Monday, August 25, 2014

This Week's Big Questions:

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

Starter 8.25 (in Digital Comp Book)
React in writing to the recent and ongoing circumstances in Ferguson, MO.  What struck you, surprised you, disturbed you, or made you think differently?   How (or what) does the situation in Ferguson make you feel as an American?


Agenda
1.  What all do we know about the Michael Brown shooting?  

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  
  • Open the document in Google Docs
  • Cut and paste it into your Digital Comp Book
  • Let me know if you prefer a paper copy, and I will print it for you.



6.   Establish definitions for some terms key to our discussion on race.

Junior Seminar announcements: Welcome, Zoe!
HOMEWORK:
Complete Part B of the Seminar Prep Note-taking Guide