The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

One day I was talking to a past president of the synagogue board that the preschool I work for leases the facility from, he is also considered a friend of the preschool. We talked about the new school that was being built across the parking lot, the possibility of starting an after-school program, and how enrollment of school age children would help the program. I do not remember all the details, but he made a remark to the affect that the kids attending that school would not be from low-income families and we did not have to worry about them bringing that bad behavior to the preschool. His remarks diminished equity because he was not open to children from low-income families attending the preschool and the remark, he made was based on stereotypes. The incident made me angry and I responded to him that I have worked in centers in low-income areas as well as middle-income areas, and the children’s behavior were ten times better than the children that attend the preschool I currently work at. The preschool’s board and director would have to change to have greater equity. The preschool is so expensive, and they do not accept any children that receive subsidies.