The Invisible Backpack of White Privilege, Essay Example

The essay “The Invisible Backpack of White Privilege” raises some very strong points, albeit in a humorous manner. Among the notable points is how the “invisibility” of white privilege is contrasted with the “visibility” of individuals and members of groups whose lack of privilege are more clearly seen. The owner of the “invisible backpack” simply cannot understand how those with less privilege do not simply trade their circumstances for better ones. It may not be fair to claim that everyone who benefits from so-called white privilege is completely oblivious to it, but that is not the point of the essay (nor ar such people the intended targets). What this piece does is present the idea in a satirical setting, in a similar manner to Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” (which suggests that poor people raise children for rich people to eat). The point the author makes may be (slightly) exaggerated, but there is no question that it creates an opportunity for those who may not be aware of their own privilege to see things from a new perspective.

The question of whether disabled students should be mainstreamed does not have a single or simple answer. It does seem to be the best choice to give all students the greatest range of opportunities, but there are also a range of conditions that quality as disabilities, and not all of them are necessarily going to stand in the way of cognitive development. Moreover, there may be circumstances in which inclusionary approaches to education may be detrimental to the development and success of students without disabilities. Mainstreaming for its own sake is not an inherently good model, and room should be made for making decisions about inclusion and differentiated education on a case by case basis.