Disgruntled Scholar: Whatever Happened to Equality in Education?

By Christine Fron, published May 10, 2005
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I am not Black (African-American, Negro), or brown, or Hispanic (Mexican, Cuban or Spaniard). I am not a Pacific Islander (Samoan, Tongan), Asian (Chinese, Japanese or otherwise) nor am I an Indian or Inuit... I am plain vanilla - White (not of Hispanic origin). That is unless you can see the layers of umpteen numbers of different tones of brown in my tan lines. I am not transgender, lesbian, gay, homosexual, bisexual, nor am I a she-woman man-hating, feminist bitch. I am simply "female." I don't play both sides of the fence and the same side of the fence reminds me far too much of what bitches women can truly be - lesbian or not. I have all of my limbs and carry them on a full torso in working order. I walk on my own two feet and do not require a set of wheels to be mobile. I can see fine with or without my contacts, but need a little kick in the ass to read distant street signs and chalkboards on occasion. My hearing is great, even if I feign an innocent, "huh?" when I don't want to listen. The only disability I can own up to is a bit of irreverence from time to time. I was merely born as a unit of one - no refund, no return. There is no duplicate or triplicate of my person or psyche anywhere else in the world that emerged from a common womb. So why is it that the available scholarships out there require me to me to be one of the above-mentioned? Just because I am a "white girl" should not mean that I am not entitled to the "perks" of educational gift-aid simply because there is nothing "wrong" with me according to today's society. Given, I am a woman - and with that "blessing" comes the few and rare opportunities out there based on my gender alone. Aside from merit and financial-need based aid, never mind the fact that some of them require you to be a domestic violence survivor, lesbian, neo-nazi feminist or to have been disabled while committing acrobatics in a wheelchair on a tightrope at high altitude, and I really don't want to fly to the moon, I'd rather receive it on a silver platter - the moon, that is. I don't dare mention the gaping maw in educational gift-aid for straight white males! That's another story, altogether. After sifting through thousands upon thousands of scholarships, I have discovered approximately six; yes count them all... six potential organizations to contribute to my education. That's a truly disturbing ratio. Before the "bitter bitch" thought takes over your thoughts, listen up... I'm not against having additional opportunities for any other group, ethnicity, or disability. I applaud the efforts of everyone out there contributing to the stability of their communities and states and of course, to our country. But did they have to discriminate against the "Average Joe or Josie" out there to do it? No. It's an obvious abuse of affirmative and equal opportunity statutes that have been disregarded and waived from common law. Whatever happened to equality in education?

Disgruntled Scholar: Whatever Happened to Equality in Education?

Students struggle to meet tuition costs, while the great halls of most universities await their arrival.

Credit: � Christine Fron

Comments
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I couldn't agree more with this article, as one who fits into the same demographic when I was getting my bachelor's degree. It was ironic, considering I then and now live in an area where I am in the minority, where whites are often discriminated against. Interesting in that if you were "affluent," then you wouldn't be seeking financial aid, now would you? It's interesting that your first commenter would make that deduction, just b/c you're a white female.

Posted on 05/19/2005 at 2:05:00 PM

 
Gee, I'm white, young, & smart. I live in a tiny apartment, pay taxes in the "near poverty" tax bracket, & am not affluent or societally blessed in any way. I have no health insurance, no bank account, & no fantastic middle to upper management job that was given to me simply because I'm young, white, and smart. Life CAN be easier for me because I'm white. Generally it isn't. Sure I get no racial slurs thrown my way from other white people. However there sure are a lot of them tossed about by all the not-so-white people living in my apartment complex, and I am expected to take it & feel guilty for being white and speaking English so clearly. I am not afforded any interest by the media or the local authorities should I choose to claim racism, because I'm white and clearly incapable of being discriminated against. In the racial lottery of life, you can do worse than being born white. If you're born stupid or ignorant, you may miss the point of such a great article.

Posted on 05/19/2005 at 12:05:00 PM

 
To another Whitey: You're obviously living in another century if you think life is easier for anyone because they're white today. There are plenty of opportunities for all ethnicities... I think Ms. Fron is pointing out an obvious reversal in equality.

Posted on 05/18/2005 at 11:05:00 PM

 
Respectfully, it's your color that's given you more opportunities than others. You're probably affluent, as well as white. Life is easier for you, honey. This is a good article, but the fact is that you have more advantages than most people.

Posted on 05/18/2005 at 5:05:00 PM

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