As the director of a preschool, I am responsible for a staff of twenty. We don't often have turnover, but when we do, I create all the job postings and receive the resumes. I often select the candidates I would like to interview, and then the members of our personnel committee from the school board conduct all interviews with me. After the interviews are over we compare notes and agree on the candidate we think would be the best fit for our school.
I would like to share a incident where I feel bias, prejudice and oppression became an issue. I received a resume from a highly qualified individual. I was very excited and called her immediately. We talked on the phone for a while and I felt as if we understood each other and got along quite well. We covered a lot of the details over the phone and then I set up the interview. When the personnel committee arrived to conduct the interview, I showed them her resume and her pre-interview questionnaire. I also indicated that I thought she was the perfect fit. Everyone was equally excited.
When the young woman arrived she was not at all like I had pictured. She was about six-feet tall, overweight, and had some facial hair. She was dressed in a skirt down to her ankles and an over-sized top. She was well-kept and clean, but not very attractive to say the least. Immediately, I felt the tension rise in my office as we began the interview. She had wonderful answers to all of the questions and was very qualified for the position. Her personality still the same as the woman I had talked to on the phone. The interview took place during the school day, so after the interview I gave her a tour of the classrooms. My other staff members were all acting a bit strange and I could tell they did not welcome the idea of working with her.
Following the tour, I thanked her and told her I would be in touch. When I returned to my office, the personnel committee and some of my staff members all expressed their dissatisfaction with the woman. Comments such as, "She'll scare the children", "She doesn't fit into our image", "She looks like a man", circulated the room. I knew she wouldn't fit in and didn't even try to fight it.
When I called her to let her know she did not get the job, I could hear the hurt in her voice. After all, our phone conversation had gone so well, and I think she thought it was a sure thing coming into my office. I am sure she felt some of the tension and strange looks she was receiving, and probably knew she was being discriminated against. A few hours after we spoke, her mother actually called (which I admit is a bit strange) and expressed her anger that her daughter did not receive the job, indicating how hurt she was. That made me feel just awful.
It has been about two or three years since that interview. I attend monthly meetings with our Early Learning Coalition where all the providers in the county meet to discuss important topics regarding our state-funded pre-k program. This young woman is now attending those meetings. She has cleaned up a bit and looks a lot nicer than she did. She is now a lead teacher, and at the last meeting, she was commended in front of everyone for the amazing things she is doing in her classroom. At the last meeting, I ended up sitting next to her. It is very uncomfortable for me because I still feel badly about the whole situation.
The feelings I experienced throughout this situation took me back to childhood. I was always the one who ached for those that were the targets in my friend's jokes. I didn't take part and would feel terribly for the children who were picked on. I always wished I could have done more. This is how I felt on the day of that interview. I do know, however, that even if I would have been able to hire her, she may have had a hard time in our school if others would not accept her. God has a plan for everyone and I am happy she found a place where she could fit in and flourish, but this still doesn't make the situation right.
