My way is right, your way is wrong...

 Argument Statement: Delpit argues that there exists what she defines as a ‘culture of power’. When she gives meaning to the phrase she defines it as the codes of languaging established by white, middle and upper class people. A language that is coined as proper and the correct way to speak and express oneself. Delpit says that although this language must be taught as it has been institutionalized, educators must not forget about the home language and cultures that students bring to the classroom. 

When I first read through Delpit’s article, I struggled to grasp her purpose. It was not till later in the article that I began to grasp what her message was. It began to be clear that she was not arguing against the ‘culture of power’ but instead that since it exists, everyone must be explicitly taught what it is. She makes it clear that although she may not support the way in which it is used to marginalize individuals, she does recognize that it has been institutionalized and to not explicitly teach it to students would be a disservice for their future. 

Talking Points

Delpit argues that there is a standard that has been institutionalized by those in power (white, middle/upperclass, christian, straight, etc…) that relates to language and behaviors or actions. Her second statement as it relates to the ‘culture of power’ says, “There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a culture of power”( Delpit, pg. 25). When Delpit uses the word ‘codes’ she is referencing the arbitrary unwritten rules of how to behave in society. These rules or codes became ‘normalized’ into existence by those in power. There is nothing to say that they are correct or superior, but if you do not follow them, then society looks down upon you. 

Delpit pushes this concept further to say that it also exists in education. Some students may not come to school with said codes as they were never inherently taught them based upon their cultural background. So when teachers say, “Why is Jimmy always talking over other students? Why doesn’t Sam sit in her chair properly? Why don’t these students know how to follow rules?” The real statement or question should be, “How can I teach students the codes that society has normalized, but also keep students' home codes?” This is where the culture of power bleeds into schools. In order to be successful in a career and life it is imperative that students know the codes of power. Delpit says, “ …If schooling prepares people for jobs, and the kind of job a person has determines her or his economic status, and therefore, power, then schooling is intimately related to that power” (Delpit, pg. 25). This is where the backlash stems from. Regardless of race, parents want to see their students successful and those who do not own the ‘culture of power’ understand that their child must be taught it explicitly. As Delpit notes, many white liberal teachers think they have it all figured out. Wrong! Part 5 of the ‘culture of power’ explains, “Those with power are frequently least aware – or least willing to acknowledge - its existence.  Those with less power are often most aware of its existence”. The white liberal teacher has the power which makes it even harder for them to understand its interworks or are unwilling to do so. Consequently, they think that being loose and indirect with their instruction and standards is helping students. If a student owns the ‘culture of power’ then maybe it is, but if a student does not, then the educator is actually making the situation more challenging for the student.

As noted early in the passage this is where voices are silenced. White liberal teachers “listen” (in one ear, and out the other) to what parents, colleagues and other people outside of the culture of power. Their response is to throw research and data in the face of the speaker as a way to defend their choice in instruction. Rather than recognizing that what the person is saying is not a fallacy, but is truth, the educator will continue to disservice students lacking the codes of society. This will cause a trickle down effect into their future outcomes in life as it relates to careers, social status and relationships. In the eyes of Delpit we must teach all children the codes to own the ‘culture of power’, but at the same time we need to shake up the standards that exist. She proposes the following idea, “... if we are to truly affect societal change, we cannot do so from the bottom up, but we must push and agitate from the top down” (Delpit pg. 40). She argues that just teaching the ‘culture of power’ is not enough. There also needs to be a large push to break down barriers from a large scale. Her phrase the top down references large institutions that need to change their view on what it means to be educated or what a professional looks like. She presses that matter by saying those who aren’t raised into the ‘culture of power’ are the people to do that. By appropriately teaching each individual while maintaining their culture will allow them to work their way up the ranks and tap the glass like Dr. Bogad says. Maybe eventually the glass will crack and the ‘culture of power’ won’t hold its power as it once did.

Connection: I work in a prominently white, middle class school and I fear that I do not always see the ‘culture of power’ that I hold over students. A male black student one day said to me “Yo what up cuss”. I was quick to respond by saying you don’t call your teacher cuss. At the moment I was disregarding the students' codes in his culture and correcting them. What Delpit would say is that I should have said something along the lines of, “You may call people you know cuss, but the appropriate thing to say is what’s up Mr. Dowhan”. I should have then followed that up with, “In school please call teachers by their last name, but when you are with friends or family it is okay to use cuss if it is appropriate in that setting”. With a reflected response, I would be honoring the students culture codes while also explicitly telling the student what is the ‘societally’ appropriate code.

Delpit's argument is similar to that shared in the Ted talk titled, "The Danger of a Single Story". It is a powerful speech and closely aligns with the idea that 'culture of power' is not the only story even if its the prominent one.