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For this week, consider how your own educational experiences were structured by settler colonialism. Provide specific examples of where and how settler colonialism made an indelible imprint on what your schooling experiences looked and felt like. Additionally, consider what, if any, are the lingering impacts of receiving a colonized education.

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Deborah Rodriguez

My educational experience was structured by old Catholicism theory. I attended Catholic school from 1st through 8th grade in the late 1970s. It was a rigorous religious-based education, and I could not question the institution. Early Christian settlers had strict religious indoctrinated values, where everyone had to wear uniforms, but for the females, there were more stringent guidelines. The Catholic school curriculum was solely based on their beliefs. Our uniform had to be below the knee, and the nuns periodically checked it to ensure we were adhering to the proper length of our skirts. The disciplinary system in a Catholic school was very punitive. For example, if you're not listening to the lesson, you would be asked to stand, take out all your textbooks, extend your hands forward, and hold them until they say you can sit down. Another example of brutal corporal punishment that I experienced was being hit with a fiberglass one-inch ruler over the head for simply putting my head down and not feeling well. The most impressionable aspect of my experience being educated in a Catholic school environment was my inability to ask the why question. As a young Puerto Rican child growing up in the South Bronx, my parents always taught me to ask the why question and to never conform to something that I do not believe in. That is why, in 8th grade, I was asked to find other educational opportunities elsewhere because my beliefs did not align with theirs. Although I embrace my religion, The only way possible to continue to grow socially is to ask the why question and not to conform.

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My experience in school in dominican republic

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My experience in school in dominican republic

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During my experience in school there is three ways that colonialism shaped my school and how they were giving education to the children, how they were supposed to look, what classes are given and what you are supposed to believe. we were supposed to be always in uniform, girls were forced to wear skirts, and man were not allow to have their hair either really short, or a little long but straightened. which it can affect how comfortable someone can feel about themselves, with the hair short policies, I knew many friends who were affected in their self steem by this, me included myself, calling our hair "pelo malo" or bad hair. in public schools, students were forced to take religious classes, in which every day you study the bible and have to present about a biblic moment, for me I didn't mind because I am chatolic and I have faith, however for other who are not believers or they just don't want to be involve on this, it can be a setback by making this class challenging for them leading to a academic issue if the student start failing this classes. which force them to believe in these religions and if they didn't , there is gonna be awful consequences and that they were the worst person ever.

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I attended Catholic School from kindergarten to 12th grade. In elementary school, most of my teachers were middle-aged white women, many nuns. Their classroom management was based on complete obedience from the students. The teachers were always right, and what they said was the law. If students misbehaved, we were reprimanded and scolded. Everything was very structured. Our education experience was centered around the church. We had morning prayers and mass before breaks from school, and attendance was taken if we went to mass on Sunday in the school auditorium. We had religious instruction as part of our curriculum. Our classrooms had a crucifix in front of the class next to the American flag. There was a lack of representation. The supporting school staff reflected the student population. Now 20 years later, the school is completely different. The teacher staff and preists reflect the community.

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As someone who grew up with English as a second language, I encountered challenges in certain classes in middle school due to a lack of support and the prevailing notion that "This is America, you should know English" or "You have to learn our language if you're going to fit in." While understanding the language of the country you reside in is important, it's crucial to acknowledge the profound impact of such attitudes. This situation is reminiscent of historical events when the Europeans compelled the indigenous people to adopt their language and culture.

Even today, when a teacher has authority in front of the class, teaching history classes may emphasize colonial achievements while overlooking the violent processes of colonization. This can make students hesitant to question or challenge the teacher's perspective, fearing that they may seem disrespectful or that the teacher's knowledge is unquestionable. This connects to when they colonized the indigenous people. They forced them to learn about the achievements of other races instead of their own. Those who didn't comply would face punishment.

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When I graduated Middle School I went from this charter school to a catholic school called Cardinal Hayes. I think that My own educational experiences were structured by settler colonialism in some ways because of how different the curriculum wad for me since I switched from a charter school to a catholic school. One of the things I experienced that was different is that we had to have morning prayers every morning before the start of class and also used to hold mass services for special occasions. Another reason why I think that my educational experiences were structured by settler colonialism is because while in catholic school there was a lot of religious education that focused on catholic beliefs, traditions and values. I think that overall settler colonialism made me feel sort of disconnected from my own beliefs and traditions since these were being pushed onto me . One lingering of receiving a colonized education is that students can internalize the negative stereotypes about their own culture which can lead to decreased self esteem and a feeling of inferiority.

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Since I started school when I was in pre-k, I attended catholic school all the way till high school. Spanish was my first language, and it was hard for me the first year of school because everyone knew English and practically forced me to speak it not knowing it well. Being that we are in the U.S. and this is one English speaking state, it was as if I was treated indifferently in school because I did not know English. Teachers were cruel because they did not help and would always tell me "you need to learn english if not you won't learn." That makes people feel as if they aren't worth it or will not achieve anything. This can impact because people get negative treatment in schools and will cause a lot students to stop going to school.

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I went to school in the Dominican Republic and had a very nice experience as far as possible. That's because until I arrived in the United States, I understood how important it is to learn from different stories. While I studied in the Dominican Republic, in history class they only talked about Christopher Columbus and who founded the country, the founding fathers and the Mirabal sisters. I never knew much about what was happening around the world. They only focused on the history of the country itself. Since the colors of the uniforms are used and why the flag is that color and the shield in the middle. Trujillo's dictatorship.

I certainly feel grateful to learn all that, but I feel better to know and have learned that there is history outside of our country and how we are connected to each other through our history. When I was in school the teachers were very strict with how we looked in uniform and how we paid respect to the flag and our country. The school was public but well disciplined, but I think they did not tell the truth about the history of the country.

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I have been a product of the New York City Public Schools system since I was 4 years old and began pre-k. Reflecting back and comparing it to colonialism, I can see how biased and impacted the education system is. I am one of traditions and celebrations, especially since it is partially what I have to focus on now as an equity leader in my school. Looking back, I realized that what was celebrated in schools was not always equitable to everyone in the community. Celebrations mainly focused on Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween however, celebrations for Eid, Dia de los Muertos, Diwali, Holi, etc. were not a thing. Typically, before we celebrate something, we are taught about it in class first in order to get an idea as to what and why we are celebrating what we were. This was difficult for me because I had many friends in my classes and could not understand why they were not participating or coming to school on days that we would have celebrations, as I grew older, I began to realize that it was because these were not celebrations that they practiced in their culture. Of course, since the settlers were catholic, they did not expect other cultures, religions, and practices to exist other than their own but this impacted me because who does not want to be aware of how to make their friends feel peace in a place where their safe space is teaching them the opposite. As I grew older, I felt ignorant when schools became more diverse, and I did not know much about my peers, and their culture and lacked the knowledge that I should have learned in school as a child, same as the "American culture."

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My school experience growing up was not a good one. I was the oldest of three sisters; my parents did not know English. The academic support at home was limited because of my parent's language barrier. In the school I attended, the teachers were predominantly white. I didn’t see anyone who looked like me who could understand me teaching at my school, even though the school’s population was mainly African-American and Latino students. The history we learned primarily focused on European whites and their contribution to society. The artists, musicians, scientists, and Athletes were all white. And when the discussion of our African-Americans and Latinos came up, it was always talking about our history of being enslaved and living in the ghetto. The feeling of the class was cold and distant from its students. I remember being so anxious to be at school or even answer a question because I felt like I had to live up to this standard that this white teacher created. I remember this one teacher, Ms. Dantano, who came from Russia, and if you got something wrong or asked a question, she would make us feel very bad. And say things like, “Of course, you wouldn’t know that you’re lazy, and if you study harder, you would know this. She even had a hat that said “donkey” on it and if a child were misbehaving or didn’t do their homework, she would put the hat on them and put them in the corner and make them feel terrible. And no one would advocate for us or her harsh approach. She looked at us in a way like she was disgusted. There was no love or tenderness in her soul. Neither she nor the school took into account our background and the struggles we may have been going through to do our homework and learn, and although the things she was teaching us were important in my culture, my roots were also important. They were not being represented in the class. The only examples we had of successful people were white. The only time that minorities were spoken about was to talk about slavery and the ghetto. One day, she asked me a question, and I did not answer it correctly. And she took her hand, pushed my face, and said,” You’re so stupid, and you’re never going to be anything. I remember putting my head down and crying, and she had no compassion and told me to be quiet and to stop disrupting the class. I told my mom about it. She said I must’ve done something wrong because a teacher wouldn’t just do that if I didn’t do something bad. Teachers were highly regarded because they were white. That was the impression that many Latinos had that white people were superior and better educated. Our parents thought that they were superior and knowledgeable. And that is the feeling that went across my school experience. Teachers always looked down on us and made us feel like we needed to be saved and taught because if not, we didn’t have anything to offer. For a while, I believed it and became very discouraged about school because I didn’t have the support at school or home, not because my parents didn’t want to, but because they didn’t have the tools to help me. But this inspires me to want to be a teacher too so that children like myself will see themselves represented in the class and know that they matter, are different ways of learning and growing, and that we all bring something unique to the world.

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My educational experience in St Croix was shaped by settler colonialism have been influenced by the island's complex colonial history. St Croix is a part of the United States Virgin Island's and has undergone colonization by various European power. much of my education have reflected the dominant narratives of colonizers while downplaying or ignoring our local African and indigenous histories. the focus was on U.S. history rather than experiences of the enslaved African population or indigenous people. From the time I started school I had to wear uniform girls plaid skirt with gold shirt and boys khaki pants and white shirt, for my first six months of high school I cry because I wanted to wear my regular clothes I was tired of uniform wanted to be like the kids on the mainland. While in high school the courses were girls had to take home economic while the boys get driver's education class. The lingering impact are still deeply felt with education across generations and our languages, culture and traditions we have been distance from.

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My education experience started in what used to be called "English as a Second Language" class. Until this very day I find it very confusing as to why I was placed in such a class. I am the youngest of 5, yes my parents are immigrants and only speak Spanish but, my four siblings spoke to me in English. English has always been my first language. In fact when I was in the ESL class I struggled a lot with the Spanish portion. It wasn't until my 3rd/4th grade teacher noticed that I just wasn't fitting in that she decided to do something about it. Once transitioned to a "normal" class it felt like I had entered a whole new world. The difference between the ESL class and the all English class was immense. The workload felt a lot more heavy, I remember wanting to go back to the ESL class because it was "easier" and fun. Which got me thinking what was really being taught in those classes?? Why is the English class so strict and boring and making me want to cry. I think afterwards the subject I struggled with the most was social studies. I was so confused as to why we were learning about the places and not really about the US and when it came time to learn about the US it felt like it wasn't consistent. And yet I could not turn to anyone for "answers" because since I was the youngest of 5 my siblings are a lot older than me so after some time they were rarely home. And teachers only made things a lot more confusing.

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Colonialism has deeply shaped the structure and function of modern schooling. Reflecting on my own experience in public school, I now recognize how many practices and norms—such as reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every morning or being legally required to attend, wearing uniforms,  and following a standardized curriculum—are influenced by colonial ideals. These aspects of schooling reflect a system designed to impose a specific set of values and knowledge deemed appropriate by those in power, often disregarding diverse cultural perspectives or students’ existing knowledge. This is in stark contrast to more natural, student-centered methods of teaching and learning. Instead, many schools focus on lectures and assume that students are “empty vessels” to be filled, overlooking the rich experiences and insights students already bring with them. So whilst I never had anything “striking” happen to me ( partially because of my ignorance) I am now cognizant that what I perceived to be normal was created by design and has strong oppressive tendencies. I am thinking now, perhaps this is what makes schools inherently political.

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When I initially arrived in the United States, I recall that I had to work hard to learn and fit in with a new culture when I started school because English was not my first language. The teachers used to come to us and teach us English as a Second Language (ESL) while we were self-contained in a room down the hall. We appeared to be the odd ones out or the uninvited intruders. I endured bullying and felt awkward and embarrassed. I was bullied for a variety of reasons which included having a dark complexion and being Hispanic. I questioned my ability and often wondered if I could accomplish my goals. I recall being really self-conscious and afraid of mispronouncing words or spelling them incorrectly. In front of a crowd, I always feared that others would make fun of me or make me feel foolish. I continued to feel this way even when I started college, and it was one of the reasons I dropped out.  I was terrified of failing because I couldn’t understand the material. I'm more self-assured now, and I don't mind if I mispronounce a term and don’t hesitate to seek assistance or support. Even though my English isn't flawless, I can be understood, and that's what matters. I returned to college in order to fulfill my childhood ambitions and accomplish my aims. I want to demonstrate to my kids that no one can tell you what you can or can’t be. You can do whatever you put your mind to as long as you are willing to put into the work. Since I was in a bilingual class and the other students were in a monolingual one, they appeared to be better than me. It was problematic at the time. I was often reminded that I was not in the Dominican Republic and that things were different here, and I was called a hick and told that I needed to learn English. Today, being bilingual is beneficial and my ability to speak Spanish has helped me in my career. Even if I migrate to a different country and learn to be a part of a  different culture, I cannot and will not reject my roots and customs.

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In reflecting on my Catholic school education, I realize settler colonialism shaped the way we were taught history, traditions, and even faith. We celebrated holidays like Columbus Day without learning the real impact colonizers had on Indigenous peoples. Catholic schools emphasize strict obedience, conformity, and moral discipline. There’s a focus on hierarchy and authority—with priests, nuns, and teachers holding absolute power. Rules about uniforms, silence, and behavior can reflect a mindset of controlling the body and mind, much like colonial efforts aimed to reshape Native identities into something more "acceptable" to European norms. Looking back on it as an adult, I understand why my father did not attend alot of the assemblies and even my graduation which was held in the church.

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In the third grade, I attended a school in Ecuador. We were expected to always be on time and we wore uniforms. The teacher required us to get up one by one and solve a math problem in front of the class each morning. I was afraid because I had not yet learnt the subject, and was falling more behind. Moreover, each notebook had to be organized in a specific manner and notes were supposed to be taken in cursive which I was also not taught before. The teacher frequently refused to assist since it was assumed that the students were not “paying attention” or that parents should be more responsible for teaching at home. As time passed, I began to believe that the primary focus of the school’s curriculum was  obedience rather than a sincere desire to instruct and educate students. I even remember an instance where the teacher hit the students’ hand with a ruler for arriving late to class after lunch. The school did not feel safe and I began to question myself and my abilities a lot more.  After returning to the United States, I attended a small public school in Tribeca where I observed a difference in the support and assistance I was getting for both my mother and myself.

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Thinking on my primary school experiences, the disciplinarian style of teaching was a big reflection of settler colonialism. The teachers having lecture based classes and enforcing strict no talking rules made me feel inferior a lot of times. I used to be the talker on the report card notes in almost every classroom and you would usually find me in a desk far away from the other students, next to the teacher so that she can see me or outside in the hallway. These moments of being isolated from the class for "not being quiet" got me used to feeling separate from the class and disengaged me from learning. Overtime this instilled a fear in me of talking or asking questions in class and I stopped wanting to engage in discussions even if it involved me having to talk during peer work. This authoritarian style of teaching did not help me nor others like me feel like we were part of the learning experience by having to be quiet in a corner. Instead, it made me feel inferior and created a dissociative habit of not being involved in critical thinking processes.

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My education in New York City was very rocky. I had moved so many times I didn't get to experience what it was like to be in one school for a long time. The longest I've lasted in a school was my elementary/ middle school. I started there in 5th grade being placed in an English Second Language class. I always felt like it separated my peers and I from the rest of the school. Going into middle school in the same school had an addition that would set us apart. I remember transitioning to middle school it was also the first year in which the school was divided by having two different programs one was arts & humanities and the other was S.T.E.M. Students had the option to pick what program they would like to be in but unfortunately ESL students didn't get that option because there was only one ESL teacher for each grade. We were automatically placed in the S.T.E.M program. I felt a sense of not belonging in the S.T.E.M program because the regular classes had smart students and we stood out for being in a different class. Throughout 5th grade in that school, there was no uniform policy but when the additional program was made it included a uniform policy. Collectively students did not like wearing uniforms. We can see that it separates students and becomes defined by what program they are in, the freedom to express ourselves through our clothing was swapped with uniform, and the students in ESL students were limited in opportunities/ choices.

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When i think about my middle school education, I actually think it was quite progressive at the time. We still had to learn things the DOE had implemented into the system like the curriculum in math and science but unlike into todays English and History we learned a lot about slavery and as school with majority black children, we got to see a lot of our black history as it was name after a prominent black leader that was a women "Ella Baker". We also got to Opt out of state exam test and work on our portfolios. We called our teachers by there first name and got to feel more personal connection. Although we had all these great stuff going on our school still had the structure of other schools. Being walked to class to class and our cafeteria, looked much like prison cafeterias. Things like that are imprints left behind from colonizers and should be changed.

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At first, I was in denial of the structure and impact of settler colonialism on my education. I am 40 years old. As a child in public school at that time we were not required to wear uniforms. At the start of each day students and teachers would have to stand while we recited the pledge of allegiance we then remained standing so we could sing "My country, tis of thee". Although there were no uniforms, we were uniformed in how we recited the pledge and sang the song. We were encouraged to memorize if we did not know the words. The only children who did not and would not participate were students who believed in Islam. The school was built in a square with the classrooms on the outter edge and social/common areas located in the middle of the school. looking back it reminded me of jail. I did switch over to Catholic school in 4th grade. There I was subjected to wearing uniform. I remember asking why the school had uniform. The principal gave me two direct answers. 1. Because no one is better than anyone else. 2. Because we are getting students used to looking professional. Every year regardless of the school we celebrated Columbus Day. we would make things or reenact the "purchase of Manhattan". We were taught to celebrate this holiday, and we were misled by the teachings provided by the teachers. After a gradual shift, the government began to change its perspective on Columbus Day. It has been changed to Indigenous People's Day. It clearly shows how the education system is under the thumb of higher, more powerful structures. Students in school are made to follow a structure or rule set provided that programs and prepares them to be a part of the workforce which serves the government's purpose. Schools mirror jail the workforce and the military. All three require a dress code and they also require you to listen to what you are told.

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When I think back on my educational experiences, I reflect, after much denial, on how my education was heavily shaped by settler colonialism. My K-12 experiences were in schools in the South Bronx. Some memories that I now think back on are not fond ones. Wearing uniforms and constantly feeling like I was stripped of my personality, how I was taught was quite evidently shaped by colonialism. I was constantly feeling like I was in a race to keep up. Most of it was shaped by retention, not so much by analyzing whether what was being taught was being understood. Since retention was the main focus, it always felt like a copy-and-paste activity: write everything on the board as fast as you can and move on. There was always an emphasis on standardized testing and basing your intelligence on the grades you received. I recall the experiences of peers not feeling "smart" enough because they would get unsatisfactory results on exams. In many of my schools, I saw my peers tap out because of this and felt like they just weren't cut out for school.

There is a very impactful tie between self-worth and how well you were keeping up, memorizing, and applying that to exams. This, I believe, absolutely follows us throughout our lives because school shapes our identity to some extent.

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Americans aka G.O.A.T -- and I was damn happy to be apart of the winning team

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Honestly, from what I can remember from what I learned in history classes, Americans were considered the greatest nation of all time. No one could beat us and everyone wanted to be us. Sad to say, that even still to this day, I think that. (I truly do) I remember the curriculum centered around this Eurocentric narrative, and what a celebration it was with every lesson that spoke about western expansion. It was very hard to see the displacement and genocide of Native Americans with all of the improvements to the American society with the establishment of more land, including more of its resources. Reminding me of the article "Stolen bodies, Stolen land", that it wasn't just the land that was stole but bits of its culture and resources. I remember times when we celebrated holidays like the Pilgrims during Thanksgiving (kind of weird and awkward now that I think of it -- like they were cool mascots or something of the sort). And going back to I originally stated about Americans being the G.O.A.T based on this idea of how we process here in America and developed civilization, it makes it hard to say that all that America was built on the blood, sweat and tears, the tearing apart and genocide of Native Americans along with the exploited slavery labor of stolen people of Africa -- yikes!