The ISMs Project
Authors: Karthik Kasarabada (Iowa State University) , Emily Matulac (Iowa State University) , Bryson Mitchell (Iowa State University) , Huy Nguyen (Iowa State University)
Classism in early elementary schools sets students up for failure in the realm of socioeconomic equity for the future. Classism affects everyone and is still seen today. Because of the injustices all around us, we chose classism in elementary education to attack some of these prejudices and help overcome them starting at a young age. The research indicated that children seem to define their friendship groupings with social relation labels such as their class, race, and gender thus lowering interactions among children of different social labels. This quickly results in students who are unable to cope with people of different backgrounds and social identities. From this, we recommend establishing diverse learning environments within elementary education, spreading awareness of socioeconomic status among the students, and encouraging them to create their own advantages through hard work: allowing failure, asking for help, and celebrating success.
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How to Cite: Kasarabada, K. , Matulac, E. , Mitchell, B. & Nguyen, H. (2021) “Classism in Elementary Education”, Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity. 22(1).