https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-09/riverside-sohcahtoa-teacher-viral-video-mocked-native-americans-fired

Riverside teacher who dressed up and mocked Native Americans for a trigonometry lesson involving a mnemonic using SOH CAH TOA in Riverside, CA is fired.

There is a right way to teach mnemonic techniques and a wrong way. This one took the advice to be big and provocative went way overboard. The children are unlikely to forget the many lessons (particularly the social one) contained here.

It's unfortunate that this could have potentially been a chance to bring indigenous memory methods into a classroom for a far better pedagogical and cultural outcome. Sad that the methods are so widely unknown that media missed a good teaching moment here.

referenced video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu4fulKVv2c

A snippet at the end of the video has the teacher talking to rocks and a "rock god", but it's extremely unlikely that she was doing so using indigenous methods or for indigenous reasons.

read: 7:00 AM

Even in cases where one apologizes for offences which don't break existing rules and the apology is accepted by the transgressed, the social ostracism doesn't end. This is a part of the indeterminate length of the social sentences that transgressors suffer.

What exactly are these unwritten rules? In some cases they may be examples of institutional power wielding influence in cases where people aren't giving the full benefit of humanity and consideration to others. Some may call some of these instances microaggressions or social constructs similar to them.

While there are some people with good intents in the [[DEI]] space - it's starting to become apparent that there are some [[foundational concepts]] that we are missing, such as understanding how [[cycle of socialization]] impacts [[unconscious bias]]

or not understanding the role of [[power dynamics]] and [[microaggression]]

I agree with this for the most part. The issue I have is that it puts the onus and burden on the individual who is on the receiving end of the microaggression to create a teachable moment. So yes... it is very important that companies first be aware of the problem and that those who suffer from microaggressions are supported. This can come in the form of organizational training as well as support of allies within the workplace who are trained on constructive approaches to addressing witnessed microaggression.

I strongly disagree with this claim. That is not the only criteria one can use. This ignores differences in cultural and personal backgrounds and gives the "interpreter" a pass on being lazy in their assessment. Unfortunately, people who act bothered by a co-worker's low tone of voice and perceived timidness contribute to the problem of placing certain groups at a disadvantage in the workplace or in their career growth. Low tone or deference to superiors for many people is out of respect for authority, and should not be interpreted as lack of confidence. One should look to the individual's credentials, thinking, and contributions to the organization as a whole.

This remark about "The French" is funny to analyze... I have fallen victim to this homogenous way of thinking. This is something very easily done. When we use micro aggressions, we often de-value or minimize individuals implicitly. This is sad, but can often be harmful, even if it is indirect.