This blog is entirely outside of my regular writing. It is an opinion piece based on my experience, thoughts, and emotions about how silence leads to oppressive systems.
When I left my lucrative and creative job in the entertainment industry to become an early childhood educator, I did it for the passion of caring for and educating young children, and it made me feel at home. My early childhood professors and the many colleagues I met as I was transitioning careers inspired me. Early childhood was the house I wanted to live in. People welcomed me, and I did not feel the same cutthroat atmosphere I maneuvered daily in my previous career. It has been 34 years that I have been a passionate early childhood educator, and I have advocated for the right of every child to play and be free to learn. I am a strong proponent of equity for children who live in under-funded, under-resourced communities, including children with diverse abilities.
Once in a while, I encounter someone telling me that I am too passionate, and I turn people off when I spark up about equity. This is my public response to those of you who think I am too ardent in promoting the right of all children to have a quality education. “May my passion inspire you to see ALL children with the respect they deserve.” “May you take the time to consider how your practices can best support ALL children.” “May my words guide you to design spaces of liberation and hope where ALL children thrive.” “May you learn to get past your discomfort and start finding a pathway to support ALL children,” “May you refelct on how you practices bring empathic inclusion of ALL children.” I stress the importance of overcoming the discomfort that my passion bring you, as it is a crucial step towards supporting ALL children. Most importantly, I hope you will realize that silencing others has kept many populations in the dark and whiteout the resources they need to gain the success they define for themselves. Silencing leads to oppression.
Yet, the equity journey I have chosen is one of learning and growing. The lessons keep me honest and reflective. I realized that silencing leads to oppression. Silencing comes from people’s discomfort with a topic they have probably not explored in more depth. I often hear the quote, “Ignorance is bliss,” I say, “Ignorance is a choice.” We choose what we want and how to use the information we know. We explore topics that make us uncomfortable or stay within the boundaries that make us feel safe.
As early childhood educators, we discuss reflective practices that lead to inquiry. I will start by saying that reflection and inquiry will not exist in silence. The educational philosopher John Dewey argued for the link between education and democracy. It is within the argument and reflection that follows that we begin to make intelligent choices and decisions that lead to the public good. Dewey believed that democracy is not just a political system but an ethical ideal with active, informed participation by citizens.
Reflection must be inclusive to lead to a more democratic community. To reflect means I am open to questioning my own thinking and listening to the diverse voices and perspectives shared by others. The powerful work of reflection can’t exist in silence. If democracy is to work, every voice must be included. As educators, we must speak up for children who may not have a voice. Silencing people will never lead to an equitable democracy.
I am currently sitting in fear for our democracy. I can’t believe that in 2024, I will be standing on the precipice of a government that will not only silence our voices but perhaps not allow us to have them. The future is unknown, and when Dewey wrote the book Education and Democracy, he was living in the uncertainty of that unknown future. The world had survived two world wars, a depression, and the industrialization of education. We prepared children to follow the rules and orders to build a global industrialized society. We had order and control. In other words, we silenced their creativity, intellect, and ability to participate in social justice.
We now face a modern, more connected, globalized world that is highly unpredictable. There is limited job security, and we are dealing with many mandates and low wages in our early childhood profession. However, things do not change. We continue to hold on the the status quo because it makes us comfortable. The status quo can only exist when we silence each other. Dewey viewed educators as creative professionals. He taught us that reflection starts with intellectual curiosity. This intellectual curiosity must exist in dialog and collegial exchange of ideas when every voice and every perspective is heard.
A reflective curiosity can only exist when we create the space to challenge each other’s thinking and are in tension with conversation and ideas that make us uncomfortable and disequilibrium. Dewey says educators have a passion for knowledge, intellectual curiosity, and an understanding of the learning process and the children in their care. Knowledge will not exist in silence. Like Dewey, to engage children as citizens, we must first be open to the discomfort of diverse perspectives. Deep learning happens as we construct knowledge together and learn from each other. Learning only happens when we are willing to listen to perspectives that throw us into disequilibrium and challenge our thinking. I want to listen to the learners’ voices (children, families & colleagues) to understand their thinking and adjust accordingly.
Today, I sit with the pain of having been silenced. Once again, I saw that when people are uncomfortable, they speak louder. However, the louder the voice does not make it the most effective or supportive voice. I also sit at peace because I have learned a new lesson that will propel my passion for children’s rights forward. I have learned that sitting in pain is not productive and that speaking up is what I will continue to do. I invite everyone who spends time reflecting to think about how silencing others hinders your own growth.
As we move into the uncertain global information age, perhaps Dewey’s concern with the relationship between effective democracy and education is his most important lesson. It has never been more important to help ALL children to find their level of success in the uncertain future. We must create the conditions so that they learn how to learn for life, and understand that education is a moral and ethical enterprise concerned with developing informed citizens capable of making informed choices and decisions. These impostant conditions will not exist when we silence each other. I invite you to sit in the discomfort before you tell a collegue that they are too passionate. Instead, take a moment to refelct on the persepctive they sahre with you and engage in more intellectual reflection that leads to a more equitable world.
Dewey, John. 2011. Democracy and Education. Hollywood, CA: Simon & Brown.
