Strategies
- Darlene Edgar
Diversity Institute. (2020). Diversity leads, diverse representation in leadership: A review of eight Canadian cities. https://www.ryerson.ca/diversity/reports/DiversityLeads_2020_Canada.pdf
Purpose of DiversityLeads 2020:
Analyzes representation of women, Black people, and other racialized persons on various boards of directors.
Includes agencies, boards, commissions (ABCs), hospitals, voluntary sector, and educational institutions.
Goal: Provide a holistic view of diversity on boards through quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Terminology and Methodology:
Gender vs. Sex: Use of "gender" to distinguish socially constructed aspects from biologically determined ones.
"Racialized person" preferred over "visible minority" to avoid normalization of whiteness and recognize race as a social construct.
Methodology: Based on photographs for gender and racial identification due to lack of publicly available self-identification information.
Multi-rater visual identification process used to code racialized status due to the absence of race-based data tracking.
Quantitative Analysis:
Review of 9,843 individuals on boards across five sectors and eight cities.
Women occupy 40.8% of board positions overall, with variations across regions and sectors.
Racialized people represent 28.4% of the population but only occupy 10.4% of board positions.
Wide disparities in racialized representation across cities and sectors.
Black leaders deeply underrepresented on boards, outnumbered by other racialized groups.
Qualitative Analysis:
Interviews with 36 individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Identification of barriers to inclusion: corporate culture, lack of social networks, discrimination, pressures to refrain from self-identification, and lack of mentorship or support.
Recommendations for Advancement:
Macro Level: Combat stereotypes, promote inclusive policies and legislation.
Meso Level: Strategic diversity and inclusion initiatives, setting targets, embedding diversity in governance, progressive HR practices.
Micro Level: Shape individual knowledge, attitudes, and behavior to advance diverse representation on boards.
Overall, the report highlights the need for an integrated strategy to address barriers to inclusion and advance diversity in workplaces and boardrooms.
Ridings, A. (2020). Removing barriers to LGBTQ student safety and achievement. State Education Standard, 20(2), 37–41. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1257768.pdf
Frequency of Harassment:
Verbal harassment based on gender expression increased from 2015 to 2017, with no improvements in physical harassment and assault.
Hostile school climates in 2017 negatively affected LGBTQ students' mental health and educational outcomes.
Impact of Harassment on LGBTQ Students:
High levels of anti-LGBTQ victimization linked to lower GPAs, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of depression.
LGBTQ students experiencing victimization less likely to pursue postsecondary education.
Public Policy Proposals:
Proposals targeting LGBTQ students seek to strengthen barriers to inclusion in educational institutions.
State boards of education can develop supportive policies to create safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ students.
Recommendations for State Boards:
Establish comprehensive antibullying and harassment standards with nondiscrimination protections.
Convene statewide task forces to evaluate and strengthen bullying prevention efforts.
Develop inclusive curricular standards acknowledging LGBTQ history and experiences.
Comprehensive Protections:
Enumerated laws provide safer environments not only for LGBTQ students but for all students.
Educators' professional development crucial in addressing anti-LGBTQ bias.
LEAs should adopt policies in compliance with state laws to ensure uniform protections.
Restorative Practices:
Replace punitive discipline with restorative practices to alleviate harms associated with discriminatory discipline.
Family Notification and Incident Data:
Create distinct processes for family notification of incidents to prevent outing of LGBTQ students.
State boards can support local collection and submission of incident data to strengthen prevention efforts.
Supportive Educators:
Educators affirming LGBTQ students play a crucial role in creating safe and inclusive environments.
Affirming educators also advocate for policy changes and support students in filing complaints against discriminatory policies or practices.
Convene Task Forces and Councils:
Task forces help identify ways to make schools safer and guide the development of regulations and policies.
State boards can issue guidance on addressing the unique needs of transgender students.
Nondiscrimination Protections:
Supportive workplace protections for LGBTQ educators enhance their ability to create safer environments for LGBTQ students.
State boards can build support for inclusive curricular standards and programs like No Name Calling Week and Day of Silence.
Conclusion:
Persistent barriers to LGBTQ safety and achievement require ongoing efforts from state boards to develop affirming policies and support programs.
Creating safe environments for LGBTQ students is essential for their academic success and well-being.
Thoroughgood, C. N., Sawyer, K. B., & Webster, J. R. (2020). Creating a Trans-inclusive workplace. Harvard Business Review, 98(2), 114–123. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=bth&AN=141551787&custid=s7439054
Introduction:
Working is inherently stressful for many individuals.
Adding the emotional burden of suppressing one's gender identity due to societal norms compounds this stress.
Trans individuals often face stigma, discrimination, and pressure to conform to societal gender expectations, especially in the workplace.
Challenges Faced by Trans Individuals in the Workplace:
Trans people encounter stigma, discrimination, and pressure to manage their identities in social settings.
Many employers lack the knowledge and policies to support trans employees.
Stigmatizing and discriminatory behavior can lead to negative consequences for trans individuals' emotional well-being, job satisfaction, and retention.
Roots of Stigma and Discrimination:
Gendered behavior is learned from a young age, reinforcing societal gender norms.
Trans individuals challenge these norms by expressing their gender identity authentically, leading to stigma and discrimination.
Impact of Stigma and Discrimination:
Trans individuals often experience mistreatment in the workplace, leading to negative outcomes such as job loss, resignation, and denial of promotion.
Stigma and discrimination contribute to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety.
Research Findings:
Surveys and studies reveal daily experiences of discrimination among trans employees, leading to hypervigilance and emotional exhaustion.
Discriminatory workplaces undermine job satisfaction and increase the desire to quit among trans employees.
Business Costs of Discrimination:
Discrimination leads to higher turnover, decreased productivity, and potential litigation, costing businesses financially and damaging their reputation.
Recommended Actions for Employers:
Adopt basic practices of trans inclusivity, including bathroom access, dress codes, and pronoun usage.
Support gender transitions and provide trans-specific diversity training.
Utilize resiliency interventions to support trans employees' well-being.
Bathroom Access:
Implement gender-neutral bathrooms to signal inclusivity and value for trans employees.
Educate employees on the importance of acceptance and welcoming behavior in shared spaces.
Dress codes:
Accenture and some other organizations are implementing regionally gender-neutral dress codes.
These policies allow all employees to choose from a range of options, destigmatizing varying expressions of gender.
Gender-neutral dress codes can aid in recruitment and retention by signaling that normativity is not expected.
Pronoun and name usage:
Paying serious attention to trans employees' preferred names and correct pronouns is crucial.
Misgendering, intentional or unintentional, is relatively common at work.
Employers should keep records of employees' chosen names and correct pronouns, encourage their use on name badges and email signatures, and provide training on proper pronoun usage.
Goldman Sachs launched an internal campaign to raise awareness of pronouns and encourage employees to share their pronouns.
Laws regarding gender expression and employment:
In the US, federal law does not explicitly prohibit discrimination against trans people, with only 19 states offering explicit protections.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 complicates discrimination complaints against employers who justify practices on religious grounds.
Laws regarding gender expression vary globally, from protections in countries like the UK to punishment in countries like Saudi Arabia.
Employers should be mindful of legal variations and practice inclusivity consistently.
Supporting gender transitions:
Transitioning is a personal process, and employers should develop a comprehensive approach to support transitioning employees.
Employers can cover costs for medical procedures, ask employees what they need during transitions, provide information and support, and cultivate a supportive work environment.
Supportive leaders and coworkers are crucial during transitions, fostering a sense of belonging and authenticity.
Developing trans-specific diversity training:
General diversity training on gender identity is essential but often lacking in corporate settings.
Trainings should include contact with trans individuals and help cisgender employees become champions of their trans colleagues.
Encouraging employees to challenge noninclusive behaviors and have courageous conversations can foster inclusivity.
Utilizing interventions to build resiliency:
Interventions such as mindfulness training can help trans employees manage stress resulting from workplace prejudice.
Structural changes to eliminate prejudice take time, but offering tools to reduce harmful outcomes of stigma is important.
Conclusion:
Authenticity and connection with the organization are crucial for trans employees to achieve their full potential at work.
Employers that prioritize human dignity and inclusivity create a corporate legacy of doing the right thing by employees.
Hamm, L., Maston, M., McLoughlin, J., & Smith, J. (2021). Educators responding to rapid demographic change in New Brunswick: “It is not inclusion if they are just sitting in the desk.” Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 67(2), 178–201. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=ehh&AN=15
Background: New Brunswick is experiencing a declining population and seeks to attract more immigrants to the province. With increased diversity in schools, adjustments in pedagogy and mindset are necessary. However, discussions about racism, equity, and social justice are challenging for educators.
Importance of Educator Responses: Educators' responses to rapid demographic changes are crucial and cannot be dismissive. Collecting feedback from various stakeholders, including immigrant parents, is essential for policy-making.
Challenges and Adjustments:
Language barriers often result in new students being placed in lower-level courses, hindering their inclusion. Teachers express a desire to learn more about religious diversity but are cautious about addressing it in the classroom.
The arrival of Syrian students, many with no English proficiency, highlighted challenges such as language barriers and the need for empathetic communication.
There is a disconnect between educators and new Canadian families, often due to work schedules and institutional barriers.
Recommendations:
Intentionally engage immigrant parents where they are comfortable, such as in their communities, and consider alternative meeting times like evenings and weekends.
Confront conflicts and engage in critical dialogue, addressing the political nature of schooling while seeking harmony and focusing on positive stories.
Increase professional development opportunities focused on diversity and intercultural education.
Foster connections and community by providing additional support from community agencies and empowering new students through sports and extracurricular activities.
Commit to diversifying teaching staff to better represent the classroom composition, ensuring that students see themselves reflected in their teachers and leaders.
Conclusion: Responding to rapid demographic changes requires educators to adopt a people-oriented approach, create welcoming environments, and build mutually respectful relationships with immigrant families. By addressing challenges and implementing recommendations, schools can promote inclusion and support the diverse needs of their students and communities.
Pidgeon, M. (2016). More than just a checklist. Social Inclusion 4(1), 77–91. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295839816_More_Than_a_Checklist_Meaningful_Indigenous_Inclusion_in_Higher_Education
Introduction:
The responsibility of higher education institutions towards Indigenous education involves empowering Indigenous self-determination, addressing systemic colonization, and reconciling societal inequities.
Background:
In 2013, only 8% of Aboriginal people had some form of post-secondary education compared to 20% of non-Aboriginal people, indicating significant disparities.
Indigenous education emerged as a global movement in the early 2000s, aiming to change the future narrative for Indigenous communities.
Education for Indigenous students from kindergarten to 12th grade is a federal responsibility, with funds often transferred to provincial schools serving Indigenous students.
Framework and Approach:
The Indigenous holistic framework aims to connect the philosophical underpinnings of Indigenous knowledge while representing the complexity of holistic interconnections.
The framework emphasizes the importance of acknowledging territory and incorporates the Four Rs by Kirkness and Barnhardt (1991): respect, responsibility, relationships, reciprocity, and relevance.
It underscores the interconnectedness of institutions at various levels (local, national, global) and the need for transformative approaches to Indigenous education.
Institutional Policies and Practices:
Indigenous strategic plans and protocols have been developed, but only 35% of institutions have specific Aboriginal strategic plans.
Indigenous student experiences are influenced by various factors such as admissions processes, financial barriers, and curricular offerings.
Efforts are made to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into teaching, learning, and research, with a focus on hiring Indigenous faculty and supporting Indigenous research methodologies.
Student Services and Support:
Aboriginal student services have been established in many institutions, with more than 90% of colleges and universities offering some form of support.
However, tensions exist due to resource limitations and the competing demands for resources.
Research and Ethical Considerations:
Research involving Indigenous communities must adhere to ethical protocols and include Indigenous methodologies and processes.
Workshops on tenure promotion aim to change institutional structures to be more inclusive of Indigenous perspectives.
Challenges and Considerations:
Challenges include the tension between tokenism and meaningful practice, indigenization versus internationalization, and identity contestations within Indigenous communities.
Successful initiatives involve system transformation, Indigenous representation at all levels of governance and administration, relevant curricular and co-curricular programs, policies, and services.
Conclusion:
Achieving social inclusion for Indigenous peoples in higher education requires ongoing efforts grounded in local territories and nations, with non-Indigenous people taking responsibility for their own decolonizing processes.
Grudnoff, L., Haigh, M., Hill, M., Cochran-Smith, M., Ell, F., & Ludlow, L. (2017). Teaching for equity: insights from international evidence with implications for a teacher education curriculum. Curriculum Journal, 28(3), 305–326. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,sso&db=a9h&AN=123762793&site=eds-live&custid=s7439054Enhancing Teacher Preparation for Equity:
Aim to improve teacher quality to address inequitable education outcomes.
Explore the impact of teacher education on diverse student learning.
Identify teaching practices that promote equitable outcomes across social, emotional, civic, critical, and academic domains.
Research Approach:
Review major research programs globally to analyze teaching practices influencing student learning.
Assess evidence from various international studies against defined criteria.
Compare findings to determine commonalities and efficacy of teaching practices.
Investigate the influence of poverty versus teaching practices on achievement gaps.
Teacher Quality and Preparation:
Emphasize the importance of teacher quality in enhancing educational opportunities.
Critique traditional university-based teacher preparation programs' effectiveness.
Recognize the multifaceted nature of teaching practices and reject binary distinctions between theory and practice.
Equity-Centered Teacher Education:
Advocate for teacher education that provides contexts for student teachers to learn and enact equitable classroom strategies.
Emphasize understanding broader societal structures of advantage and inequality intersecting with teaching contexts.
Challenge neoliberal criticisms of teaching that solely blame teachers for educational inequities.
Best Evidence Synthesis:
Synthesize empirical evidence to identify effective teaching practices for diverse learners.
Utilize quantitative meta-analyses and case studies to analyze teaching practices.
Focus on quality teaching for diverse students in various subject areas.
Principles for Effective Pedagogy:
Present ten evidence-informed principles for teaching and learning.
Emphasize the importance of active learner engagement, scaffolding learning, and recognizing prior experiences.
Highlight the significance of informal learning, consistent policy frameworks, and support for learning.
Measures of Effective Teaching:
Discuss the correlation between teacher effectiveness and student achievement.
Identify key aspects of teaching associated with student success.
Emphasize the importance of valid feedback beyond test scores.
Facets of Practice for Equity:
Outline five standards for effective pedagogy, including joint productive activity, language development, contextualization, challenging activities, and instructional conversation.
Incorporate a focus on recognizing and addressing practices that reproduce inequity.
Highlight the role of context, culture, collaboration, critical reflexivity, and agency in promoting equitable practices and positive learning outcomes for marginalized students.