Society is starting to push back on stereotypes and promoting inclusion and diversity. We need to catch up.
CW: This article discusses violence against racial/ethnic minorities.
According to the American Psychological Association, discrimination is “the unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.” Various types of discrimination exist including discrimination based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and disability. Discrimination is a significant issue within our school system and has shown to negatively affect a student’s academic performance and well-being. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that “Greater perceptions of racial/ethnic discrimination were linked to more depressive and internalizing symptoms; greater psychological distress; poorer self-esteem; lower academic achievement and engagement; less academic motivation; greater engagement in externalizing behaviors, risky sexual behaviors, andsubstance use; and more associations with deviant peers.”