Question

For this week's topic:firstly, watch the PBS Frontline classic program entitled: "A Class Divided" (this week's Required Resources). Discuss your reaction to the video and what you learned from it.

Also, discuss how you feel it relates to the PPT on Prejudice & Diversity as well as the chapter's reading for this week.

Answer 1

answer-

A Class Divided is a 1985 episode of the PBS series Frontline. Directed by William Peters, the episode profiles the Iowa schoolteacher Jane Elliott and her class of third graders, who took part in a class exercise about discrimination and prejudice in 1970 and reunited in the present day to recall the experience.

i learned from this exercise that we see diversity in our daily lives like people different different belong to different religions, case, language, color but instead of accepting that diversity we become victim of discrimination at school, workplace and society because we have different color of skin or eyes and we speak different language.

I think the episode tell us about the unfairness of discrimination and racism like in this episode, the Elliot conducted a test called "blue eyes/brown eyes" . in that exercise,Students with blue eyes were given preferential treatment, given positive reinforcement, and made to feel superior over those with brown eyes for one day; the procedure was reversed the next day, with Mrs. Elliott giving favorable preference to brown-eyed students. As a result, whichever group was favored by Elliott performed enthusiastically in class, answered questions quickly and accurately, and performed better in tests; those who were discriminated against felt more downcast, were hesitant and uncertain in their answers, and performed poorly in tests.

after watching the episode, my reaction was shocked because students of third graders were getting education related to diversity, discrimination and prejudice which i think people should have involved in today's education so that in future they know the importance of diversity and do not involve in discriminatory activities.

the episode is related to Prejudice & Diversity because it shows how unfair and biased treatment was done to students with brown eyes and how class has diversified students.I think students now days should have education related to diversity because diversity has become the part of our society and wherever we live we will see people from different different culture and background so i think diversity makes society better and prejudice make society inefficient like students performed poorly because of unfair treatment to them.