Monday, August 25

This Week's Big Questions:

• What is racism and how does it play out in today's society?
• How might it end?

Starter:

• Write the date! Always, please!
  
• React to the TED Talk by Clint Smith on "The Danger of Silence"

What lines struck you as powerful?
Why would I show this film given the questions we are exploring this week?

TURN IN THE LAST PAGE OF COURSE SYLLABUS

Agenda
*Announcements and homework for the week

1.  What all do we know about the Michael Brown shooting?  (today is his funeral)

2. Read  and discuss "Willing to be Disturbed"

3. Establish ground rules for our discussions on race

• Oops/Ouch
• Speak your truth while listening with an open heart to others’
• Be “Willing to be disturbed”

4.  Four Corners

• In America, everyone has equal opportunity to lead a successful, happy life.
• Social class is more relevant than race in determining someone’s likelihood of success.
• In order to combat racism, we should all try to be colorblind.
•  Affirmative action is reverse discrimination

Affirmative Action refers to a policy or program providing advantages for minority groups who have experienced historical discrimination with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society through preferential access to education, employment, health care, and social welfare. We will be focusing on race-based educational affirmative action.

5.  Go over this week's homework and seminar prep packet  (and a note about seminar requirements)

• Open the document with google docs
• Save the document with your name in the title
• Share it with me so that I can EDIT it

6.   Review my class norms/values

• Any disagreement? Will these things contribute to a just classroom committed to excellence?  Any additions or subtractions?
• Any other questions about my syllabus?

7.  Junior Seminar Information with Zoe