Abstract
The study calls attention to the issue of epistemic injustices towards children with Down syndrome (DS) that can take place in a mainstream kindergarten which is supposed to be inclusive, fair, and just for all children irrespective of their abilities and disabilities. This study aims to answer three main research questions: (1) What are the kindergarten teachers’ perceptions towards children with DS; (2) Are there any epistemic injustices towards children or children with DS; and (3) How can we introduce epistemic justice among the kindergarten teachers in an inclusive classroom. To answer these research questions in an extensive and thorough approach, a qualitative methodology was chosen with the help of eight face-to-face semi-structured interviews from eight kindergarten teachers in Oslo, Norway. The main findings concerning the first research question showed that the teachers’ perceptions towards the children with Down syndrome are mostly positive with few remarks on how challenging it can be at times to teach them. However, through their statements about children with Down syndrome, quite a few ambivalent remarks from most of the teachers pointed to the fact that they had conflicting, contradictory perceptions of the epistemic agency of both children with and without Down syndrome that revealed the answer to the second research question. Although the researcher received negative answers from all when they were asked about ever dismissing a child with or without Down syndrome as a knower, almost all the teachers agreed that they had seen or heard that happening from their colleagues. The main findings regarding the last research question showed there is a growing need for proper teacher training that cultivates activities and uplifts epistemic virtues as well as lessens the gap between knowledge and practices. Kindergartens need to ensure proper resources to support children with Down syndrome as the more equal they are in sharing educational resources the more access there will be available for them to the same markers of credibility. The teachers in the current study agreed that it can be difficult at times not to differentiate between a child with and without Down syndrome as it comes up subconsciously or from empathy. Therefore the teachers agreed that it is crucial to be aware of the negative4 consequences of being over-empathetic about children with Down syndrome as it can result in taking away their agency as well as create epistemic injustice for other children without Down syndrome. This study contributes to the research done where the context has been Norwegian mainstream kindergartens. As the previous research on this context has been somewhat limited, the researcher aimed to provide the kindergarten teachers with relevant information that creates awareness on the issue that is epistemic injustice, and the negative consequences of it and check if they themselves are holding any prejudices that can label a child with Down syndrome. The goal of this study was also to create awareness of how to practice epistemic virtue ourselves to create an epistemically just society. Keywords: Children with Down Syndrome, Epistemic Injustice, Epistemic Justice, Inclusive Education, Kindergarten/Barnehage, Pedagogikk leader, Kindergarten teacher, Epistemic virtue.