Perceptions and Attitudes of Teaching Staff in Relation to Discriminatory Practices in Romanian Schools

Abstract

Nowadays, more and more people consider diversity as an opportunity and a strong resource which should be used appropriately as a basis for intercultural education seen as a key-factor, on the one hand for the stability of the society and its increased chances to be developed in a sustainable way, teaching us how to cohabit, and on the other hand for promoting equality, respect and openness towards communicating with others. In this respect, the actual school takes over and duplicates the socially validated practices that relate inclusively to the issues of interculturalism and discrimination, based on various criteria represented by gender, ethnicity, religion, level of development, social, cultural and economic status etc. Although there are education policies which obviously promote a series of principles concerning equal chances, irrespective of social origins, gender, age, ethnicity, religion etc., in reality, the education faces up - even nowadays - a series of segregationist and discriminatory practices. This paper aims to retrieve a part of primary and secondary teachers’ opinions concerning the forms of discrimination which are present in schools and classes, but also their attitudes related to such discriminatory practices, being completed with several solutions for fighting and diminishing those undesirable behaviors. More, the results of the microresearch have in view to determine teachers to adopt a reflective attitude concerning sensitive issues related to the discriminatory practices still met in the Romanian schools. Additionally, some examples of good education practices on fighting and preventing of any type of discrimination are underlined.