TEACHER'S PREJUDICE AND ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION AGAINST INDIGENOUS STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS

Abstract

The current research is centered on the analysis of the teaching practice in educational institutions in poverty contexts in order to detect the possible manifestation of ways of prejudice and ethnic discrimination. The methodology used in this research is qualitative and descriptive. The sample is formed by male and female students from urban high schools with a high density rate of indigenous students in Chile. Techniques from ethnographic observation were used and semi-structured interviews to key informants were applied.  The analysis of data was carried out through the theoretical and methodological aspects of the grounded theory.  The study reveals that teachers maintain prejudiced and stereotyped images of their indigenous students which verify diverse beliefs, emotions and behaviors. These are expressed in a relational system characterized by devaluation and inequality, which are linked to discriminatory acts. They are expressed in different ways in the schools system. Diverse relational and strong discriminatory patterns were verified, such as the production of relational distance, lower academic expectations transmission, academic progress dismissal, and paternalist attitudes towards the indigenous mapuche students. The research offers a clear insight, from the teaching practice perspective, that allows to walk towards a more basic values respectful education such as cultural diversity acceptance and equity in the educational context.