Reflection Post #3: The Four “I’s” of Oppression

 This week's reading, “The Four “I’s” of Oppression,” by TREC and video with Luna Malbroux touched on the ways that systemic oppression appears in our society. Of the four “I’s,” what stood out to me was institutional oppression. It is no secret that discrimination exists within societies policies, laws, and practices, but it is shocking to connect how it affects communities and the members that reside in them. In Malbroux’s video she mentioned, “the way our parent’s experience race, shapes our society.” So when a minority parent has experienced racism and discrimination all throughout their lives, it affects the quality of education they received, the job they secured, and the area they settled down in. Not to mention the type of insurance and amenities they are able to obtain. Since our class has been working with the readings of Johnson and Delpit, as well as getting ready to volunteer within the Providence schools, I have been thinking a lot about how our community is affected by such prejudice. I decided to compare two different elementary schools in two distinctly different areas of Rhode Island. Just from a quick google search, it is clear that where you live has an immense impact on the school you attend. From the actual school building to the demographic of these elementary schools, they are complete opposites. Webster Avenue Elementary School is in Providence, and it is the school I will be volunteering in with Inspiring Minds. Raymond C LaPerche is the school I attended from kindergarten to fifth grade. While growing up, I never knew how lucky and privileged I was to be able to attend this elementary school. The images I have posted of the school’s demographic piqued my interest in the area where it says “economically disadvantaged.” You will notice that within Webster Avenue Elementary, 268 out of the 307 students fall into the disadvantaged category, while at Raymond C LaPerche, only 24 of the 261 students are in that very same category. Not only are the students within Providence school systems “economically disadvantaged,” they are also in a school where the student to teacher ratio is higher than Smithfield’s, as well as the infrastructure of their school is vastly different. There is a lack of greenery, and the school is extremely close to the road. It has unattractive fencing, and it seems like a lack of internal cooling systems due to the AC units hanging out the windows. While volunteering, I am very interested to see what differences I can spot between the infrastructure and overall school climate.