I am going to attempt to recapture my earlier statements on this topic.
As a teacher, I applaud this woman and ANY Teacher who attempts to bridge INTERRACIAL, INTRACIAL, INTERCULTURAL, INTRACULTURAL gaps in our students. She had to have stepped out on a limb and while it paid off with her students for some reason other families in the district reacted negatively. I agree with AKA2D, 9 times out of 10 they are the parents who are totally uninvolved with the school anyway. I welcome dialogue on any level that attempts to shed some of the myths that different races hold about another race. For instance, a couple of months ago on the Greek Life section of GC, there was conversation about BLACK HAIR 101 with some of the non Black members of GC. That conversation helped foster dialogue that might not have ever taken place but someone stepped out of their comfort zone to begin to learn more about a different group.
As a parent, again I would appreciate a teacher attempting to help my child and his/her classmates understand differences. Those lessons are the ones that children remember. Those are the ones that children take with them. They could care less about the characters of
To Kill A Mockingbird but if I make something in that book meaningful to them then that is where I have succeeded as a teacher.
Finally, if MORE PARENTS (not bashing y'all --thinking of the parents I work with) stepped up to the plate and taught their kids at home to be more accepting of differences, then the classrooms might be more harmonious.
Again no more smilies but I had some clappy ones.
I agree with Shalom (you should have some career in speech writing/giving) and the AKA2D/TUDE tag team
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He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.
Rain does not fall on one roof alone.
Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.
Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.
What one hopes for is always better than what one has.