Karens are middle class, white women whose entitlement dates back centuries. Their indifference towards how their demands for privileges for their children might leave other children behind is what makes them particularly dangerous.
They’re notorious for demanding special privileges and calling the police when they don’t receive them; administrators tend to believe these students as the louder one tends to get what he or she wants.
They’re entitled
Karen is an often derogatory term for entitled white women who constantly complain. Stereotypically, Karen drives a minivan and sports a “Speak to the Manager” haircut; furthermore she may be middle-aged divorcee with three or more children as well as having an abusive temper. Though its origin remains uncertain, many attribute its use to Dane Cook’s comedy special of the same title which coined this pejorative moniker.
No matter their name, most women who go by the moniker “Karens” act in similar ways. They believe they’re superior to everyone else and use their status as women as justification for self-centered behavior like calling the police on Black people, protesting social distancing practices or refusing vaccination against coronavirus virus; all dangerous actions.
Many of these people are known as lawnmower parents who seek to remove any obstacles, hardships or perceived adversities that might hinder their child’s success or self-esteem. Furthermore, they’re known for uttering “what about the children” arguments when discussing maintaining schools during a pandemic outbreak.
Problematic attitudes toward teachers can interfere with their ability to do their jobs effectively, leaving them feeling powerless to fulfill their responsibilities. Teachers might have to listen to students and parents who behave in such ways, or may feel that their own concerns don’t warrant consideration – all which create an atmosphere of distrust that undermines teaching profession; some even leave due to this reason alone! It can even make teachers feel betrayed by administrators who support such causes but then throw them under the bus without proper explanation or accountability.
They’re racist
Recent trends in pop culture have featured alliterative names — Barbecue Becky and Golfcart Gail are examples — for white women who abuse their privilege to socially police their communities. Such women, commonly known as Karens, can often be belligerent or annoying and racist as well. When upset, these Karens will hurl racial or ableist insults while sometimes engaging in physical confrontations – the latest one being an elementary teacher from Florida who was recently placed on leave after video showed her shouting racist and ableist insults at people with disabilities.
At first, the Karen meme was intended to be used humorously against self-absorbed white people who constantly bemoaned how poorer they were compared with people of color. But as it progressed further into pandemic status, its meaning became far more serious: now a symbol for white supremacy and 2020’s highly charged debate over human rights issues, Karen became more and more controversial.
White teachers who enforce harsh discipline often target students of color disproportionately and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. Furthermore, their racist Karens use fear of “Black violence” as justification for their actions and inflate their sense of importance by calling for harsh discipline in schools.
At issue here is not so much what these individuals directly commit, but their behavior’s corrosive effect on our schools and society as a whole. By rewarding Karens, administrators and school systems send signals that students and parents should demand whatever they want and that the loudest will get what they want – in turn giving people power to turn any problem they experience into one that falls under racism while making it harder for teachers to address student or parent concerns in a productive manner.
They’re sexist
Karen has become an all-too-common catchword among white women who demand to speak to managers of stores and restaurants, often using false victimhood to deflect criticism from themselves or people of colour; these women tend to believe they’re being discriminated against if not treated equal with people of colour; such an attitude should be disavowed as soon as it arises.
Though the term “Karen” is most often associated with white women who exhibit racist and sexist tendencies, it could refer to anyone acting in an entitled and annoying way – even women over 40 with an entitlement complex who feel entitled to express their opinions on issues pertaining to women’s rights – but is it fair to label such people?
At its core, one of the most distressing aspects of the Karen phenomenon is how administrators and school systems perpetuate it. Administrators may feel pressure to appease Karen parents in order to secure their jobs or avoid being seen as biased in dealing with students and families; creating an endless cycle that can be hard to break free from.
The Karen phenomenon is deeply concerning in that it undermines teacher morale. Teachers put on the defensive over their work are quickly disregarded by both their students and parents, leading to feelings that their work is unimportant and no longer taken seriously by authorities – eventually leading them to feel exhausted and frustrated while no longer giving their best efforts for their pupils.
They’re narcissistic
Karens are narcissists who consider themselves to be in control of every situation, often believing their opinions to be the only valid ones and demanding respect and admiration from people around them. Karens can often be found bringing their pets with them to work, making inappropriate comments, and complaining about minor details; all qualities which could cause conflict in the workplace.
Karens often exhibit both narcissism and entitlement. They believe they deserve special treatment from others in the school and may become quite aggressive during staff meetings if others impede with their agenda or get in their way; additionally they have trouble accepting constructive criticism and often gossip among themselves about others who disagree with them.
When confronted with their narcissism, Karens often deny it and continue to act in such a manner that is detrimental to themselves and others. At times they even go so far as lying to police about situations which were not their responsibility – causing further damage in the community as a whole. Therefore it’s essential that such behaviors be called out when they occur in order to address them appropriately and protect the wellbeing of all community members.
“Karen” has been used online and off, but recently gained new significance amid the coronavirus pandemic. We see examples of Karens on social media, in news stories and even real life; many women use this pandemic as an excuse to socially police their neighbors or coworkers.
Others take advantage of their white privilege by demanding special privileges or reporting crimes against them; either way they attempt to leverage it in order to obtain what they desire; they do this unaware that their actions will impact other people, including children.
They’re selfish
Karen may seem harmless at first, but the internet has taken to using it as an insult against rude, entitled individuals – both female and male alike can fall under this designation. They think themselves superior to everyone around them – particularly anyone who disagrees with them; have no empathy for other people, and behave in aggressive and disrespectful ways.
Karens can have a devastating effect on teachers as well as students and parents, often to the extent that it leads them to feel overwhelmed by them and eventually retiring due to them.
Karens who push for more attention for their children may mean other children don’t receive what they need from teachers, since some resources may only allow a limited amount of help and attention from each teacher. Unfortunately, Karens are often unaware that there are limitations to what teachers can provide their pupils.
Over the summer, reports about entitled white mothers inspired a meme known as “Karen.” It describes middle-aged women who are self-satisfied and rude to service workers; also applicable during pandemic outbreaks when demanding more from school systems or using pearl-clutching arguments to claim schools should remain open at their convenience.
50% of teachers leave within their first five years due to Karens and similar people, though not exclusively. Lack of pay, long hours, and dealing with entitled parents is enough to cause teachers to seek other work opportunities – plus the fact that administrators constantly throw them under the bus only makes matters worse! Therefore it’s crucial for everyone involved in teaching to understand who and what a Karen really is.
