““Troublemakers” in poverty Troublemakers” in poverty endure the violence endure the violence

perpetrated by the empire’s perpetrated by the empire’s unleashed expansion: unleashed expansion:

By Dr. Cesar Rossatto, Cecilia Enriquez, By Dr. Cesar Rossatto, Cecilia Enriquez,

Juanita Esparza and Daniel HeimanJuanita Esparza and Daniel Heiman

UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso, College of Education)UTEP (The University of Texas at El Paso, College of Education)

Critical pedagogy as aCritical pedagogy as a transformational exodustransformational exodus

VIOLENCEVIOLENCE

Violence and Its ConsequencesViolence and Its Consequences

Violence is a situation in which the Violence is a situation in which the oppressor prevents the oppressed oppressor prevents the oppressed from engaging in the process of from engaging in the process of questioning, alienates human beings questioning, alienates human beings from their own decision making and from their own decision making and self-determination, and turns them into self-determination, and turns them into objects of manipulationobjects of manipulation

THE PARTICIPANTSTHE PARTICIPANTS

The Color ofThe Color of ViolenceViolence

The ViolenceThe ViolenceOf ColorOf Color

The Violated: The Violated: NonwhitesNonwhites

and and ImpoverishedImpoverished

The The Perpetrator: Perpetrator: Patriarchal, Patriarchal,

White White HegemonyHegemony

The Empire’s Cultural Hegemony: The Empire’s Cultural Hegemony: The Global EconomyThe Global Economy

According to Soros, (2005) developing countries, According to Soros, (2005) developing countries, such as Africa and South America, are exploited such as Africa and South America, are exploited by competing oil and mining companies for their by competing oil and mining companies for their natural resources. natural resources.

These companies take advantage of the These companies take advantage of the situation and destabilize government to protect situation and destabilize government to protect their interests. their interests.

Leaves millions of people in extreme poverty Leaves millions of people in extreme poverty who find no hope within their homelands.who find no hope within their homelands.

They are forced to immigrate to more They are forced to immigrate to more prosperous countries in an attempt to escape prosperous countries in an attempt to escape this hegemonic grasp. this hegemonic grasp.

DeconstructingDeconstructing

Thus, we cannot begin to deal with the Thus, we cannot begin to deal with the violence with talk of multiculturalism violence with talk of multiculturalism without first deconstructing whiteness.without first deconstructing whiteness.

By whiteness we mean white supremacy By whiteness we mean white supremacy or racismor racism

Violence and Its ConsequencesViolence and Its Consequences

This violence in the border region of El This violence in the border region of El Paso/Juarez permeates the social fabric, Paso/Juarez permeates the social fabric, emerging within the school system. The emerging within the school system. The violence is mirrored through complacency, violence is mirrored through complacency, resistance, disdain, apathy, and resistance, disdain, apathy, and antagonistic behavior. This causes people antagonistic behavior. This causes people to lose their sense of belonging, pushing to lose their sense of belonging, pushing some to become gang members,engage some to become gang members,engage in criminal activities and/or become other in criminal activities and/or become other types of “troublemakers.” types of “troublemakers.”

THE VIOLENCE

MAKERS OF TROUBLETROUBLEMAKER THOSE THAT

“MADE IT”

Study’s ContextStudy’s Context

Study’s Context: Our NeighborhoodsStudy’s Context: Our Neighborhoods

Methodology--QuantitativeMethodology--Quantitative

School population in relation to SESSchool population in relation to SES Test scoresTest scores Retention ratesRetention rates Drop-out ratesDrop-out rates Remedial/alternative participantsRemedial/alternative participants Juvenile detaineesJuvenile detainees

Methodology--QualitativeMethodology--Qualitative

Federal and state parole officer Federal and state parole officer interviewsinterviews

SurveysSurveys Journal of real life accountsJournal of real life accounts Video tapingVideo taping ObservationsObservations DiscussionsDiscussions Class sessionsClass sessions Children’s workChildren’s work

Research QuestionsResearch Questions How are impoverished students adversely How are impoverished students adversely

affected by the unleashed violence of affected by the unleashed violence of hegemonic social order? hegemonic social order?

How can critical pedagogy empower them How can critical pedagogy empower them to develop self-determination and self-to develop self-determination and self-affirmation? affirmation?

How can the integration of dialectical How can the integration of dialectical praxis offer educators a viable exodus praxis offer educators a viable exodus from the entrenchments of oppressive from the entrenchments of oppressive systems? systems?

Some Specifics Of Overt ViolenceSome Specifics Of Overt Violence

Lack of meaningful learning experiencesLack of meaningful learning experiences Teacher verbal abuseTeacher verbal abuse Teacher’s frequent absencesTeacher’s frequent absences Students removing themselves from the physical Students removing themselves from the physical

environmentenvironment Parents concernedParents concerned Problem ignoredProblem ignored ““Troublemakers”Troublemakers” Is this not dehumanizing and abusive? Is this not Is this not dehumanizing and abusive? Is this not

violence? violence?

FindingsFindings Statistics “show” that El Paso is the 2nd Statistics “show” that El Paso is the 2nd

safest U.S. cities. safest U.S. cities. However, El Paso had the highest % of A & B However, El Paso had the highest % of A & B

misdemeanor offense referrals (68%- misdemeanor offense referrals (68%- equivalent to 2,031) in Texas.equivalent to 2,031) in Texas.

El Paso had the highest percentage of Latino El Paso had the highest percentage of Latino referrals (82%).referrals (82%).

El Paso reported the highest % of violent El Paso reported the highest % of violent offenses (28%) in Texas.offenses (28%) in Texas.

FindingsFindings

Juvenile ages 15 and 16 account for the Juvenile ages 15 and 16 account for the majority (60%) of referralsmajority (60%) of referrals

About 40% of students are dropping out of About 40% of students are dropping out of schoolschool

One particular high school site, reports -One particular high school site, reports -45%-50% dropout rate45%-50% dropout rate

FindingsFindings In Texas, Latino juveniles comprised of 44% In Texas, Latino juveniles comprised of 44%

of total juvenile system referrals (24, 065 of total juvenile system referrals (24, 065 juveniles)juveniles)

Juveniles may be referred by various entities Juveniles may be referred by various entities such as law enforcement agencies, schools, such as law enforcement agencies, schools, social agencies, parents, juvenile courts, or social agencies, parents, juvenile courts, or the Texas Youth Commissionthe Texas Youth Commission

Dallas and El Paso Juvenile Probation Dallas and El Paso Juvenile Probation Departments have the highest % of juveniles Departments have the highest % of juveniles to defer prosecution (29%)to defer prosecution (29%)

Blame vs. ResponsibilityBlame vs. Responsibility

It is undeniable that many children It is undeniable that many children experience and learn violence outside the experience and learn violence outside the boundaries of the educational system. boundaries of the educational system.

Not only is education seen as a way to Not only is education seen as a way to move up in the world, it is seen as the move up in the world, it is seen as the ultimate hope. ultimate hope.

It is an institution that is synonymous with It is an institution that is synonymous with the notion of making this world a better the notion of making this world a better place.place.

Covert Violence: Cultural Covert Violence: Cultural Hegemony In EducationHegemony In Education

Throughout history, education has been limited Throughout history, education has been limited to a privilege worthy of only the elite.to a privilege worthy of only the elite.

They named it, established the norms, registers, They named it, established the norms, registers, and standards that were relevant to them and and standards that were relevant to them and their prescribed notion of reality, yet oblivious to their prescribed notion of reality, yet oblivious to others who did not share the same version of others who did not share the same version of reality (Null, 2004).reality (Null, 2004).

FEDERAL, STATE, & LOCAL MANDATES

TEACHERS

STUDENTS

SURMOUNTING PRESSURESSURMOUNTING PRESSURES

ADMINISTRATION

Some Specifics Of Covert ViolenceSome Specifics Of Covert Violence Teacher Preparation programsTeacher Preparation programs NCLBE– “one-size fits all” premiseNCLBE– “one-size fits all” premise Deficit-ModelDeficit-Model Bilingual EducationBilingual Education Standardized testsStandardized tests Federal, state, and local mandatesFederal, state, and local mandates Resistence to the use of effective Resistence to the use of effective

practicespractices

Done through covert, “we-know-what’s-best” philosophy with the best of intentions!

LessowLessow-Hurley states: “ The cultural d-Hurley states: “ The cultural deficit or deficiency model suggeficit or deficiency model suggests that ethnic minorities fail iests that ethnic minorities fail in school because their culturen school because their cultures are inadequate in some ways are inadequate in some way (1996) (1996)

Hope for HumanityHope for Humanity

Recognize our Recognize our multidimensionality multidimensionality as educators and as educators and

educational entities!educational entities!

Educators/Education

agents of social

change/reform

facilitators of empowerment

Influential stakeholders

A bridge between worlds

and registers

Agents of socialization

and assimilation

Community Of Critical Participants: Community Of Critical Participants: The Transformative ExodusThe Transformative Exodus

Critical pedagogy isCritical pedagogy is The art of teaching and learning that The art of teaching and learning that

deconstructs problematic structures deconstructs problematic structures Then recreates new alternatives that are more in Then recreates new alternatives that are more in

tune with social justice and equality. tune with social justice and equality. Through affirmation of identity and self-Through affirmation of identity and self-

determination by developing skills of critical determination by developing skills of critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativitythinking, problem-solving, and creativity

Where students learn to question the reality that Where students learn to question the reality that they live in to subsequently think of they live in to subsequently think of transformative exodus.transformative exodus.

Structures Structures NOTNOT Coincidences Coincidences

Hegemonic structures create violence of Hegemonic structures create violence of poverty and facilitate further violent and poverty and facilitate further violent and oppressive conditions. oppressive conditions.

The school systems are hegemonic The school systems are hegemonic structures that perpetuate passivity by structures that perpetuate passivity by denying critical thinking, problem-solving denying critical thinking, problem-solving and conscience. and conscience.

Societal RamificationsSocietal Ramifications

As a result injustices are permitted to As a result injustices are permitted to continue.continue.

The widespread practices of interventions The widespread practices of interventions for social injustice lack critical reflection. for social injustice lack critical reflection. The practices revolve around an ideology The practices revolve around an ideology in which the populace sees themselves as in which the populace sees themselves as “objects of the history.” (Freire )“objects of the history.” (Freire )

Authentic RevolutionAuthentic Revolution

Schools have an obligation as institutions Schools have an obligation as institutions of socialization to set the stage for the type of socialization to set the stage for the type of discourse necessary.of discourse necessary.

It is a discourse that through critical It is a discourse that through critical pedagogy and the reorganization of pedagogy and the reorganization of knowledge production will it be possible to knowledge production will it be possible to truly benefit humanity truly benefit humanity

POVERTY

SCHOOL STRUCTURES

•LAWS

•TESTING

•DISCOURSE

•ATTITUDES

•BELIEFS

•NORMS

EMPIRE’S PURPOSE

JUSTICE

CRITICAL PEDAGOGY

TROUBLEMAKERS

JAIL SYSTEMS“IN

TERVENTION”

PROGRAMS

“INTERVENTION”

PROGRAMS

STRUCTURES NOT COINCIDENCES

•PRACTICES