No, actually, I'm not dealing with prejudice directed
at students in my classroom or even students demonstrating that
they're prejudiced. Instead, in my Social Psychology class (an adult online class at
Granite State College), we've been discussing prejudice on the Discussion Board. (That's how you communicate with other students in an adult online course.)
Whenever people talk about prejudice, and insist that they're not prejudiced, they often pull out the "I don't care if people are white, black, purple or green" argument. I always wince at the "purple or green" thing. WHERE did that come from? It's so trite, and I'm tired of it. I suspect people think it's the ultimate in demonstrating their openmindedness to
any color. Okay, but I still think it's overused and thus has become meaningless and people use it stridently to convince others that they're not prejudiced. Sadly, it's often followed by a "but" statement, thus negating what the person just said.
In our adult online class though, I haven't yet heard the "purple or green" statement. (Thank goodness!) Instead, I've seen students thoughtfully dissect what goes into making people prejudiced, how it can be overcome, and many other considerations. That's what makes a class such a delight to teach. In this case, since it's an adult online class, I almost feel like I'm a part-time moderator, since the students so often take the ball and run with it. We get into the most fascinating topics.
One recent situation we discussed was the case of a sub shop owner in Philadelphia who placed a controversial sign in his shop. (Jackie Savard, a student in the class, found the article and posted it on the Discussion Board.) The sign reads: "This Is America. When Ordering Please Speak English." (
http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jun/14/nation/na-cheesesteak14)
What an interesting discussion has resulted! (As I write this, it's still going on, because each week's online session ends on Sunday night, and it's Saturday night as I write this.) One student, Christina Fitzgibbons, pointed out that there is NO official language in the USA. That surprised a lot of students. (Me, too!) Another student, Donna Downes, pointed out that if the people in the shop don't speak English, they won't be able to read the sign anyhow!! But I'm guessing that people who don't speak English got the message that they weren't welcome.
Another student, Heather Keyworth (who, coincidentally, also has a
blog at Granite State College's website) discussed how she had attended a workshop in NYC, because it dealt with her major, which is a "self-design major" (you can do that at
Granite State College). The workshop was run by The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), the group that hosted the PISAB workshop she attended in New York.
http://www.antiracistalliance.com/index.html .)
Here's the thoughtful point she made...it made me want to go to one of those workshops to speed up my consciousness about racism:
"PISAB takes into consideration that white folks may be bumbling around out there unwittingly and unknowingly feeling negatively (implicit attitudes) toward people of color, and their workshop is designed to bring that to light and deal with it directly. Racism is our legacy; we were born into a system that began with the intentional and systematic oppression and segregation of people of color (slavery, Jim Crow, zoning, etc.). Whether we mean to be or not, whites are the beneficiaries of a system of power that was created at the expense of those of color. I remember a white woman at the workshop asked why a channel like BET (Black Entertainment Television) is not considered racist. She supported her claim by saying if there was a white channel, that would be considered racist. I've heard specious claims like this before, and so had the trainers in the workshop. One of them simply replied - but you DO have white channels... ABC, NBC, CBS... see her point?"
I'll bet there have been some very interesting chats "around the water cooler" at work as a result of this week's Discussion Board. Well, they don't have many water coolers anymore, but I hope that chats where our students work
are taking place, based on this week's discussions!
Buggy walking as a tradition and cycle/norm of life is pretty much what I wanted my children to understand when I went back to Granite State College. I want them to understand and carry on the tradition of getting an adult college degree at some point in their lives. I took most of my classes as online learning classes while I did have a few classes at Manchester NH University. I hope my young adults follow suit and get their degree someday and also that they walk their babies in the Buggy!! Life is so good, Grandchildren are truly God's reward to parents. 
Left is the buggy the Scotch lady brought to show me...it was just beautiful. She bought it in England where she used to live. Mine is above, yes that is me with my coffee. My mother bought mine in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Both had some similarities and both had wonderful shocks, those babies didn't feel a bump along the stroll.
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