Teachable Moment.

The question posed during review had something to do with the most effective way to change a law. The correct answer was gathering signatures for a petition. But I asked about one of the incorrect answers... I asked "is it ever okay not to obey a law?" There were several "no's" murmured from the class, so I asked why we were out of school on Monday. Many of the students answered and so I asked what Dr. King did. They began to catch my drift answering that he broke the law on purpose. What followed was probably the best conversation that has occurred in 2nd period all year long. We were supposed to be reviewing for the EOC, but instead education began to happen. After a brief explanation of the Greensboro 4 and the marches led by King somehow we got to a question from a student: "Why do so many white people want to act black?" Then there was a flurry of discussion in the classroom--mostly from the black students (we discussed it in class and that's the term they prefer). "What does acting black mean?" Probably 2 or 3 minutes of internal discussion that would have probably looked like chaos had someone been looking in from the outside. But I dared not jump in too soon--after all, how often do you hit on a topic that so engages students? Near the end of this chaos one of the students remarked that he wondered what the other students thought--"you know the white students; i'm not trying to be racist or anything."

I wanted to say that the white students were probably hesitant to join in such a discussion because of how careful people have to be these days with such topics. I didn't. But I'm sure that was the case. The white students realize the sensitivities and offense that can be stirred up if they were to say the wrong thing. That's too bad that it is that way... but I'm afraid it is that way.

Nevertheless, the conversation continued. I got carried away for a while on a patented Mr. Thomas rant concerning melting pot vs tossed salad as a metaphor for America. I went on about the difficulties of maintaining cultural identity and assimilating fully. The discussion picked back up with that. How can we be Americans and yet maintain African American or Hispanic or Asian cultural values and customs? I gave my 2 cents worth by saying that there are good aspects of cultures and bad aspects--whether Thug Life or Nascar or in between. I stressed that the difficulty with being human is our tendency to generalize. Generalization is built into our minds as a positive thing. It keeps us away from danger. But when we apply that to human groups based on a few individuals...well that's where prejudice and racism are born.

It was striking as well, that after discussing the black/white issue for a while, I mentioned that the new challenge was to realize that Hispanics are just as equal as everyone else. It is striking to see white and black students respond--I don't know if I wanna say negatively but they certainly don't seem to understand the irony of their stereotypes and attitudes towards hispanics--to this challenge.

Somehow or another we ended up discussing whether or not W. had "flipped his lid". And how important it was to learn to think critically because the left and the right are interested in labeling and establishing their ideas as the ONLY ideas. They are interested in branding the other side as the enemy. Isn't that crazy? Other Americans as the ENEMY? Name calling rules the day and it's sad that so many--me sometimes too--get caught up in that garbage. I try to think of others in history who tried to make one way of thinking the only way. More on this particular topic in my next post.

All in all, it was the best 2nd period class of the year. Too bad that all that is left is a few review days and then the dreaded EOC. Maybe some personal momentum that will carry over to next semester's Civics Class. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve for that one...

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