BETTER THAN YOURS

This blog is taken from page 129, Lifelines, Daily Antidotes to Animus and Angst, by Bobbie Wayne

The day after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. third-grade teacher from Iowa, Jane Elliot, divided her all-white class into two groups: those with brown eyes and those who had blue. For a day, the brown-eyed group were treated with more respect, extra privileges, treats and play time. The blue-eyed group wore special collars for easy identification.

Both groups adapted to their new status, believing negative propaganda about the “inferior” group. The next day, teacher Elliot switched the groups, treating the blue-eyed children as “superior” and the brown-eyed group as second-class citizens. Once again, they readily adapted to the new stereotypes.

Her class of third-graders reunited in 1984 and related how they were teaching their own children about tolerance and discrimination. Miss Elliot’s exercise, they said, had changed their lives. In 1985, PBS’s series, “Frontline” made a documentary about the experiment which is still available to watch.* Anyone can replicate this exercise with adults who, unfortunately, are easily convinced of their own or another person’s superiority or inferiority, depending upon the circumstances.

Once we become aware of this flawed perception and how easily it can destroy our lives and communities, we can arm ourselves against it. Watch the video and read about the study. Discuss it with your kids. In helping to heal the cancer of intolerance, we heal ourselves, as well.

* As some of you know, PBS has lost its Federal funding. This important resource for ideas, information and the truth is being attacked by The Man Who Would be King. Like all would-be oligarchs, our president wants to be in sole control of the media.