DOC Educated in Whiteness: Good Intentions and Diversity in Schools (Spirituality in Education) by Angelina E. Castagno in History

Review

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful critique of alleged multicultural eduational practicesBy IvyLeagueLadyThis is an amazing text. I am a professor at a private liberal arts college with a PhD from Vanderbilt. I teach in the education department and use this text in both graduate and undergraduate courses. The author grounds the entire text within critical race theory; theories of privilege and power; and critical whiteness. This is a text that is NOT going to be popular because frankly; she is exposing the reason why we have racial/economic/linguistic/gender achievement gaps: because people think good intentions equate to equitable teaching. The text uses empirical data gathered from a total of 3 years of ethnographic research. This is not a text one can swallow without strong grounding in the verbiage and prior knowledge of her multiple theoretical frameworks. She is challenging what we normally accept as 'good teaching' and exposing the ways specific practices grounded in 'niceness' reify white dominance. This text is *not racist*; that is a reactionary and defensive response that perfectly illustrates her primary thesis: people are so worried about being nice; they refuse to be honest; vulnerable; and accountable. By all means please purchase this text; read it thoughtfully and honestly. Then give it to a friend.5 of 20 people found the following review helpful. Demeaning; Dystopian; and RacistBy LaurenBThis book is an unscientific; non-data oriented racist rant that offers no solutions to solving the achievement gap in America. I would give it a zero if allowed. The book follows two schools in Salt Lake City; one in an upper middle class neighborhood; the other in a neighborhood that has many students living at or below the poverty level. The "data" on which the book is premised are quotes from teachers at these schools that appear to be off the cuff or said in frustration. There is no compelling evidence supporting the author's theories that derive from the teachers' random statements.A direct quote from the book is as follows "Whiteness refers to structural arrangements and ideologies of race dominance. Racial power and inequities are at the core of whiteness; but all forms of power and inequity create and perpetuate whiteness. The function of whiteness is to maintain the status quo; and although White people most often benefit from whiteness; some people of color have tapped into the ideological components of whiteness for their own financial and educational benefits."Can Ms. Castagno really believe that most people whose skin is fair are racist; and some people having dark skin are; in effect; opportunists and racists? Yet that is the core premise of the book.Another quote: "Because race and racism form the core of whiteness failing to acknowledge them also fails to challenge whiteness." What?Another quote directly from the book: "Later chapters will examine some of the specific ways educators are invested in notions of powerblindnessand colorblindness; politeness; equality; individualism and liberalism. These are the workhorses of whiteness."If I listed the antonyms of the concepts listed above as the goals of our educators; we would be living in something akin to Nazi Germany.Another direct quote: "Most educators are well intentioned and want what is best for students; but whiteness is protected despite (and sometimes through) even the best intentions. Part of the problem is that most educators are not aware of whiteness."English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs and federally funded School Improvement Grants (SIG) are deemed by the author as instruments of whiteness and thereby failures.Why the title of the book includes in parentheses: (Spirituality in Education) is a mystery. Spirituality in not mentioned once in the book's text.Angelina Castagno concludes with no solutions. This dystopian view of education is demeaning to educators and people in general.