Diversity and its

Intersections:
Implications for
School
Aliya Haji, Ty Nguyen, Syed Ullah
 Activity
1) In your table groups, everyone will be competing to
see who an inflate their balloons the fastest
2) Do not ask the teacher for assistance, groups will
work independently without facilitator support
3) This task is timed
What is Intersectionality?
“Intersectionality refers to the social, economic and
political ways in which identity-based systems of
oppression and privilege connect, overlap and influence
one another.” - Kimberlé Crenshaw
TED Talk
+ “If we can’t see a problem, we can’t fix a problem” -Kimberlé Crenshaw

Inclusive learning. (2019). Social Identity Wheel. Retrieved from https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/inclusive-teaching/2017/08/16/social-identity-wheel/

Case study
A 16 year old boy, Hameed, has recently moved from a Syrian refugee camp to Canada.
Hameed has spent many years working and has not been able to attend school. Hameed can
speak fluent Arabic, but can not read or write in Arabic and is therefore illiterate in his first
language. Hameed and his family qualify as refugees, and their first year of government
support is ending. They are struggling to support themselves, Hameed often comes to school
without transit fare, warm clothing, or food.
1) What are Hameed’s intersections?
2) How can we as educators support Hameed so he can learn best?
Navigating Intersections
+ Intersectionality means seeing your students as more than just the thing that
stands out in the classroom, Race or their gender, and understanding that there’s
a long background to all those things.
+ Take time as educators to peel back the identity of your students
+ Understand other characteristics play part in a student’s success i.e
Socioeconomic status
+ Recognize race, gender and class-related circumstances contribute to academic
achievement and success. (Bell 2016)
 Do’s and Don'ts

+ See through an intersectional lens + Assume

 Key terms
+ Intersectionality
+ Classism
+ Marginalized
+ Privilege
+ Social conscience
+ Socioeconomic status Lawler, O. G. (2020). Diversity is just an empty buzzword in the music and publishing
industries
Sensoy & DiAngelo
Chapter 10 identifies false assumptions regarding
classism and intersectionality.
1. “We live in a classless society”
2. “We need to stop putting labels on everything”
3. “It’s easy when you have a government
handout”
 Poverty & Education: Towards Effective
Action; A Review of the Literature
● Where does the inequality in educational outcomes associated with
children affected by poverty originate and what can be done about it?
● Are there differences in educational outcomes according to a
student’s family income or socioeconomic status?
● What influences best explain the gap between poor students and
other students and what reforms shrink that gap?
Case study #2
Jane is an 10th grade student who’s cognitive ability is at a 6th grade level. Jane is
raised by a single mother and her family lives below the poverty line. Jane’s mother
tries to support her learning to the best of her ability, but she also struggled
academically when she was in school. Jane’s family moves often, and her mother
struggles to maintain long term employment.

1) What are Jane’s intersections?

2) Do you think that Jane would benefit from a specialized program/classroom setting?
Poverty and class in calgary
+ Statistics Canada set the poverty line at $40, 207 in 2019. (Equivalent to two
full time minimum wage jobs).
+ 6.4% AB earns minimum wage
+ 6.9% poverty rate in Calgary (2017)
+ 5% child poverty rate in Alberta (2017)
+ CHC houses 25, 142 Calgarians including 9726 school aged children. There is
a 4153 (inc.) dwelling waitlist (prioritized).
+ 1 in 5 households struggle to pay shelter costs.
+ 44 000 households are spending more than 50% income on housing.
Calgary Housing Company (2018). Calgary Housing Company Annual Report 2017: Affordable Homes for Calgarians. Retrieved from
http://calgaryhousingcompany.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-Annual-Report_Final_opt.pdf
 Intersectionality in the classroom
+ Platinum Rule
+ Policy
+ Early childhood education
+ Awareness
+ Professional Development
+ Staffing of schools
+ Positive home/school relations
+ School Community
+ Effective Schools Movement
+ Self Care

SBS launches cultural diversity study guides. (2019).

 References
Bell, M. K. (2016). Teaching at the Intersections. Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/summer-2016/teaching-at-the-intersections
Carbado, D., Crenshaw, K., Mays, V., & Tomlinson, B. (2013). INTERSECTIONALITY: Mapping the
Movements of a Theory. Du Bois Review : Social Science Research on Race, 10(2), 303-312.
Calgary Housing Company (2018). Calgary Housing Company Annual Report 2017: Affordable Homes for Calgarians.
Retrieved from http://calgaryhousingcompany.org/wp-content/uploads/2018-Annual-Report_Final_opt.pdf
Crenshaw, K (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of
Antidiscrimination Doctrine. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989: 139–168
Crenshaw, K. (2016). The urgency of intersectionality. TEDWomen Talk. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality?lan guage=en
Flessa, J. J. (2007). Poverty and education: Towards effective action – A review of the literature. Toronto:
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. Retrieved from https://cus.oise.utoronto.ca/UserFiles/File/Poverty
%20lit%20review%20(J_%20Flessa %20-%2010_2007).pdf
Goodman, L. (1985). The Effective Schools Movement and Special Education. TEACHING Exceptional
Children, 17(2), 102–105. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005998501700204

Inclusive learning. (2019). Social Identity Wheel. Retrieved from

https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/inclusive-teaching/2017/08/16/social-identity-wheel/

Lawler, O. G. (2020). Diversity is just an empty buzzword in the music and publishing industries. Retrieved from
https://www.mic.com/p/diversity-is-just-empty-buzzword-in-the-music-publishing-industries-21756847

SBS launches cultural diversity study guides. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/sbs-
launches-cultural-diversity-study-guides/

Sensoy, Ö., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). Is everyone really equal? An introduction to key concepts in social justice education
(2nd Ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

Vibrant Calgary Communities (2019). A Snapshot of Poverty in Calgary. Retrieved from

http://enoughforall.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/A-Snapshot-of-poverty-in-Calgary-in-2019.pdf