Discrimination and inclusion

Discrimination means treating a person or group unfairly because of their caste, religion, ethnicity, disability, race, looks, gender, sexuality or economic background.

It is wrong (unethical), and it is against the law.

It can be very small:

• not including a classmate in a group project because of their background;
• not letting someone sit next to you on the school bus.

Small does not mean harmless. Discrimination puts up a barrier that stops people from enjoying their fundamental rights.

The chapter adds that a person who discriminates "ethically ceases to be an active citizen of India", because they break the Constitution's core values of respect and unity.

Discrimination can be visible: open teasing, or refusing someone entry.

It can also be invisible: a nasty joke, quietly leaving someone out, not inviting them to a celebration.

The problem with invisible discrimination is that it is hard to prove, so it is hard to punish. Yet it still hurts deeply.

Two stories from the book:

• Rohan: classmates mock his weight, call him 'Drummy', and keep him out of the football game.
• Mina: she did not sign up for an overnight school trip because her family could not afford it. Then her friends whispered that she "wasn't fun" and "was not of their status".

The chapter remembers two women who faced discrimination and did not give up:

• Savitribai Phule started a school for girls in the mid-19th century. Because she was from the Mali community, a so-called lower caste, people abused her and threw mud at her on her way to school. With her husband Jyotiba Phule, she kept teaching.
• Anandibai Joshi was married at nine. At 15 she lost her baby for lack of medical care. People were shocked when she went to study medicine in America, at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She graduated, but died of an illness soon after.

The answer to discrimination is inclusion: a place where everyone feels welcome, respected and valued, with equal access to opportunities. It "goes beyond just giving reservations".

Inclusion can mean ramps for wheelchairs, braille books, and extra classroom support for children who need it.

Smt. Amita's reading club shows how. Only confident English readers joined. So she added books in the regional language, storytelling and puppetry.

Soon all the children joined in, whatever language they read best. She did not wait for children to fit the club; she changed the club to fit them.