From Tema Okun (2022):
“[O]ur cultural assumption that I or we (or the ones in formal and informal power) have a right to comfort, which means we cannot tolerate conflict, particularly open conflict. This assumption supports the tendency to blame the person or group causing discomfort or conflict rather than addressing the issues being named.
The right to comfort shows up as:
- the belief that those with power have a right to emotional and psychological comfort (another aspect of valuing ‘logic’ over emotion);
- scapegoating those who cause discomfort, for example, targeting and isolating those who name racism rather than addressing the actual racism that is being named;
- demanding, requiring, expecting apologies or other forms of “I didn’t mean it” when faced with accusations of colluding with racism;
- feeling entitled to name what is and isn’t racism;
- white people (or those with dominant identities) equating individual acts of unfairness with systemic racism (or other forms of oppression).”
What does right to comfort + fear of conflict look like in music education?
Manifestations
Where did you see this WSCC in your K-12 music education? Where did you see this in your preservice training program? How does this characteristic show up in your job requirements now? How does this characteristic show up in your standards? What behavioral management practices reflect this characteristic? How do your teaching practices perpetuate or challenge this WSCC? Try to be specific.
Remedies
What specific pedagogical tools have you used to challenge this characteristic? What repertoire or content could be incorporated to remedy this characteristic? What needs to change in music education culture or school culture in order to accommodate remedies for this characteristic? What do you wish you learned in your preservice program that would help you challenge this characteristic? How could remedying this characteristic benefit your students and their communities?
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