White privilege... really? In schools??!

[stellenbosch]

To quote Bastille, 'the world's gone mad' ...

Gosh- I would have expected a lawyer to understand that anecdote is not data...........

Yep. People see a handful of successful black people and suddenly that means that white privilege doesn't exist. Never mind that anecdote is not data, they don't even understand what white privilege actually is.

It's similar to: Since we have a female prime minister in the UK, that means that there's no more sexism in the UK. Hooray!

On the white working class boys at school data - I wonder how much of that is down to the real gains in London in education?

That's one of the issues with data and generalising. London seems to have had a real improvement in schools and results - I don't know what the statistics show for results comparing white working class boys to black working class boys (and other skin tones) show in London. There could be a difference in results there - but then how do you control for other variables.

But if the results for London as a whole go up, then you have to look at the results for white working class boys elsewhere in the country where results in such communities may not be that good.

It does make looking at statistics very complicated - as you can always drill down more and more and it's hard to determine exactly what factors are involved.

I could say that DS has a disadvantage because we live in a part of the UK which has not had much investment in schools compared to other parts of the UK. His accent could hold him back when applying for jobs.

But then again, compared to children in the same city, he has loads of advantages.

Gosh Bert, I would expect someone to read a post before passing a judgemental comment. At what point did I say I was a lawyer? But I guess you’re the sort of person who wouldn’t let facts get in the way of your preconceived notions or actually bother reading the information provided lol 😂

But hey I’m privileged because I’m white. Keep telling someone they’re a victim and it becomes a self fulfilling profic

Do you think that someone from a disadvantaged background should be given such an opportunity as well?

I think there are such ideas out there - such as when applying for uni - to look at the background of a student and encourage applications, show people who may never have been to Uni that it's for them - all steps to make the world more equal.

What do you think of that?

White people arguing again because someone highlights black people in white dominated cultures have problems due to white people accepting racism.

Its got fuck all to do with class.

Look at Serena Williams. Elite tennis player. Mega wealthy. Gives birth. Almost dies because white doctors done listen to black patients about their health needs.

Look at Serena Williams. Elite tennis player. Mega wealthy. Gives birth. Almost dies because white doctors done listen to black patients about their health needs.

Yes. This story actually shocked me and is a good example of what white privilege is.

Down doctors don't listen to any mothers health needs during labour, not just black mothers. This is the case for white birthing mothers too, their concerns can be dismissed by medical professionals thinking they know better.

Dipitydoda your example has nothing to do with white privilege. You aren't starting at the same end of the "race". Children of the wealthy will almost always do better than poor children, regardless of their ethnicity. But if she grew up with the exact same financial circumstances as you, you may find that she wasn't able to make it as far as you due to prejudice.

Gosh Bert, I would expect someone to read a post before passing a judgemental comment“

Apologies for calling you a lawyer. Your post certainly suggests you are. I will rephrase.

“Gosh- I would have expected someone who went to university and works in a law firm to understand that anecdote is not data...........”

Er, that is the exact opposite of what Williams said about the treatment she personally received:
m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/serena-williams-black-women-health-care_us_5aa156fce4b002df2c61c6aa

I was in a really fortunate situation where I know my body well, and I am who I am, and I told the doctor: ‘I don’t feel right, something’s wrong.’ She immediately listened,” Williams told BBC

Try dealing in facts.

I have a close friend who is was researching exactly this last year. The “worst off” mother is not white, not British and young. They will, statistically, have a poorer experience and be subject to bias in the system and from health care professionals. If you’re an older mother, take a step forward. If English is your first language, take a step forward, if you’re white, take a step forward. You start your birth experience ahead of those who aren’t.

sprinkles so its mothers from other countries, who might not be black, who are also at a disadvantage then! Its not just a issue with black mothers!

Serena probably paid for her treatment, and could pick and choose her doctors. I have just read an article, I totally agree with Whales, I just read something totally different. People are not just sprouting, without introducing facts.

Some are hell bent on putting any blame on white priviledge, even though it has nothing to do with that.

I believe I am mistaken and it was this that I read about after the birth, not during. www.vox.com/identities/2018/1/11/16879984/serena-williams-childbirth-scare-black-women

Here she highlights how she wasn't listened to. Serena has been highlighting that black women are 3 times more likely to die during childbirth (in the US I think). I believe some of the factors in recent research are thought to be bias regarding how we think of black women, as well as poverty and access to healthcare.

I know that white mothers are dismissed too, but I think the most recent research suggests that it's worse for black women, because they are black. Probably more research is required.

I didn't say it wasn’t Aero. As has been frequently stated on this thread, it is not only black people who are disadvantaged. Literally no one has said it is.

White privilege is a real thing though.

I’m a white expat in a predominantly white country and I see first hand the way British black/Indian expats are treated differently to me when people meet us together.

It’s certainly opened my eyes to how me just being white makes people treat me differently.

I think this is a perfectly fine thing for kids to learn about tbh.

Yes, I think people are not realising that having white privilege, doesn't mean that people won't be poor, disadvantaged or dismissed in others ways.

It must get frustrating though when someone tells you you have white privilge - when the person telling you this has no idea of what other things are going on in your life that have an effect.

As people have said, just because you have something about you that makes life a bit easier in some circumstances doesn't mean that there's not plenty of other stuff going on that makes life really hard.

When people dismiss you because they say ' you have had privilege' in your life, that's a way of gettng people's backs up and ignoring their concerns.

Far too many of posters and things like this is that they treat awareness as the goal. Awareness - on it's own - doesn't do anything. Saying "White privilege is not acceptable" or even knowing about it doesn't alieviate any suffering or solve any problems.

Awareness is only a useful tool when linked to a practical action. So White privilege is unacceptable, what should people do about that? Raise legal aid funds so it's easier for people to defend their rights? Vote and donate to those who will put in better infrastructure in places? Broader curriculum with more history and literature and other works from wider groups of people? What is the actual actions one should take from this image which is meant to be educational?

The image doesn't really do anything. What is the point of things like this other than a tickmark exercise to say we've made people "aware" and those who make it can pat themselves on the back for their awareness to make others aware? It looks more self congratulatory than educational.

Saying something is unacceptable doesn't do anything unless you match with actions, saying it with nothing to me is like when parents keep telling their kids not to X or Y will happen but Y never comes. It just shows you really don't care about it, you just want to look like you care. I think far too many things like this are like that and kids can see that bullshit a mile away so what use is it, really? It's just a smokescreen of really fake caring.

Anatidae I'm mixed race and my husband is white. I get treated differently from my husband when going through passport control. Even though we are both british, with similar accents, Scottish sounding names, and even when we are returning to the UK.

When we return to Glasgow, if I pass through on my own, I get asked lots of questions in a pretty aggressive way. My husband always says they are pleasant to him. When we pass through together (sometimes they say if you are travelling together you can go to the desk together), then they are totally nice to me. I get to "borrow" his white privilege for a moment and it's not related to wealth or background.

It's not a major issue, but it's something that we commonly notice. It sometimes holds us up in other countries when I will be made to step to the side and questioned separately after everyone else from our flight passes through.

Tbh I don't get why it's hard for people to grasp this.

I am not saying white priviledge does not exist, its that everything is being blamed on it, by white people. Mothers of other skin colours are not listened to by medical staff in hospital, because they think they know best as they are the medical professionals. Yes it is harder if the mother is not from the country and speaks a different language, that will also be a barrier, it could be an African woman who only speaks Ugandan, or a Eastern European woman who only speaks Albanian.

Me either since