Raise Awareness: Ism Project

Current and former students of Melrose High School are sure to be aware that a large portion of 10th grade English is devoted to the “Ism Project.” Over the course of the year, students are put to work studying an ism of their choosing (racism, sexism, classism, etc.) and eventually creating a project to raise awareness and make a change in their community. A large part of the work done in class consists of reading sources from people who have been affected by these isms, and consuming media such as song and video that demonstrate how certain aspects of society have changed over time, as well as the movements and people that have shaped them. This is all well and good, of course, but a glaring issue still exists, especially in Melrose. Despite priding itself on being a “school where everyone belongs,” MHS is almost barren in terms of diverse hires; this is especially true when it comes to racial diversity. Though Melrose is a predominantly white school district, having teachers of varying backgrounds is still immensely beneficial to education, especially in a stage when students, mainly sophomores, are diving deeper into the prejudices that plague our society. More racially diverse hires, especially in the English department, would greatly benefit the student body because more culturally diverse teachers can grant students a deeper understanding of the central themes of the 10th grade curriculum. Though it is not something that can be patched immediately, expanding the variety of people that work in Melrose’s schools, as well as what resources are consumed in classes, can greatly benefit students and the community.

Because of how focused the 10th grade curriculum is on the study of prejudice, the lack of diversity in MHS’ faculty is very detrimental to the effectiveness of learning. Of course, this is not to say that the current staff is not high enough in quality. It is quite the opposite, to be completely honest. However, the harsh truth of the matter is that in this case, their quality is undermined by the course itself. Because the year is so focused on prejudices against different minority groups, it is difficult for someone who is not a part of these groups to provide the best possible education about these matters. Despite how good the teaching in Melrose typically is, this does not change the fact that a majority of teachers in the school district are white. It has already been discussed that this is rarely a huge issue, but when it comes to material concerning prejudices against marginalized groups (in Melrose’s case, race is the largest issue), a lack of diversity in staff holds the school back from reaching its full potential. Katherine Philips, a professor at Columbia Business School, provides a study on why diversity in the classroom is such a huge factor in education. The study focuses on the cognitive and ethical side of things, putting the effect of diversity on the thinking processes of students. Philips’ research shows that in class discussions and research teams, the combination of different perspectives improves critical thinking skills by forcing people to come up with better, stronger evidence for the solutions they come up with. In an ever-evolving world, this can greatly benefit students during and after their time in school. 

In addition to allowing students to form more well-thought out arguments and opinions, diversity in the classroom also helps to make students into more well-rounded individuals. Drexel University, a private non-profit, provides research and reasoning for why this is the case. On their web page, the organization states that diversity in the classroom allows students to become more empathetic, because it “allows them to empathize with people different from themselves since they’re more aware of the experiences someone of a different race or cultural group may face” (Drexel University). When diversity is provided in schools, students are provided with a more personal view of the prejudice and oppression; while books and articles can help, the stories of someone who students know are unrivaled in effect.  The whole point of the ism project that makes up such a large part of the 10th grade curriculum is for students to become more aware of the issues that plague the world around them. As such, diverse hires are a must for these lessons to be nailed home even harder. Though the current English department is adequate, there is room for improvement when it comes to providing unique perspectives which are currently only obtained from the writings of people that students have never met. 

Unfortunately, completely restructuring the way that MHS’ staff is composed is not something that can be done overnight. Despite its shortcomings when it comes to diversity, the current staff are very good at what they do. Therefore, it is neither practical for the school or something that can be done without severely damaging the quality of life of current teachers. Still, there are alternatives that can be implemented in the short term. One of the main fixes that can supplement a more gradual update for the staff at MHS is a change in the resources used for English classes. As is a problem with a huge percentage of schools in the United States, the books that are consumed at MHS are often limited to classics that are now outdated and ineffective at teaching what they are supposedly meant to teach. A prime example of this is To Kill A Mockingbird, a unit which takes up a large portion of sophomore year. Despite being what the school uses as its prime text to raise awareness about racism and how it affects the world around its students, the book was not written by a person of color. This is a widely known fact, of course – despite that, schools, including Melrose, continue to use To Kill A Mockingbird as a pillar of education. Of course, this has been a major point of debate in recent times, and for good reason. Not only is the book not written by a person of color, it is simply outdated. The text, published in 1960, provides a good portrayal of racism for the time, but unlike the words written by Harper Lee, the world around those who read it does not remain stagnant. Not only that, but the perspective of the book is that of a white child; it does not suffice in providing the perspective of those who are actually being oppressed, and focuses on an onlooker with no experience in the matter. Because of this, a change in book choice is needed. Studies show that diversity in books is a great help, especially to students of color, who rarely get the opportunity to see themselves in the books provided by their school districts. While it is not something that can be fixed completely, even small steps are extremely beneficial. If MHS truly wants to earn its claim to being a “school where everyone belongs,” its administration can at least make an attempt to increase diversity within its halls.

For many years, diversity within the Melrose school system has been an issue not talked about. However, with certain isms becoming more common topics within classes, it also becomes more apparent that the school lacks the viewpoint of those who have dealt with some of these prejudices firsthand. Though the use of articles, books, and short stories is not an ineffective way of teaching, it is nowhere near the best the school can do. However, reshaping and reorganizing the staff is not something that can be done overnight, especially considering the quality of current teachers. Because of this, the gradual change should be supplemented with the implementation of works from more diverse authors being inserted into the curriculum. This, along with a more diverse teaching staff, will increase the effectiveness of 10th grade ism studies, allowing the school to churn out more empathetic, well-rounded students.