Termites, small and overlooked, can knock down forests and turn buildings to powder; intolerance operates in much the same way.
It’s not uncommon to hear students — including students of color — repeating the biased language they’ve heard. (Not long ago, for instance, I overheard one of my students saying “You throw like a rich white girl.”) Left unchallenged, comments like this can nibble away at our students, tearing town the futures they’ve envisionsed for themselves.
I created an activity that isolates several of the acts of intolerance that so frequently exist in the lives of my students. I wrote short narratives that ask students to imagine themselves in scenarios of everyday bigotry, prompting them to think about how best to address these acts of intolerance. My narratives cover these topics:
My uncle the racist: Standing-up to racist family members.
That’s so gay, retarded or ghetto: Using identity labels as put-downs or in a negative context.
Speak English, this is America!: Confronting the racist messages that work to erase immigrant culture — isolating immigrants from their culture and from the mainstream at the same time.
“Girl’s aint nothin’ but…” Objectification of females by males — from music videos to playground chatter.
My iPhone and your clothes from Wal-Mart: Perception of what’s “cool” and what’s “not cool” and the class privilege that underlies these ideas.
Men’s work and women’s work: Gender roles at home, in the workplace and on campus.
The “schoolboy” and the “schoolgirl:” The alienation of high-performing students.
Being different in a place where sameness is required: Situations in which physical appearance, sexual orientation or religious belief could lead to ostracism.
I group my students into teams of three to four. I pay close attention to ensure each group has the best possible balance of males and females; of well-performing and struggling students; and of students from varying socioeconomic levels. Each group receives one of the eight scenarios, and is asked to talk for five to ten minutes about how best to respond. When they have reached a conclusion they record their responses and rotate to the next table and scenario. I “work the room,” listening and engaging with them to assist and elaborate where needed. This rotation, along with a debriefing, takes two periods.
In life, these scenarios are frequent and common, but they often pass before we can engineer the best response. Giving students time, support and guidance to formulate responses ahead of time gives them the awareness and confidence to speak up for themselves and one another.
Marcos Torres
Corona High School
Corona, Calif.
For tips on how to respond effectively to everyday instances of racism, check out the online guide Speak Up!
