Bias and The Inclusive Classroom

                            

Parents always take pride in their children's accomplishments at school, but when the child struggles or pulls back, subtle doubts and snide comments arise, such as "Will they ever catch up to their peers?" or "Huyu heri akae nyumbani, ni mjinga." (The child is a fool and should stay at home.)

Ableism does not show itself overtly; it appears in the sigh when a student needs instructions repeated. It is in a quick staffroom decision to exclude a wheelchair user from the science trip this term because the logistics seem "too complicated”. It is also in the kind comment, "What a wonderful job you've done tying your shoelaces," given to a child with Down syndrome while a classmate of the same age is praised for completing long division. In each case, no one is intentionally unkind, yet all subtly tell a child what is expected of them.

Faustine is a brilliant learner who communicates by actions and choices rather than words. During an art lesson, he used modeling clay to build the neighboring market while his peers used crayons. The teacher removed the clay, gave him plain paper and colored pencils, and redirected him to coloring. Later, Joseph was assigned backstage duties during the school assembly while others were assigned speaking roles. His teachers mean well and celebrate his inclusion, but the assumptions about his abilities quietly exclude him from full participation.

Should the pattern feel familiar in these details, it probably is relatable in shape. It does happen when a hiring panel unconsciously favor candidates who remind them of themselves, or a landlord will respond more slowly to certain names on a rental application. Bias rarely needs a villain. It just needs a system no one has stopped to examine. Ableism works on the same mechanism, aimed at a different feature of who someone is.

The Hidden Barrier

Prior to effecting change, these notions should be named. Ableism is the internalized unspoken belief that “normal” is better and that disability means less capability or worth. In schools, it operates as unconscious bias, quietly limiting opportunities without intent. It persists because a learner need not be the target of intent to be excluded from opportunities. One should focus on removing barriers rather than on diagnosis. Rather than asking ourselves, 'What does this learner have?', we should ask, 'What is preventing this learner from taking part?' Physical, communicative, or attitudinal barriers can be eliminated, and diagnoses do not have to limit a person's potential.

Classroom Expectations and Bias

When teachers focus on what students can’t do, expectations and opportunities shrink. What could be a science project becomes a coloring exercise and growth is halted. Bias also shapes who gets called on in class. Students who communicate differently or need more time are often overlooked even though their ways of showing knowledge are equally valid.

In the staffroom, a learner's potential is wasted. For instance, one person says, "I have three inclusion students this term" and another adds, "He'll never pass the national exam." Even though the remarks are made with good intentions, they treat vulnerable learners as a burden rather than as full members of the school community, and they close the door on the child before they have a chance to try.

It is sad how quite often disciplinary approaches such as punishment are taken against a learner perceived as disruptive way before considering sensory issues that could have caused them to be overwhelmed. The affected learners experience apathy instead of empathy.

Students with disabilities are often left out of leadership and extra-curricular activities because those positions go to people seen as "capable." This also applies to the wheelchair user who missed the science trip. A decision made in five seconds affected the child for the rest of the term.

The Trap of Inspiration Porn

To commend a child with Down syndrome for being able to tie her shoelaces while at the same time celebrating a classmate of the same age for having done long division is an instance of what is known as "inspiration porn"; a phrase created by the disability advocate Stella Young to describe the way in which people with disabilities are used as motivational examples for those without disabilities. Although it might appear generous, it isn't; it treats the whole person as a lesson for others' benefit, subtly shifting the focus away from the real solution. It is not an act of kindness to praise a student for crawling up an inaccessible staircase. The right thing to do is to construct the ramp.

What does my practice look like?

This is not judgment but a call for introspection. Naming assumptions is the first step to changing them before they become habit.

• Do I define a learner by their diagnosis, or by the barrier in front of them?
• Have I concluded that a student did not understand because their response was different or slower than I had expected?
• Is my praise genuinely deserved for their age, or am I surprised they managed it at all?
• Would I make the same call about a trip or responsibility if it involved another student?
• What does my staffroom language communicate about a learner’s potential?

Answering honestly even once drives more change than any policy memo.

The Silent Burden Teachers Carry

Most teachers want the best for their learners, but large, under-resourced classes, limited training, and fear of making mistakes publicly limit them. Society’s attitudes and perceptions also play a huge role here. Identifying these limitations makes it easier to cause change.

Inclusion Re-imagined

Imagine if Joseph’s teacher asked the class to see his clay model and considered his interests for the assembly. No budget changed. Only the question did.

Attitudes, besides physical barriers are challenges to inclusive education. Ask: who in your class might be quietly pushed into silence? Try noticing your own patterns tomorrow, and give each learner a new way to participate. Start making changes in your own practice and question your assumptions.

                                           .