The Invisible Knapsack

The Invisible Knapsack

EDU 689 Personal Ethics & Leadership Capacity

The Invisible Knapsack Article Analysis

The article is a very eye-opening view on white privilege and identifying the invisible knapsack. I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group (Mcintosh, 1990). This statement is so accurate from the days when I grew up. We related racism to groups like the KKK and the Black Panthers. Never related racism to the idea of a group that automatically gets conferring dominance. In the statement, I think whites are carefully taught not to recognize white privilege is seen by me as a fact in life and thinking to where I grew up and who we thought were the privileged base mainly on what town they lived in or which part of town. Considering the idea that this theory can be in any setting in the United States, which seems more likely in the south. Is that me just being morally neutral as stated, whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work that will allow “them” to be more like “us”(Mcintosh, 1990). In reading this article, it tends to make me think if I have been programmed not to see the white privilege and raised in a way that it all seems reasonable to me.

I can see how people can grow and live in a class that they don’t even know they are racist. But at the same time, the idea of racism is different, depending on which part of the country a person lives. People are taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth(Mcintosh, 1990).

This article also touches on the nerves of people who feel this should not be talked about and according to Cory Collins White privilege is—perhaps most notably in this era of uncivil

discourse—a concept that has fallen victim to its own connotations. The two-word term packs a double whammy that inspires pushback. 1) The word white creates discomfort among those who’s not used to being defined or described by race. And 2) the word privilege, especially for poor and rural white people, sounds like a word that doesn’t belong to them—like a word that suggests they have never struggled (Collins, 2018).

Argument Evaluation

Growing up in New England and having a very diverse neighborhood and schools, I can see this being somewhat true. Especially since reading this article, it makes me wonder about some things like I never had the thoughts growing up that I was able to do things just because I was white. It seemed to me most things I did growing up it was with people of other colors and backgrounds. I can understand the author’s perspective in that whites don’t even know that they are privileged at times or most of the time. I also agree with the examples the author had on the things white privilege doesn’t even bat an eye at. I also am intrigued by the article, which was written in 1989 or so and remembered the state of the country at that time; I just graduated high school and joined the Army. Never once have I thought as myself as privileged, but in reading the perspective given, I would have to say that all whites are privileged, and men are privileged in the job force.

Ethical Leadership Application

The Comparison of the article white privilege and the Ethics of Justice are to parallel thoughts in that the White privilege shows a system built to give the upper hand to the white privilege and make the journey hard for others. But in the ethics of justice, we see every effort is made to even the playing field as seen the efforts in building on Kohlberg’s “just community,”

Sergiovanni (1992) placed the principle of justice at the center of his concept of school: “Accepting this principle meant that every parent, teacher, student, administrator, and other members of the school community must be treated with the same equality, dignity, and fair play”(Shapiro, 2016, p. 11). This shows the acknowledgment of white privilege in the school systems also since we are trying our best to make everything have the same equality in all we do.

It also is seen that people who are white and in positions of authority must be able to have a sounding board within their staff, and this thought only comes after reading this article of white privilege and the real privilege is the system so why not realize it is a possibility, and a person does not realize it is happening hence the sounding board when issues arise. Just as the conversation of I can treat everyone equally and this statement coming through the lens of the white privilege. Why not have a colleague who can help check on yourself and help build a stronger you. The example in the ethical leadership and diverse society is a perfect summary for all to read and think about. I work with a colleague who prides himself on being able to treat all of his students the same way. Regardless of race, economic status, or ability, he claims to have the means to maintain a completely unbiased view on all. After working with him for six years, I have noticed that he does not have this ability (Shapiro, 2016, Chapter 1).

Personal Reflection

After serving in the military for many years with the understanding that the military is leaps and bounds ahead of society when it comes to equal opportunity and fairness. I have to think because this article has brought up an excellent point about white privilege and how we don’t even know we are due to how the system is set up. Working in the military, I was always

looking to ensure my soldiers are treated fair no matter where they came from, and with that came the responsibility to provide the squads, platoons were ethnical. This is something I have not seen in the school I am in, and I feel we have a shortage of ethnic background teachers.

This article and the information we have covered so far have got me thinking the ethics of justice and the ethic of critique are very interesting in that we need more people to see this and understand the hidden elements of racism we have today. I have been known to accept people for who they are, and appreciate their backgrounds without judgement, and this is a tool that I can bring to a school. I believe that with the knowledge of knowing that there is hidden racism in the system, then we can help change it. This is an article that could inspire a professional development day to get people thinking about the way the system is built. But it also needs the right presentation, because there will be the people who take offense to this article.

As for my leadership style, I would stay the same since I feel I am a very even-keeled leader who looks for the best in people and as a strong advocate for equality in the school and I will ensure I have a campaign plan to show that equality at all levels is essential. The one thing I have learned as I became a leader in the Army, and as I still carry with me today, a leader needs to be a great listener and resolve issues as quick as possible. Great leadership can influence people to see the goal and ensure everyone is navigating to that goal, whether its to have growth of one year for every student or have equality in everything that is done in the school. Leadership is addictive, and people will follow a leader who cares and listens when needed, and that is how I plan to lead.

References

Collins, C. (2018). What Is White Privilege, Really? Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really

Mcintosh, P. (1990). WHITE PRIVILEGE: UNPACKING THE INVISIBLE KNAPSACK.

Independent School, 49(2), 31-35. Retrieved from Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

Shapiro, J. P. (2016). Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Complex Dilemmas (4 ed.). Retrieved from https://ashfordcollege.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781317681106/cfi/6/8!/4/2/2@0:0