The article, Intersectionality as a Framework for Transformative Research in Special Education (2013), connected to many professional experiences I have had but not necessarily for the more direct or obvious reasons. The article describes in detail the boxes we put students into, quite literally on forms to begin with, and the more expansively in our experiences with how we treat students in the education environment. Intersectionality is the term the article uses to explain as the basis of two or more markers of identity and difference (e.g. race, class, and gender) (Garcia and Ortiz, 2013). The article tackles the theory that students are judged and discriminated against in the educational system based on the categories and labels of how they are assessed. They authors make five points as to the impact of intersectionality: 1. Students are complex and the categories they fit into should not be viewed through narrow lenses 2. How these categories are interconnected should be carefully evaluated 3. Ethnic groups are misrepresented within every category based on stereotypes in that there seems to be a minority that is stereotyped into a program at some level 4. Intersectionality attempts to create layers to the system so that students are no longer viewed as one-dimensional and 5. The power base that the system is created on needs to be evaluated and addressed, and ultimately changed. This creates an unbalancedsystem that our students are experiencing. As an educator, that is something that I see needs to desperately to be addressed. Teachers need training in order to address this issue and become more skilled.
Many of the examples given were concerning student ability, minority status, and the students’ economic status. Much of the article was focused on creating opportunities to redirect students out of ELL and special education classrooms. However, my connection to this article was with the comment regarding minority students and having access to gifted education. I teach in a school with very few minorities but my district does have Hispanic students in significant numbers at other schools. I obtained my endorsement in gifted education several years ago and became aware of the underrepresentation of minority students not only in my district but also nationwide. The lack of access to gifted services for minority students is often due to language or cultural barriers inhibiting their success on the assessment we have. The head of our district’s gifted department at the time I was obtaining my endorsement chose to remedy that by giving all ELL students a non-verbal gifted assessment to see if some of those students might qualify. The value of enabling all students to have their needs fully met with the education system was immeasurable and it saddens me to think of how many gifted students did not have the opportunity to receive the benefits prior to that. I am pleased, though, that I witnessed her use her voice as a scholar to create a balanced system during the time that she was there.
Having access is only important if the program itself leads to excellence. The irony was that as the gifted system was set up at the time, students could qualify for services in up to three different subjects: verbal (reading), quantitative (math), and non-verbal (spatial). The students who received services for non-verbal only attended for one, 45 minute session a week. Although it is better than nothing, it certainly is not likely to fully meet the needs of a student who is gifted but is unable to demonstrate it due to a language barrier.
Referring back to the fifth point in the article above, our district now has had a change in the head of our gifted program (i.e. a “power”). Non-verbal no longer exists once a week as this leader believes the program should be set up differently. However, an entirely new test is used for students to be able to qualify for the gifted program. I do not have access to the results but after reading this article, I wonder how many of our ELL students are being impacted by the current test that was chosen and if anything is being done to reach out to ensure that their needs are being met.
Garcia, Shernaz B. and Alba A. Ortiz (2013). Intersectionality as a Framework for Transformative Research in Special Education. Multiple Voices, 13(2), 32-47 https://myasucourses.asu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-9354502-dt-content-rid-36371443_1/courses/2014SummerA-D-TEL706-44961-44962/Garcia%20%26%20Ortiz%2C%202013_Intersectionality%20as%20a%20Framework%20for%20Special%20Ed%20Research.pdf
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Thanks for your post, Laura. I read the article and it was interested to learn how you have experienced intersectionality first hand at your school. It’s clear Garcia and Ortiz are raising fundamental issues the issues that need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. Do you think the five points the authors suggest could be implemented at your school?