The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.  I worked in child care for a number of years and I witnessed a number of different situations that I would consider prejudice. There was one where a little girl and her family used water to clean themselves after using the restroom. In order to meet this need, the little girl used a small watering can. This situation sticks out to me in particular, because I remember a newer teacher substituting in the classroom and this little girl asked her if she could get down her watering can so that she could finish using the restroom. The teacher did not know that this was a need of the child and told the little girl to just wipe and finish. The little girl was upset and I tried to figure out what was wrong. She said what was wrong and it was then explained to the newer teacher that culturally this is how her family did things. The teacher said, "That's weird."
• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity? I think this situation diminished equity because by the teacher calling what the child's family did 'weird' she was basically saying that it was wrong and she did not necessarily agree with it. Rather than understanding that it was something they do in their culture, she made a judgement about this action, based on her opinion of it.
• What feelings did this incident bring up for you? I felt very sad for the child, it is hard enough being a four year old in preschool and to be different from the other children, but to have a grown up...someone you should be able to trust say that something you do is weird would be very hurtful. It is also giving this child, the impression that she should almost be ashamed of what her family does. I think in this situation the teacher just didn't understand what the child meant and it seemed like she was almost embarrassed and just expressed this the wrong way.
• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity? I think the teacher would have to change in order for a greater opportunity for equity. Obviously, the child didn't understand what was happening in the situation and the teacher could have used other verbage or had a different attitude in the situation.