Classism

Presentation by:Dean K., Bree D., Erika R-T. and Kate

S.EDTE 531 Section 2

Teachers are what stand between students and

repeating the patterns of poverty.—Ruby Payne

Historical Overview“The rich man in his castle, the poor man at

his gate, God made them, high and lowly, and

order’d their estate"

Cultural Baggage

Classism and Immigration

Classism and Eugenics

The Culture of Poverty

- social theory popularized in 1960’s

- expands on the cycle of poverty- current scholars recognize racism and

isolation as factors in maladaptive behavior

associated with poverty, not “values” of the

poor.

Social Assistance & Poverty Timeline

1792 First Upper Canada Statute Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe createsgovernment for Upper Canada but excludes British Poor Law freeing thecolony from responsibility for the poor.

1836 Charity Aid Act – Upper Canada First declaration of public responsibility for the poor — but assigned toChurches and charity.

1867 Confederation Ontario signs BNA Act, which confers responsibility forIssues related to poverty and civil rights to provinces.

1889 First Distinct Government Role in Poverty Alleviation Ontario and Torontomove to administer and fund programs for the poor rather than leave it tochurches or charities. Leads to creation of the first municipal “relief” workers inToronto.

1916 Manitoba is the first province to pass a Mothers' Pensions Act to provide a small but assured income to widows and divorced or desertedwives with children to support, deemed the "worthy poor." Within fiveyears, all provinces from Ontario west pass similar legislation.  1920 First Mothers Allowance: First direct cash assistance for the poor.Widows who were British subjects, had at least two children and were “fitmothers” were paid $55 a month in Toronto.

1927 The first old age pension is introduced for the “worthy poor” (seniorcitizens must prove that they need support).

1930s (Depression) Assistance is provided by municipal aid and charityagencies in the form of grocery, fuel, and clothing tokens to unemployed“worthy poor.” Single unemployed men are given work in UnemploymentRelief Camps. Single women are denied assistance (the idea being thattheir families would look after them.)

1932 First Social Assistance Rates (Direct Cash Relief) Led to 1935 provincial Unemployment Relief Act, which mandated Queen’s Park to meet needs of all poor for the first time. First legislative call for direct cash relief.

1943 First Nutrition Standards in assistance to poor : Ontario introduces assistance rates based on the cost of healthy food. Leads to 43 annual Guides to Family Budgeting. First direct link between nutritional needs of the poor and cash payments.

1945 Family Allowance is introduced, a monthly allowance paid to families with children to help cover the costs of child maintenance. This is Canada’s first universal social security program (not subject to proving there is a need).  1966 The federal government passes the Medical Care Act, agreeing to contribute to provincial medical-care insurance plans provided that such plans meet the goal of ensuring equal coverage for a wide range of health services, available to all regardless of age, condition, or ability to pay.

1967 Canada Assistance Plan Ontario pushes first Canada-wide cost-sharing of social assistance with national standards.

 1971 Canada Health Act : all provinces are participating under the terms of this act The federal government also introduces the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP), agreeing to share costs with the provinces for social assistance programs.

 1988 Report of the Social Assistance Review Committee Widely seen as the most comprehensive review of social assistance in provincial and national history.

1995- 21.6 per cent cut to general welfare and family benefits. Led to creation of Ontario Works, which required the poor to work, volunteer or train to receive helpand followed by a nine-year freeze in rates.

2008 Poverty Reduction Strategy : First report calling for comprehensive approach to poverty reduction and reduced role of social assistance. First government in Canada to adopt a poverty measure and set reduction targets. Ontario becomes the second province after Quebec to introduce a law to cut poverty and report annually on progress.  

Classism VocabularyClass – relative social rank in terms of income, wealth, education, status

and/or power.

Classism – differential treatment based on social class or perceived social class. Classism is

the systematic assignment of worth based on social class; policies and practices set up to

benefit more class-privileged people at the expense of the less class-privileged people,

resulting in drastic income and wealth inequality and causing basic human needs to go

unmet; the rationale and the culture which perpetuates these systems and this unequal

valuing.

Class Privilege – Tangible or intangible unearned advantages of higher-class status, such as

personal contacts with employers, good childhood health care, inherited money, speaking

with the same dialect/accent as people with institutional power.

Class Ally – A person from the more privileged classes whose attitudes and behaviors are

anti-classist, who is committed to increasing his or her own understanding of this issue

related to classism, and is actively working towards eliminating classism on many levels.

Classism VocabularyIndividual Classism – This term refers to classism on a personal or

individual level, either in behavior or attitudes, either conscious and

intentional, or unconscious and unintentional.

Institutional Classism – This term refers to the ways in which

intentional and unintentional classism is manifest in the various

institutions of our society.

Social Capital - the networks of relationships among people who live

and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function

effectively.

Word ExposeCreate an album cover for a CD based on your

groups social class.

Front Side: Back Side:

- Album art - Song Names

- Band name and album title

Be prepared to present your album and give

a brief overview of the songs.

MediaClassism is also found in all media sources.

it is so pervasive in our culture that many of

us see it on a daily basis and may not even

recognize it. There are many ways that

classism and media interact with each other,

but I am going to focus on two aspects: How

class is depicted in the news, television &

movies, and the relationship between

advertising and class.

The News, Television & Movies

CLASS DISMISSED: How TV Frames the Working Class

Effects of Classism Through

AdvertisementsAdvertisements are yet another way that

class stereotypes are perpetuated in our

society. Children & their families are

bombarded with advertisements on TV, in

magazines, on the internet and also in many

public spaces showing depictions of “ideal”

families and values.

Group DiscussionPlease take a critical look at some examples

of advertisements found in Kids & Family

magazines and consider the following:

1. How does this advertisement perpetuate class stereotypes?

or

2. How would you feel as a child and/or parent in the lower class seeing this ad? Middle Class? Upper-Class?

Harm ChartHarm # 1

All students can afford to participate in extra-curricular activities, purchase additional school supplies, or pay field trip fees.

a) may miss out on valuable educational experiences

b) penalizing students for not coming prepared to class

c) humiliating, lowers self-esteem

d) non-inclusive

e) avoidance, may not ask for help

f) forces families to give up necessities

Harm ChartHarm # 2

Middle and upper class students will continue their education beyond high school, while poor and working class students are not interested in post-secondary education.

a) may not receive educational support

b) not interested in helping themselves out of poverty

c) passed up for scholarships, bursaries, etc.

d) may not be challenged academically

e) may not be ‘guided’ toward a post-secondary path

f) widening the gap between rich and poor

Harm ChartHarm # 3

Intellectual work is inherently superior to physical labour and therefore deserves better economic and political rewards.

a) students of intellectual professionals are smarter

b) students of labourers are not smart

c) ‘smart’ students challenged more academically

d) labourers are not interested in their child’s education

e) academic VS vocational pathways

f) expectations of what people can afford

Harm Chart Harm # 4

Children from poor and working class or immigrant families who do well in school are viewed as the exception and not the rule.

a) racist thinking

b) stereotyping

c) may receive more support than other students

d) may receive less support than other students

e) need more money

f) parents pushing their child

g) high expectations

Harm ChartHarm # 5

Poor families have internal problems, therefore the children will too.

a) unemployed because of own laziness

b) addicted to drugs or alcohol

c) criminals

d) mental-health issues

e) mom likes to sleep around

f) parents do not care about their child’s education

Harm Chart Harm # 6

Students from poor families do not eat properly and therefore come with behavioural issues.

a) just eat junk food

b) do not eat anything before coming to school

c) won’t be able to concentrate

d) better find them behavioural support now

e) will be spending a lot of time with the principal

f) will be absent a lot

Experiential Learning Activity“Have and Have Nots”

1. At your table group you will be given a scenario and a monthly budget. You must decide as a group how you will spend your budget to best fit your scenario. This might mean that you may to give up such necessities as electricity or transportation… choose wisely.

2. Knowing this is the situation that your student and their family is facing, what can you do to support them?

PedagogicalBC Ministry of Education Prescribed

Learning OutcomesArts Education Drama K-7

C1 assess how drama can affect personal and societal beliefs and attitudes (Grade 5)

Health and Career Planning K-7

A1 describe how various factors (e.g., access to accurate and relevant

information, media and social influences affect decision making) (Grade 5)

C7 identify school, local, provincial, national, and international strategies for

preventing and responding to discrimination, stereotyping, and bullying (Grade 6)

C8 apply appropriate strategies for responding to discrimination, stereotyping,

and bullying (Grade 6)

PedagogicalBC Ministry of Education Prescribed

Learning OutcomesSocial Justice 12

A3 apply critical thinking skills to a range of social justice issues, situations, and topics

A5 assess how belief systems can affect perspectives and decisions in relation to social justice issues

B1 describe social injustice based on characteristics including age, marital or family status, mental or physical ability, political belief, race and ethnicity, religion and faith, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status

Social Studies K-7

B2 describe ways individuals contribute to a community (Grade 2)

C1 describe how an understanding of personal roles, rights, and responsibilities can affect the wellbeing of the school and community (Grade 3)

D1 compare ways in which needs and wants are met in communities (Grade 3)

Questions for Further Discussion

1. How can we, as teachers, combat classism in the classroom?

2. How can we support the diverse needs of our students from all socio-economic backgrounds?

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