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 "Our Way IS the best" 
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:34 pm
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Location: West Lenoir School of Technology
This week in Reading, we were discussing Jackie Robinson and what he had to go through to become a professional baseball player. We were reading the story "Teammates," and it mentioned the KKK. I was shocked about the fact that only 2 of my students this year had ever even heard about the KKK. This was surprising being that I work in a predominantly black school. However, the only question that my students kept asking over and over was "Why were they treating the black people so badly?" When we got to the end of the book, Pee Wee Reese stands up in support of Jackie Robinson by going up to him and putting his arm around him and saying "We are teammates.' At this point, all of my students cheered, both black and white. Then the very next day, the headline in the news was that the KKK was going to meet in Hudson this weekend. So many of my students came in questioning why people still let this happen. Then I began to think about diversity in school is all that these children have known. They just can't possibly think about a time being in school without different races. I was simply speechless when I was trying to explain that these people still exist today. When all I really wanted to say was that those people were simply stupid and "the students way of believing was the best!" Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with or try to begin to explain this to a group of innocent 10 years olds who love everyone the same????????????

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Amy Roop


Fri Apr 02, 2004 6:38 pm
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:55 pm
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I should be read Poisonwood Bible right now, but I decided to take a break and check this forum. Amy, they probably have not because as a race most Blacks do not tell their children about things like the KKK. As a parent, talking about negative subjects only come up as needed because we don't want to start instilling fear of others in our children. I never told my children about KKK until they were in high school unless they encounter racist problems. I could probably ask students at my diverse school about the KKK and half of them would not know. I could ask them about M. L. King, Jr. and they would know. Most parent focus on the positive aspects of the past to encourage and uplift. The only problem my children ever had was with teachers.
Amy, Your having a difficult time trying to figure out how to explain the KKK's actions. Parents feel the same way. It is difficult for children to understand why people dislike others because of skin color when they haven't had any social interactions with them. Most of the children today interact with all children with different skin colors. Most people who still display or demonstrate feelings of hatred toward others were taught to hate/dislike or had a negative experience which caused them to fear people of color.
Prejudice is all about fear and distrust. Prejudice is a very emotional subject. I think this is why it is so difficult to explain to young children. The problem with prejudice is that to fully understand it; it has to be experienced. I hope most children today do not have to experience it.
Fear of someone taking something that they do not deserve. Fear of another race thinking that they have some power. Fear of mixed marriages. Fear of taking a job that someone of another race could have had. Fear is displayed in many different ways.
History has set the tune on how some fears are displayed. The KKK is an organized group that is letting their fears be known. The march is their way of letting the world know they still disagree with the concept all races having an "equal opportunities." They have legal right to have a peaceful demonstration. They do not believe that all men were created equal. They believe, White is and always will be the dominant being.
Personally, I believe that a man is a man regardless of skin tone.
I hope you can take something from this for your students.

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Fay Smith


Sun Apr 04, 2004 2:14 pm
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Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 6:34 pm
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Location: West Lenoir School of Technology
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Fay,
Thank you so much for trying to help me with this topic. I have a better understanding now and hopefully will be able to help my students try to understand something that I was at a loss of words over.

Thanks again!

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Amy Roop


Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:00 pm
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