Panel discusses cultural competency in public schools

Social work students organized a panel, “Defending Cultural Competency in Our School Systems,” Tuesday evening to discuss the importance of educator awareness of different cultures.

Junior Samantha Harrell said the idea for a panel came from a class assignment to follow a bill and actively do something about it. Harrell and several classmates decided to follow Indiana House Bill 1308, which she said would have required, among other things, increased cultural competency in teacher evaluations and the curriculum of courses in higher education.

“When the bill died, we were really upset about that, and we wanted to bring people out to learn why it was so important through those who understand the various competencies,” Harrell said.


Rabbi Sue Silberberg, executive director of the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center
Silberberg, representing the Jewish community on campus, spoke about the general assumption in American society that everyone is Christian, whether in practice or by mere association.

She said this is a struggle for not just Jewish individuals but anyone who does not associate with Christianity.

“For Jewish holidays, the most holy days of the year fall in September, and in Judaism, on that type of a holiday, those holiest days, you’re not allowed to do any form of work,” Silberberg said. “Many students do, but you’re not supposed to go to classes.”

Days are set aside to attend services and be with family, Silberberg said, and this poses difficulties for Jewish students for whom the holidays coincide with the first few weeks of school.

Students in these situations, she said, have to deal with revealing their cultural background and identity to a new teacher without knowing how the instructor
will respond.


Charmayne Champion-Shaw, associate director of American Indian Programs at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis
Champion-Shaw, also a faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies at IUPUI, has researched the portrayal of American Indians in social studies textbooks. What she found was that Native Americans in every instance were described in the past tense.

“If you have Indian students in your class, and they’re already struggling with their identity ... and they’re referring to Native Americans in the past tense, they’re going to continue to struggle with their identity,” she said.


Lillian Casillas-Origel, director of La Casa Latino Cultural Center
Casillas-Origel discussed the way in which public schools handle instances of undocumented students. She addressed a culture of hiding that exists with undocumented families and the ways public schooling has fueled a fear of authority.

She said some schools have acted as immigration offices after immigration bills passed, contributing to this culture.

Casillas-Origel, who has taught a course to high-school students about college called “College 101,” also spoke about English as a Second Language classes and the isolating effect they can have on students.

She also spoke about the importance of seeing Latino students as more than just Hispanic, noting that Latino and Latina individuals span various religions and sexualities.


Sabrina Sullenberger, social worker
Sullenberger, who worked as an inclusion coordinator for public schools in Tennessee, spoke about the effects of cultural incompetency in schools.

In one case she witnessed, she observed a teacher who, although she was a “self-professed lover of all children,” referred to her students by their disabilities.
Sullenberger emphasized the importance of focusing on students abilities rather than their disabilities.

“Inclusion is saying, ‘You are a part of our community,’” she said.


Dustin Nisley, social work intern at Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services
Nisley spoke of his own experiences with coming out to his family after being brought up in an Evangelical Christian background.

He witnessed anti-GLBT language growing up and faced hostility after he came out to his parents during his sophomore year of college.

Now a senior, Nisley said his relationship with his parents is improving. However, he said educators should be weary of intolerant language in public schools.