Got a question for you.

[conuly]

It's not... it's not something horrifically bad, because I wouldn't ask about that. But I'm wondering if I'm right to be concerned, and whether or not I should make my sister say something. (Or say it myself, but I don't like to usurp.)

This is the first week of school, and Ana's first grade homework is all basic review. Okay. This week, her reading homework consisted of worksheets reviewing initial short-vowel sounds. There are eight pictures, cut them out. Paste the six that start with the short vowel of the day (going in order from a to u, of course) in ONE row and the two that don't in the OTHER row.

Now, I have a couple of quibbles about this right off the bat, starting with how it's a little basic even for basic review and ending with the fact that the pictures are blurry and hard to identify, but Ana managed it without any complaint, so if all she accomplishes is learning how to do silly worksheets I'm not too concerned.

Now, on Tuesday they did the short E sound. And one of the short E words was a picture of a guy in a fringed parka - an Eskimo. Now, I know the term Eskimo is sometimes (but not always) considered pejorative, and the whole thing bugged me for some other reason I couldn't identify, but since I couldn't work it out I decided to let it go. Didn't bring it up with my sister or the teacher.

On Wednesday they did the short I sound. And continuing the fine tradition of cultural sensitivity in our schools, the picture was of a man in a feathered headdress and a woman with a single feather. Yes, random Indians.

And the problem with the term Indian is similar to the problem with the term Eskimo in that some people whom it effects say it's offensive while others don't, but after thinking on it a while I realized why this bugged me.

This woman would never have used "Hispanic" to illustrate the initial-sound H, and if she did (as a Hispanic woman herself) she would surely not have chosen a picture of a mariachi band, understanding that not all Hispanic people listen to mariachi music and that for those who do it's reserved for special occasions and not every day, that people don't dress like that all the time and never did. She also wouldn't use a comic leprechaun to illustrate the long-I sound and so on. It just wouldn't happen.

I don't think it's appropriate for outdated and stereotyped images to be used at all, and I also don't think it's appropriate to use people as things. Only exotic "others" are used in this sort of exercise, creating the image that these people are either all gone (like knights or pilgrims) or that they're not really people. Or both.

But am I overthinking? It's easy for me to do that, and what do I know? I'd especially appreciate input from people who have some experience in this area.

While posting this, I looked up this guy - the first Native American in space. And I just know what vowel would be associated with that picture - a! For astronaut! And if we took off his spacesuit it'd only be m for man. I just know that to the worksheets of the world he can't be i-for-Indian (or ch for Chickasaw) unless he's wearing ceremonial garb (that may not even apply to him, I don't know) all. the. time. That's not cool, right?

Comments

[cesy]

I don't think you're being unreasonable. It's one of those things that a lot of people who aren't of that nationality wouldn't notice until it was pointed out to them, but like the FedEx arrow, you can't unsee it once you start noticing it.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

It is not. Say something, if you can. Point them to http://www.oyate.org.

[conuly]

That's a good idea. I should get something said before Thanksgiving, anyway.

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/ has some excellent posts on the "I is for Indian" phenomenon.

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

No, you're definitely in the right on this one. I would be PISSED, and I would most certainly say something to not only the teacher, but also to the school administration themselves.

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

"I also don't think it's appropriate to use people as things."

This. Absolutely, this. This is the thing to focus on-- it turns it from "politically-correctness" to a more universal issue that could affect everyone.

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yes. Those worksheets have likely been in circulation for a long time and have been handed down for a while. The teacher is probably so used to them that she doesn't really think about them. But updating them to something more appropriate would be good.

[rootedinsong.livejournal.com]

No. It's not okay. Your analogy is right on.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

*swipes icon*

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

It is seriously not at all hard to come up with plenty of words that start with short vowels, without resorting to stereotyped images. For "A" would they use "American"? With a picture of -- what? White people? As if "Eskimos" and "Indians" and "African Americans" are not American?

This is a clear no-brainer, which doesn't speak well of Ana's teacher.

[conuly]

Well, it doesn't speak well of the worksheet manufacturers. Normally, I'd assume they clear all these things, and then not look to closely at it. I don't expect people to work that hard, after all. But wait, there's more to the story now. I'm gonna let it process and then post.

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

Eskimos and Indians? In the 21st century? For fucks sake. Are there no native people in the class? For that matter, are there no native people in the entire fricking school?

[conuly]

Actually, probably not. Only about .5% of the population of the city is Native American.

However, as this is a city of many other ethnic groups, they should be more sensitive to diverse cultural needs - and yes, wanting to be accurately represented is a need, thanks very much. And even if they weren't, even if the school were 100% Irish-American or 100% Hispanic or whatever, they should still not be spreading misinformation.

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm all for you speaking up. It's a small point, but an important one.

[mayna.livejournal.com]

what, egg or elephant won't work for E and ice cream won't work for I?

FWIW, then there are the kids who have NO IDEA what an Indian is. (there ARE references to Indians in older children's literature, and things like that). And then you explain that it's another word for Native American and then they understand, but think it's weird.

[conuly]

I wouldn't work with Ice cream because it's a long I.

And no, Ana didn't know what an Indian or an Eskimo was anyway, so yeah. I'm *still* upset about this, of course.