Understanding The Impact of Bias in Reference to Tony’s Case

One aspect that takes center stage in this case is discrimination. Segal, Gerdes, and Steiner describes discrimination as a culture where people are treated differently through denial of something. In this case, institutional discrimination that is founded on the law is evident. Discrimination plays a great role in one’s life as it shows the reality of life. Personally, I have experienced discrimination at different times in my life. The experience gave me a different view of life and how life is meant to discourage us.

The people who discriminate does not take into account the feelings of the affected individual. Consequently, discrimination may negatively affect an individual and shape them on how to deal with certain issues despite the difficulties associated with them. The institutional discrimination evident in this case is not aimed at oppressing the subject, but rather protecting them under the law. The equal protection offered by the law protects children against landing in the hands of the wrong people. However, based on the facts present in the case, Tony needs somebody who can take good care of him, but the mother is dead while the father has been incarcerated. Thus, Tony is likely to face hardships in his education and socially since Mrs. Harjo does not have any legal right to take Tony to his school of choice and offer him medical attention that he deserves.

Poverty is presenting a great concern for my client. Mrs. Harjo does not have an actual source of income, and thus she does not have enough money to seek justice for her grandson. Poverty plays a great role in placing her at the disadvantaged side as she may not afford to hire a lawyer who can pursue the case to have her granted the right to be a guardian of her grandson.

A social worker has a great role to play in helping Tony, and her grandmother get a fair treatment of the law. A social worker would give them a better legal aid to understand the provisions of the law. Moreover, the social worker can give them alternative ways to pursue in their quest of seeking justice for Tony. These alternatives would include following the right channels to ensure that Mrs. Harjo is granted the rights to be a guardian of Tony since Tony’s father is still in prison.

My question about this case study is why a school principal would deny Mrs. Harjo to authorize medical care, change the address or enroll Tony in school and yet he knew it very well that Tony’s mother had died?

The case study of my client has similarities and differences with my experience. In social work, it is important to understand the differences and similarities as it enables us to relate and have a clear understanding of what others are going through. In this manner, social workers would be in a position to help clients overcome their challenges.

Social workers have the noble responsibility of working with people in trying to improve their lives. In this case study, Mrs. Harjo is faced with the challenge of changing the guardianship of Tony who is her grandson. I agree that this is institutional discrimination that is founded on the laws governing the rights of children. It turns out to be a form of discrimination when the authorities could not take into consideration the negative effects of failing to have Mrs. Harjo as a guardian to Tony. Thus, a social worker is needed to intervene and guide Mrs. Harjo on how to pursue the case following the rule of law. Moreover, the social worker can intervene and work to ensure that Mrs. Harjo is granted the rights to be Tony’s guardian.