Summer 2022 · Torch: U.S. · DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN CLASSICS EDUCATION
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN CLASSICS EDUCATION
BY JENNY HU
These recommendations and resources for educators are compiled from scholarship and presentations by female, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ classicists. They are given in light of the fact that, too often, the classics have been misused as a tool of oppression, and classics education has in many cases lacked nuance or full perspective. The ancient world was diverse, as the field of classics should be, and in order to preserve the longevity of the study of antiquity, these points are crucial to understand. The lists below are by no means exhaustive, and this is not at all a condemnation of modern classics education - only a recognition that, always, we must keep doing better.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Read texts beyond those of the standard canon. Vergil, Cicero, and Horace are important authors in any Latin curriculum. However, by also studying epitaphs, graffiti, and less commonly-studied writers, students are able to interact with texts that are more representative of the Roman public.
2. Use textbooks that don’t romanticize the ancient Mediterranean or ignore the injustices, move away from textbook usage completely, or name the problems with them (see below for recommendations). The depiction of Rome in a textbook is one that a student truly internalizes. Many textbooks contain lines that make jokes about slavery, sexual assault, and even genocide--topics that should never be taken lightly. Others present all Roman families as white and wealthy, a notion that encourages the viewpoint taken by white supremacist groups that Rome was a homogenous white empire.
3. Have discussions about the violence of Greece and Rome. Appreciating Greco-Roman achievements, culture, and literature is often an excuse to gloss over extreme violence and oppression. It is important to present a more nuanced view of Greece and Rome. Texts such as Juvenal’s Satires can be used as conversation starters. Suggested language for discussing Roman slavery and sexual violence is included in the resources below
4. Acknowledge ancient figures of diverse ethnicities, such as Hannibal, Dido, etc. Recognizing the people of color in Greco-Roman antiquity allows students of color to feel less ostracized in conversations about Greece and Rome, and also contradicts notions of a white Roman empire.
5. Acknowledge a spectrum of sexuality in antiquity. Acknowledging the spectrum of sexuality in antiquity both prevents the erasure of the LGBTQ+ community and allows for a more accurate view of history.
6. Recognize how the classics have been misused to justify white supremacy. Totalitarian groups and white supremacist organizations have long warped classical literature, art, and ideas to fit their agendas, and informing students about this abuse of the classics allows them to be more informed about what they consume in the media.
7. Discuss antiquity beyond the ancient Mediterranean. Greece and Rome weren’t the only classical civilizations, and having conversations about other peoples in antiquity creates a more nuanced and complete understanding of classics.
8. Avoid using standardized test scores as indicators of program quality. Overemphasizing test scores--such as from the Latin AP--or using “higher SAT scores” to market Latin classes only encourages educators and administrations to gatekeep the classics. This disadvantages students who underperform on standardized tests, which are inherently unbalanced due to unequal access to resources, classes, technology, and other limitations.