Title: Exploring class privilege in counselor education - Counseling Today
Headings: Exploring class privilege in counselor education
Counseling Today, Knowledge Share
Exploring class privilege in counselor education
Understanding class privilege and classism
Class privilege in counselor education systems
Class privilege based on economic capital
The unique problem of unpaid internships
Class privilege based on cultural capital
Class privilege based on social capital
Getting to know our students and addressing class privilege
Final thoughts
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Content: Both the ACA Code of Ethics and the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies developed by the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development highlight the need for counselors to be aware of issues of privilege and oppression based on membership in various groups. Counselors are also called to understand how such issues affect the worldviews and concerns of the people they serve, and to work to reduce disparities that are based on privilege. As counselor educators and students in counseling training programs, we have observed that conversations about privilege and oppression are common in training but that they generally occur in two ways. First, the conversations typically use a lens that looks outward into societal structures while neglecting to use a lens that looks inward and focuses on how our own educational and professional structures create disparities. Second, such conversations most frequently center on advantages given to a person on the basis of sex, race, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or age, while ignoring socioeconomic class. The lack of recognition of class privilege is also reflected in our research. Although a large body of research on privilege based on other criteria exists, there is very little research related to privilege based on class. However, our collective experience leads us to believe that class privilege is embedded in our counseling training programs in ways that create real barriers for entry into the counseling profession for all but the most economically privileged. This strikes us as a significant oversight in the conversation on privilege in general and a crucial issue to address if we are to live up to our ideals as a profession. Understanding class privilege and classism
Class privilege is generally defined as the tangible or intangible unearned advantages enjoyed by someone of higher class status.