10 ; Other News the Other Press March 19th , 1993 Video Highlights Classroom Sexism White men get the most attention by Pamela Murray MONTREAL (CUP) — Concordia University’s Office of the Status of Womenhas recently released a video designed to show professors how to identify sexist and racist behavior in the classroom. The video, titled “Inequity in the classroom”, shows that educational experiences differ for men and women, and for whites and minorities. Researchby Myra Sadker and David Sadker of the American University in Washington D.C. concluded that white men receive the most attention in classrooms, followed by men of colour, white women and lastly women of colour. “There are so many different micro-inequities and subtle forms of bias that creep into the classroom,” said Myra Sadker. The video shows simulated classroom scenes where men are more assertive and attention grabbing, while women are more marginalized and often interrupted when they do participate. A biased teacher is shown making more eye contact with men, and urging them toexpand theirideas by providing them with more praise and helpful criticism. Myra Sadker said the specific and clear feedback the men got would lead them to achieve more than the marginalized women. David Sadker said sports analogiesand sexualinnuendocreate a male environment which can exclude women. “Professors who work toinclude women in the classroom discussion are teaching the men in the class a very important lesson,” he said. According to Professor William Gilsdorf at Concordia, many professors are unwilling to modify the curriculum, let alone their own classroom behavior. Issues of racism and sexism create anxiety among faculty members and some resent classroom change as a loss of power and autonomy, he said. “Suddenly asking that the curriculum should include half the world is seen as interfering with knowledge,” said Sheila McIntyre, a lawyer at Queen’s University. A system that defends subordination in thenameofacademic freedom not only reproduces inequality, but reduces sexismand racism toabstract ideas, she said. The video includes lessons for educators. Every student should receive specific and clear feedback to their comments. To create a less intimidating atmosphere, teachers shouldalsoincrease “wait time” after throwing outa questioninclass. This tacticallowsmoretimefor “invisible” - Why work for peanuts ~ when you can sell them? students to speak up. Michelle in, coordinator of Concordia’s Office of the Status of Women, said over 500 copies of the video have been sold in Canada, and more have been ordered from the US. and Europe. ; Starting your own business is one way to guarantee Centres, Canada Employment Centres for Students, any “The shred is very ; yourself a job this summer. branch of the Royal Bank of Canada or the National Bank SOUS: SST: Si If you're a full-time student returning to school this of Canada. Bursaries fall and legally entitled to work in Canada, Challenge ’93, Just come to us wath your idea, and we ll see what ea See a the government of Canada’s summer employment program —_we can do about putting you to work for someone you English at the University of Ottawa, for students, is offering loans of up to $3,000 to help really like. You. 9 said a Tirmescoon mois you start a business. é Call toll-free: 93 the second language Shoals? Details are available at any branch of the Federal 1 800 361-2126. vee oe ia > Business Development Bank, Canada Employment have been pushing for a fee to get greater student commitment and raise revenues,” said Geroux. The cuts represent a declining commitment to bili ism across ROYAL BANK NAI BANQUE ecetnion de oaiaad Bg sa Ration BANQUE ROYALE Gouvernement du Canada Federal Soon So eccapraent del Minister of State for Youth Ministre d’Etat @ ls Jeunesse ® Development Bank de Canadil Canada, said Diane Boucher, legislative assistant to Liberal languages critic Jean-Robert Can Canada afford to tax reading? The GST is the first federal tax ever applied to reading material in Canada. Books, magazines and newspapers were free of all federal taxes from Confederation until 1991. The tax on reading has reduced reading in Canada and harmed students, libraries, writers and publishers. The facts: We can get this Education is the key to Canada’s future tax removed — When the Prime Minister unveiled his education and prosperity policy last year, he Here’s what you can do stressed the importance of learning and literacy to Canada’s future. Yet it was his ; government that introduced the first federal tax in Canadian history to apply to reading | Canadacan’tafforda tax that’s reducing reading and harming the quality of education. The material, Prime Minister promised in October, 1990 to carefully review the reading tax after a year, and to remove it if ithad reduced reading. It’s time for that review. Please send card, letter or fax to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, and to your local MP. (No postage is required on mail to these individuals). Other countries don’t tax reading Our international competitors — the U.S., Britain, Japan, Ireland, Mexico, Australia, and many other countries — know the importance of literacy. That's why they refuse to tax reading. The European Parliament recently voted to remove all taxes from reading Pre-addressed postcards to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance are available from materials — as an investment in their countries’ future. the Canadian Federation of Students or from the Coalition. The GST is taking books, magazines and newspapers out of the hands of Canadians and out of Canadian libraries. Book sales dropped 10% in the first year of GST. Magazine sales dropped 10-15% last year. The GST has caused the largest drop in Canadian newspaper circulation in fifty years. During the last recession, sales increased. Libraries and schools are supposed to receive GST rebates, but the rebate system doesn’t work. The result: a 7% cut in library budgets. Ask your student association what they’ re doing to fight the reading tax, and how you can _ help. Ask your Board of Governors, faculty association or union to write to the Prime Minister. Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street, Ottawa K1A 0A2 Fax: (613) 941-6900 Hon. Don Mazankowski Minister of Finance 140 O'Connor Street, Ottawa The GST is a tax on literacy. K1A 0A6 Fax: (613) 957-5652 The federal government collected more from the tax on reading material last year than federal spending on adult literacy and publishing combined. Most Canadians think their The Don’t Tax Reading Coalition has a variety of materials available — f government should support literature and literacy; this government is doing the opposite. . Se Please call or write the Coalition for information. Canada will pay tomorrow for the tax on reading today. The Don't Tax Reading Coalition represents Canada’s writers, publishers, booksellers, librarians, teachers, students and readers: Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada, Association of Canadian Publishers, Canadian i ‘ 4 Booksellers Association, Canadian Book Publishers’ Council, Canadian Community News| AAT inane Federation of Students, Canadian Library Association, Canadian Magazine Publishers Assodition, Canadian Teachers’ Federation, Canadian University Press, Periodical Marketers of Canada, Canadian Association of School iether ice Coundl glish, Can Boards Association, Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada, League of Canadian Poets, Periodical Writers’ Association of Canada, Playwrights’ Union of Canada, The Writers’ Union of Canada. This ad is sponsored by Canadian University Press and this newspaper. Don’t Tax Reading Coalition, 260 King St. E., Toronto, Ontario, MISA 1K3 (416) 361-1408/Fax (416) 361-0643 = I —