First of all, what is classism?
Classism, also known as class discrimination, is the act of treating an individual differently based on their social class or perceived social class. It can also be considered the oppression of a subordinated class, to strengthen the dominant class. This treatment is held in place by certain beliefs and attitudes that make people rank other people by economic status, literacy, family lineage and much more. Most people encounter this by receiving remarks about classist nature.
How is classism present in college?
According to Vox, many colleges subtly discriminate against their students based on their social class itself. For example, in 2017, the college enrollment rates had fluctuated dramatically. Many schools and colleges accepted more students coming from rich families compared to those from poor families. Furthermore, the students that experience classism usually have different expectations regarding their life after college, compared to those who don’t experience this type of oppression. Usually, the victims of classism are the ones who want to help their families grow financially and want to prove to everyone that they can do it despite their background. Compared to students coming from wealthier families, they are also the ones that care about being independent speakers and want to expand their knowledge. As expected, they don’t have the same expectations anymore, because while one group of students needs an economic safety net, the other group does not have to worry about the same.
How can we end classism in educational communities?
We can start modelling non-classist behaviours and attitudes by spreading awareness about the same. We can call-out certain comments that are made regarding this topic and try to make those people realize where they went wrong. Another way to end this system is to stand up to classism and by being an ally.
Lastly, I would like to say that we should always stand together and spread more love and not hate.
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