Common Microaggressions
Name something people say when a student points out racism.
“You're so sensitive”
“You can’t take a joke”
“You’re overreacting”
“Things are way better now then they use to be”
“Why do you have to make everything about race”
Where is racism the most common in our community?
Schools
Work places
Community centre / malls
Restaurants
Public transit
*Any similar answer works
What reactions are most common towards racist comments and microaggressions?
Gaslighting
Manipulating
Alienation/isolation
In racialized communities, why would individuals feel targeted?
Stricter punishments compared to others
Misconceptions about culture
Automatic assumptions about stereotypes
What is “an unintentional or intentional insult, slight or negative hostile message”.
Microaggression
Name one comment that may seem harmless but is actually a microaggression.
“Where are you really from?”
“You speak really good English”
"You're so articulate”
“Touching someone's hair, turban, hijab”
“That's so gay!”
In school, where is it more likely for racialize students to be stereotyped
School clubs / competitions
Classrooms (group projects) / friend-groups
Sports teams
What risks might students experience when speaking about racism?
Bullying / cyberbullying
Discrimination / exclusion
Emotional stress / being left out
What systems might racialize students reach out to?
Teachers or guidance counselors
Racism hotlines or public numbers/anonymous programs
Trusted peers or family members
What can people do in the community to help reduce microaggressions and racism?
Have community events that include everyone
Speak up whenever they witness an incident
Diverse social interactions
How do microaggressions contribute to systemic racism in schools?
Biased thinking
Influence teacher expectations
Show unfair treatment
Lead to further issues like mental health
How do racist experiences in school create challenges for students in their daily lives?
Fewer social interactions
Being introverted
Academic performance
How do individuals usually react when racism or microaggression occurs?
Staying quiet to avoid being the centre of attention
Defensive over the person who said the comment
Staying away from involved individuals after the incident
What emotional impacts could revolve around racialized students?
Anxiety/stress
Depression/death thoughts
Internalized racism/feeling lonely
What aspects of a situation help you decide if a comment or action is a microaggression?
Impact and interpretations
Repetitive behaviours
Time, place, or setting
How can a microaggression affect a student’s participation in class over time?
Fear of speaking up
Isolated from class discussions
Loss of confidence
Affect future jobs
In schools or our local community, why might certain racialized students feel targeted / threatened compared to other groups of people?
Biased views
Previous negative experiences of racism in similar places
Treated differently due to the systems rules.
How can an individual react to racism in a sense that follows safety regulations but still helps stop it?
Support from friends and family to have more people
Checking your surroundings (time, place)
Reporting incidents and issues
What's proven when a secondary education system does not assist students when dealing with the feelings and impacts caused by racism?
Racism is not seen as a major issue
Racism is ignored because of how common it is
Lack of accountability
Why is prioritizing the impact necessary when addressing microaggressions?
Centres the affected person’s experience
Encourages accountability and learning
Prevents repeated behaviour
Name a microaggression teachers or peers may unintentionally say in class.
Only calling on racialized students during race-related topics
Assuming a student needs extra help without evidence
Enhancing behavior as “surprisingly good”
In what way do housing systems, job experiences, or services treat people differently based on race?
Showing individuals less houses in a community (high/middle class)
Saying expensive clothing is unavailable
Discrimination when hiring
If everyone in Castlebrooke reacted to microaggressions by creating a joke out of them. What would the long term consequences be on the community and the students?
Reduced participation in community events
Normalizing bias behaviour
Recognize students as a whole from their community instead of individuals
How might a student facing racism affect the sense of belonging of other students in the community?
Negative morals and values for classroom areas
Fear of recieving the same treatment
Sets a representation of our community and how low the standards are
How does understanding micro aggressions help create safer schools and communities?
Increases awareness and prevention
Reduces normalization of harmful behaviour
Encourages inclusive policies and actions
Builds respect and trust among diverse groups