Post by 6cmaya on Oct 26, 2014 4:46:17 GMT
Video of the experiment
Video of Ms.Elliot discussing her experiment on the Oprah Show
Jane Elliot is one of the most inspiring people to touch the face of the earth. Being a black women growing up in America I live with basically two strikes (one being black and the other a women) against me. Therefore ,I deal with struggles that many people in this country have not . There are not many books by black authors in schools, especially black women. The only black author I read was Maya Angelou (hence my name). Not by choice but because she was the only black author in the classroom library. I remember when I reached middle school and I got my report card. All of my grades were really high. Whenever I was asked what my grades were by white classmates and I told them they each said "It's cause you're black" " I wanted to even tell them my grades were lower than they actually were just to avoid that statement.This statement shocked me because I thought "Don't they know how much I put up with in this country? Also that black people work for everything they have.". It became clear that these kids never knew what it felt like to be treated as a minority and discriminated against. I always wanted them to know how it felt.
Jane Elliot's experiment of separating white people based on their eye color is truly magnificent. It's amazing to me to see how these young children react when they are told they are better and smarter than the other kids. It's also important to acknowledge how when Ms.Elliot ask those same kids when their adults how they felt about the experiment they all say it had a positive impact on them. I think this experiment should be conducted in ALL schools in America. It is such a valuable lesson , and will force us to confront racism at a young age, so that someday we will all be given the same about of respect and justice.
Video of Ms.Elliot discussing her experiment on the Oprah Show
Jane Elliot is one of the most inspiring people to touch the face of the earth. Being a black women growing up in America I live with basically two strikes (one being black and the other a women) against me. Therefore ,I deal with struggles that many people in this country have not . There are not many books by black authors in schools, especially black women. The only black author I read was Maya Angelou (hence my name). Not by choice but because she was the only black author in the classroom library. I remember when I reached middle school and I got my report card. All of my grades were really high. Whenever I was asked what my grades were by white classmates and I told them they each said "It's cause you're black" " I wanted to even tell them my grades were lower than they actually were just to avoid that statement.This statement shocked me because I thought "Don't they know how much I put up with in this country? Also that black people work for everything they have.". It became clear that these kids never knew what it felt like to be treated as a minority and discriminated against. I always wanted them to know how it felt.
Jane Elliot's experiment of separating white people based on their eye color is truly magnificent. It's amazing to me to see how these young children react when they are told they are better and smarter than the other kids. It's also important to acknowledge how when Ms.Elliot ask those same kids when their adults how they felt about the experiment they all say it had a positive impact on them. I think this experiment should be conducted in ALL schools in America. It is such a valuable lesson , and will force us to confront racism at a young age, so that someday we will all be given the same about of respect and justice.