Is it possible
that everyone I interviewed was not racist? sure. It’s possible
but certain levels, unlikely. Many people say that they aren’t raciest
or discriminatory but on some level either consciously or subconsciously
they are. Whether it’s crossing the street because ‘someone
looks creepy’ or thinking someone is not friendly because they aren’t
smiling. At one time in our life or another, I’m sure we could all
remember at least one account where we had a thought like that. I thought
then perhaps that the appearance-based discrimination would only happen
in high school; however even the younger age demographics as well as the
seniors interviewed were very biased towards the photos. They felt the
smiling man (Jean-Claude Romand) could be “A daddy or father figure”
and also that he appeared “friendliest” and Aixinjueluo Puyi
(man with glasses) would be “The most intelligent” because
glasses are a symbol of literacy. Due to the clothes worn and way he presented
himself (facial features) Washington appeared the most respectable and
distinguished. 
Washington Puyi Romand
Note: the pictures were lager and placed slightly different (Modifications).
Also the word “Portrait” did not appear on the actually picture
of Jean –Claude Romand.