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So, I had two WEIRD comments today.
We were discussing security vs. liberty and the Japanese Internment Camps in WWII. When we were done I posed to them this question, "Should some of our rights be given up in times of war?"
The kids then split into three groups. 1) Yes, 2) I don't know, 3) No.
They had to defend their argument verbally. While doing so 9-11 came up and how we treat Arab and Muslim people day. During this discussion came the first weird comment.
This young man (he's 10 mind you) said that we should be afraid and take away the rights of Muslims and Arabs because they've attacked us. I clarified saying, "Do you mean those who've never lived in the middle east, and are American Citizens also?" He said Yes.
EEK! What kind of poison is he being fed at home that he would just lump an entire group of individuals together like that? I mean, it's one thing to be afraid of active militant groups, though I still wouldn't go as far as he would to take away their rights, and quite another to completely profile a group of people as bad!!
The second comment happened after we'd broken up. Some of the kids were really thinking and came up to make comments or ask questions. This little guy is my quietest kid in the class and had the most concerned, most genuine face on when he asked me, "Do you believe that Bin Laden blew up the towers? Because I think it was the government."
I blinked, twice, and then answered, "Well, make sure you look at all of the evidence and then make your decision."
... What has HE been hearing at home?
Those two were the weirdest, though I heard quite a bit of confusion, which is where I wanted them to be. I wanted them to think about all the faces of liberty and then decide for themselves, and if they just didn't know, that was okay too!
A few of them came in over lunch and we talked. The discussion ranged everywhere from 9-11, to segregation, to how rules help us to be free, and different levels of security.
Wow. Just... wow.
We were discussing security vs. liberty and the Japanese Internment Camps in WWII. When we were done I posed to them this question, "Should some of our rights be given up in times of war?"
The kids then split into three groups. 1) Yes, 2) I don't know, 3) No.
They had to defend their argument verbally. While doing so 9-11 came up and how we treat Arab and Muslim people day. During this discussion came the first weird comment.
This young man (he's 10 mind you) said that we should be afraid and take away the rights of Muslims and Arabs because they've attacked us. I clarified saying, "Do you mean those who've never lived in the middle east, and are American Citizens also?" He said Yes.
EEK! What kind of poison is he being fed at home that he would just lump an entire group of individuals together like that? I mean, it's one thing to be afraid of active militant groups, though I still wouldn't go as far as he would to take away their rights, and quite another to completely profile a group of people as bad!!
The second comment happened after we'd broken up. Some of the kids were really thinking and came up to make comments or ask questions. This little guy is my quietest kid in the class and had the most concerned, most genuine face on when he asked me, "Do you believe that Bin Laden blew up the towers? Because I think it was the government."
I blinked, twice, and then answered, "Well, make sure you look at all of the evidence and then make your decision."
... What has HE been hearing at home?
Those two were the weirdest, though I heard quite a bit of confusion, which is where I wanted them to be. I wanted them to think about all the faces of liberty and then decide for themselves, and if they just didn't know, that was okay too!
A few of them came in over lunch and we talked. The discussion ranged everywhere from 9-11, to segregation, to how rules help us to be free, and different levels of security.
Wow. Just... wow.
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