The angry mother…

Devon returned home from his 5th grade class with his report card. His mother, Brenda Washington, became very upset. In her middle-class suburb, she was close to several of her neighbors—parents of Devon’s friends. They frequently compared notes on their children’s progress, and she knew that Devon was doing as well as his friend, James Robinson. However, in his English class, Devon had received a D. His abilities were clearly superior to those of James, but after talking with James’ mother and finding out that James had received a C, Ms. Washington made her way to the school. She raised her voice with the teacher, claiming that she must have given Devon a lower grade because he was Black. The teacher became defensive and claimed that she ran a color-blind classroom. Ms. Washington decided to take the case to the principal. As she strode down the hallway, she saw the White teachers in their room, and the “success” posters on the wall, which all contained White children. She wondered what to expect when she saw the principal.

Case Study questions 

·  Is intolerance involved? Explain your answer.

·  How does the case relate to some of the different dimensions of intolerance described in the book?

·  Do you feel that specific intolerances, such as racism or sexism, should be determined by intent or by result? Explain your answer.