Violence https://www.morningsidecenter.org/ en Orlando Shooting: A Listening Circle https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/orlando-shooting-listening-circle <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Orlando Shooting: A Listening Circle</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>The mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL, on June 12, 2016, has left many of us feeling sad, worried, angry or even fearful.</p> <p>When upsetting events happen, a listening circle&nbsp; can be helpful for young people of all ages, as well as for adults.&nbsp; Listening circles give people a chance to say what they are thinking and feeling, and can help engender mutual understanding and support.</p> <p>The format is simple:&nbsp; Arrange chairs in a circle.&nbsp; Provide an introduction to the issue at hand, and to the format of the circle. Then invite each person in turn to share what they are thinking and feeling.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Give each person a few minutes to say whatever they want to say - or to pass.&nbsp; When one person is speaking, the others in the group should pay close attention but not comment.&nbsp; The circle is over after every person has had a chance to speak. Often going around the circle more than once allows those who pass on the first go-round to collect their thoughts and feelings so that they can share in the next round.<br> &nbsp;<br> Below are some suggestions for an introduction and prompts for a circle on the Orlando shooting.&nbsp; Please also see these <a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/teaching-about-controversial-or-difficult-issues">guidelines for discussing difficult issues in the classroom</a>.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Introduction: Background on the Shooting in Orlando</h4> <p>Tell students that many of us are feeling upset about the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday, June 12.&nbsp; Today, we'll have a chance to share some of our thoughts and feelings about what has happened.&nbsp; We'll be using a circle process: Each person will have a few minutes to say what they want to say or to pass. When someone is speaking, listen closely but do not respond or comment.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Before we begin, here are some things we have learned about the shooting in Orlando. &nbsp;(Adapt as appropriate for the age group.)</p> <ul> <li>The shooting took place in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12, at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida.&nbsp; The club, called Pulse, is a popular gathering place for LGBT people.&nbsp; It was Latin night at the club, and many people were dancing and celebrating.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>At about 2 am, a gunman opened fire in the club. &nbsp;Fifty people were killed (including the gunman himself), and 53 were injured.&nbsp; It is the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>The gunman has been identified as Omar Mateen, 29. He was born in New York and lived in Fort Pierce, FL.&nbsp; He was armed with a handgun and an AR-15 assault rifle.&nbsp; It is reported that he had purchased the guns legally in the past week or two.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>During his assault on the club, Mateen called 911 and in the call, pledged allegiance to the terrorist group known as the Islamic State or ISIS. ISIS later claimed responsibility for the killing, stating that the attack "was carried out by an Islamic State fighter." Officials say so far there is no indication that Mateen had any direct connection with the group before the shooting. However, Mateen had been investigated in the past for possible terrorist ties.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Several who knew Mateen described his hatred of gay people. A former co-worker of Mateen's said that in the past, he had voiced hatred of gays, Blacks, women, and Jews.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>People in Orlando, the country and around the world reacted with horror to the shooting. There has been an outpouring of support for the victims, for the LGBTQ community, and for the people of Orlando.&nbsp; People from all backgrounds and religions expressed grief over the killings, and concern for the victims and their families.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>When Orlando hospitals issued a call for blood donations to help those injured in the attack, hundreds of people flooded to blood donation centers. Some waited over 6 hours to give blood. &nbsp;Hundreds more - including gay and straight people of all backgrounds -showed up to volunteer at a local support center for LGBTQ people.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>At a press conference, President Obama decried the killing and the hatred behind it. "This is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American - regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, is an attack of all of us, and on the fundamental values of equality and dignity..."</li> </ul> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <hr> <h4>Circle Go-Rounds</h4> <p><strong>1. &nbsp;</strong>What thoughts and feelings have you had about the attack in Orlando? (one or more rounds)</p> <p><strong>2. &nbsp;</strong>What thoughts might you want to share with the victims, their friends and families, and with others who are feeling vulnerable in the face of the attack?</p> <p><strong>3. &nbsp;</strong>In his press conference, President Obama said:&nbsp; "In the face of hate and violence, we will love one another."&nbsp; What is one thing we could do - individually, as a group, or as a society - to show love for one another in the wake of this attack?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>More information &amp; helpful links:</h4> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.glsen.org/blog/addressing-orlando-shooting-your-school">Addressing the Orlando Shooting at Your School</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/lesson-plans/c/understanding-homophobia-heterosexism-ally.html#.V1YHOPkrKmV?referrer=https://t.co/zbOeAm3u4q">Understanding Homophobia/Heterosexism and How to Be an Ally</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/empathy-solidarity-counter-wave-anti-muslim-bias">Empathy and Solidarity to Counter the Wave of Anti-Muslim Bias&nbsp;</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/5-tips-teaching-current-events-younger-students">5 Tips for Teaching Current Events to Younger Students</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.adl.org/blog/we-are-not-powerless-when-faced-with-hate-bias-propaganda-and-extremism">We Are Not Powerless When Faced with Hate, Bias, Propaganda and Extremism</a></li> <li>Also see ADL's extensive collection of resources on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/curriculum-resources/c/finding-the-balance.html#.V18-7LsrKmU">Finding the Balance: Countering Extremism &amp; Combating Stereotypes</a></li> </ul> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2016-06-13T09:02:12-04:00" title="Monday, June 13, 2016 - 09:02">June 13, 2016</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 13 Jun 2016 13:02:12 +0000 fionta 391 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Responding to a Terrorist Attack https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/responding-terrorist-attack <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Responding to a Terrorist Attack</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Below are general guidelines for talking with students who may be upset about recent terrorist attacks.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Don't ignore issues.&nbsp;</strong>If students are concerned about what they’ve been seeing and hearing in the news, the issue is present in the classroom, whether you talk about it or not. If you, the adult, provide a supportive environment in which to address challenging and sensitive issues constructively, they can become powerful teachable moments. If you don't, these very same issues can become disruptive and divisive in similarly powerful ways.</p> <p><strong>Be present and available.&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;When upsetting or frightening things happen, students need to know that the adults in their lives are present and are available and ready to provide support when needed.</p> <p><strong>Provide structure.&nbsp;</strong>At times of uncertainty, it is especially important to structure how information is shared (such as through talking circles, pair shares, microlabs and/or fishbowls) and to re-emphasize community norms. These structures and norms can provide some comfort and reassurance for kids to hold on to when they feel shaken. This is especially true if these structures have been used before and will continue to be used regularly.&nbsp; See <a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/engaging-your-class-through-groupwork">engaging your class through groupwork</a> for more information on these formats.</p> <p><strong>Invite student feelings and thoughts.</strong>&nbsp;When students are worried or upset, it is helpful for them to know that they are not alone. &nbsp;(The same is true for us as adults, of course.)&nbsp; Feeling a sense of connection and support is more reassuring than a detailed explanation of what happened. Consider providing a space where all students have the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about the issue in question. You might do this through a "talking circle": &nbsp;pass an object (a talking piece) around the circle. &nbsp;See this&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/introduction-circles">introduction to the circle process</a>. &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Beware,&nbsp;</strong>as students’ share their feelings, that sometimes grief and anger, though normal and healthy responses to acts of terror, can easily get misdirected. Share with students that we need to avoid making generalizations or fuel feelings of hatred and revenge that could promote a backlash against innocent groups of people (eg, Muslims and Arabs).&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Listen and paraphrase.</strong>&nbsp;Acknowledge students’ feelings and thoughts. It is important, especially in difficult times, for students to know they are being heard without judgment. Listening, paraphrasing, and acknowledging students' feelings and thoughts allows students to process their feelings and possibly move beyond some of their worries so that they can begin to explore the issue and generate questions that might further understanding.</p> <p><strong>Normalize student feelings and thoughts.&nbsp;</strong>Let students know they are not alone in feeling confused, upset or angry. Many people feel this way in times of crisis. It is not at all unusual and talking about it will help kids understand that they are not alone.</p> <p><strong>Check in with individual students.</strong>&nbsp;Some students will reach out themselves when they are struggling. Others need to be encouraged. Look for kids who are acting out of the ordinary, because even if they are not reaching out verbally, there may be behavioral telltales that they are struggling.</p> <p><strong>Encourage students to generate questions.&nbsp;</strong>Generate lots of questions, open-ended questions, questions from different perspectives. (For more on how to generate good questions, see Alan Shapiro's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/thinking-questioning">Thinking is Questioning</a>.) The world is a complex place and the tools we use to engage it should embrace that complexity, rather than ignore it. It's easy to resort to black-and-white thinking, assuming that things are either good or bad. But this thinking promotes polarization and pits people against each other. Instead, try to promote thinking that recognizes not only shades of gray but the spectacular colors that bring the real world into view, accepting and respecting a multitude of varied thoughts and opinions.</p> <p>Brainstorming open-ended questions that do not assume answers (especially not "the one right answer"), cultivates critical thinking and encourages students to think creatively, without judgment or fear of giving the wrong answer. A classroom environment that emphasizes good questions rather than right answers prepares students for the complexity of today's world and the wealth of information that is available to them if they know to look for it.</p> <p><strong>Promote dialogue.&nbsp;</strong>Too often young people are only taught to debate issues. And though debating skills are useful to have in today's world, dialogue is perhaps a more valuable skill when it comes to better understanding complex issues. Debate is about competition and convincing your opponent. Dialogue, on the other hand, is about cooperation, understanding your partner and opening up new ways of thinking. Dialogue promotes a widening of horizons and openness to change. (For more on teaching on controversial issues, see our guidelines for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/teaching-about-controversial-or-difficult-issues">Teaching about Controversial or Difficult Issues</a>.)</p> <p><strong>Memorialize&nbsp;</strong>the victims of the attack.&nbsp; Consider a moment of silence for the victims or find other ways that students and staff can memorialize and honor the victims.&nbsp; Coming together in this way can promote solidarity and support among survivors and allies. It can help encourage a sense of social recovery, healing and inclusion when approached thoughtfully and with sensitively, possibly nipping thoughts and feelings of hatred and revenge in the bud.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Look for the helpers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Consider sharing the Fred Rogers quote that has circulated after terrorist attacks:</p> <p>"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"</p> <p>Ask students what they’ve heard about people helping out and any acts of solidarity in the wake of the attacks. &nbsp;How does that make them feel? Is there anything they'd like to do beyond the conversation today that may make help them and others impacted by the attacks feel supported?</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2016-03-22T13:54:23-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 22, 2016 - 13:54">March 22, 2016</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Tue, 22 Mar 2016 17:54:23 +0000 fionta 405 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Responding to the Paris Attacks https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/responding-paris-attacks <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Responding to the Paris Attacks</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p><strong>Note:</strong> &nbsp;Please also see these&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/guidelines-discussing-paris-attacks">general guidelines</a>&nbsp;for discussing these upsetting events.&nbsp;</p> <h4><br> Introduction</h4> <p>Ask students what they have heard about recent attacks by the group known as ISIS in Paris and elsewhere. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Elicit or explain that on Friday, November 13, 2015, a series of attacks struck at the heart of Paris, killing 129 and wounding 352, 99 of them critically.&nbsp; Six different sites were targeted, some by gunmen wielding AK-47s others by men detonating explosive belts strapped to their bodies.&nbsp;</p> <p>The militant group known in the West as IS, ISIS, or ISIL claimed responsibility for the attacks. &nbsp;They also claimed responsibility for two other attacks in the same 24 hour period. &nbsp;These attacks recevied much less attention in our media.</p> <p>On November 12, 40 people were killed in two suicide bombings in Beirut, Lebanon. The bombings were the deadliest in the capital since the end of Lebanon's bloody civil war in 1990. The blasts struck a busy shopping street and more than 200 people were wounded.</p> <p>On November 13, a suicide bomber killed 17 people at a Baghdad memorial service for a militia fighter killed in battle.&nbsp;&nbsp; At least 43 people were wounded in the attack.</p> <p>The lesson plan that follows will look at expressions of solidarity with people affected by these IS attacks, in Paris and beyond. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <h4>Social Media: Expressions of Solidarity</h4> <p>In troubling times, when the horrific acts of a few people dominate the headlines, it can be helpful to also notice the many people responding with concern, support, and solidarity - and find ways to show our own support, if possible.</p> <p>Invite students to read the grouped tweets below (A through F), and in each case ask them in small groups, or as a full class, to discuss the questions that follow. These questions are the same each time:</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these tweets?</li> <li>Who is expressing solidarity with whom and how?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>A) People used social media to offer and find refuge </strong>in Paris on Friday night.&nbsp; Taxis offered free rides after public transportation shut down:</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/A1.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 310px;"></p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/A2.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 152px;"></p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/A3.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 168px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/A4.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 152px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these tweets?</li> <li>Who is expressing solidarity with whom and how?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <p><strong>B) Cities around the world expressed their solidarity</strong> with Paris and France as a whole by lighting their main buildings with the colors of France's flag the <em>tricoleur</em> (translation: the "three-color" indicating its three colors of blue, white and red):</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;<img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/B1b.jpg" style="width: 433px; height: 514px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/B2.jpg" style="width: 433px; height: 291px;"></p> <p>Ask students:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these tweets?</li> <li>Who is expressing solidarity with whom and how?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>C) Individuals who identified themselves as Muslim condemned the attacks:</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/C1.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 156px;"></p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/C2(1).jpg" style="width: 440px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these tweets?</li> <li>Who is expressing solidarity with whom and how?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p><strong>D) Many used Twitter to caution people to avoid lumping together </strong>extremist groups such as ISIS with the Muslim community as a whole, and expressed concern about recent refugee groups in particular:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/D1(1).jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 175px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/D2.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 175px;"></p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/D3(1).jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 155px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these tweets?</li> <li>Who is expressing solidarity with whom and how?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>E) &nbsp;People expressed solidarity with other communities</strong> targeted by ISIS this week.&nbsp; Without seeking to detract from the attention and support directed at Paris and its inhabitants, they noted the lack of attention paid to other parts of the world where ISIS had wreaked havoc, destruction and bloodshed:&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/E1.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 287px;"></p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/E3.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 499px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these tweets?</li> <li>Who is expressing solidarity with whom and how?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Closing</h4> <p>Ask students in closing to look at the next two tweets. Then ask them to share one thing they'll take away from today's lesson.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/Close%201.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 91px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/Close%202.jpg" style="width: 440px; height: 272px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-11-16T07:54:33-05:00" title="Monday, November 16, 2015 - 07:54">November 16, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 16 Nov 2015 12:54:33 +0000 fionta 427 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org The Candidates on Gun Control https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/candidates-gun-control <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>The Candidates on Gun Control</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>Another tragic shooting</h4> <p>Share with students that at about 10:30 am on October 1, 2015, Chris Harper-Mercer opened fire on the campus of an Oregon community college and killed nine students, wounding nine others. It was the latest in a string of mass shootings in the U.S. Those who watched the news about the shooting might have noted the familiar pattern of the reports, which included minute-by-minute details of the killings, emotional accounts by witnesses, psychological profiles of the killer and updates on the progress of the investigation.&nbsp;</p> <p>By the next day, politicians had begun to weigh in on gun control. &nbsp;Today, we'll take a look at where the candidates stand.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Quick Quiz</h4> <p>Before moving on to the politicians, give students this quick quiz on gun violence:</p> <p><strong>1. </strong>In 2013, how many deaths were caused by guns?</p> <p class="rteindent1">a)&nbsp; 451,339<br> b)&nbsp; 33,169<br> c)&nbsp; 15<br> d)&nbsp; 66,338</p> <p><strong>2. </strong>True or False:</p> <p class="rteindent1">Most of these deaths were caused by suicide.</p> <p><strong>3. </strong>True or False:</p> <p class="rteindent1">Most of the deaths were caused by accidents.</p> <p><strong>4. </strong>How many people in the U.S. were killed in mass shootings (incidents in which more than four people were killed) in 2013?</p> <p class="rteindent1">a) about 900<br> b) 1299<br> c)&nbsp; 137<br> d)&nbsp; 511</p> <p><strong>5. </strong>True or False:</p> <p class="rteindent1">The most common circumstance for these killings was within a family.</p> <p><strong>Answers:</strong></p> <p>1. B, 33,169</p> <p>2. True&nbsp; (about 64%)&nbsp;</p> <p>3. False (about 1.5%). Homicides accounted for about 34%</p> <p>4. c, 137</p> <p>5. True (41%)</p> <hr> <h4>2016 presidential candidates on gun control</h4> <p>Ask students what we mean when we say "gun control"? What kinds of proposals have people made to restrict gun deaths?&nbsp; Answers include:</p> <ul> <li>enact background checks for gun buyers</li> <li>ban certain weapons and ammunition</li> <li>enact new safety requirements</li> <li>pass laws about where guns may be carried</li> <li>regulate sales at gun shows</li> </ul> <p>In the wake of the Oregon shootings, how have the candidates positioned themselves on gun control?&nbsp; Ask students to share what they know, then provide some basics about the candidates’ positions, using the following summary.</p> <p><br> <strong>Hillary Clinton</strong></p> <p>Hillary Clinton has been most vocal of the presidential contenders in strengthening gun controls. She has long been critical of the Republicans for blocking gun control and for kowtowing to the National Rifle Association's agenda. Clinton's proposals include:</p> <ul> <li>make it easier to sue gun manufacturers for negligence</li> <li>eliminate the loophole that allows some sellers at gun shows to skip background checks on their buyers</li> <li>tighten laws to prevent domestic abusers from obtaining guns</li> <li>tighten laws that allow gun sales to go through before the background check has been completed</li> </ul> <p><br> <strong>Donald Trump</strong></p> <p>Trump in the past has supported limited gun control measures such as banning assault weapons and lengthening the waiting time before a gun purchase. After the shooting spree in Oregon, Trump has emphasized the mental illness argument: that the problem lies not with &nbsp;access to guns in general, but with the number of mentally ill Americans.</p> <p class="rteindent1">"You know, no matter what you do, guns, no guns, it doesn’t matter. You have people &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; that are mentally ill. And they’re gonna come through the cracks."</p> <p>However Trump did not discuss proposals to help those with mental health problems cope with their illness.</p> <p><br> <strong>Jeb Bush</strong></p> <p>Former Gov. Jeb Bush has a long record of supporting gun rights. Though as governor of Florida, he supported background checks for gun show customers, Bush still earned an A+ rating from the NRA. When questioned about gun control after the Oregon shooting Bush's response was:</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Look, stuff happens and the impulse is always to do something and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do."</p> <p>The "stuff happens" part made its way around the media and the internet as summarizing his attitude toward mass killings.</p> <p><br> <strong>Bernie Sanders</strong></p> <p>Bernie Sanders has favored limited gun legislation. He has consistently voted for laws that ban military style weapons, but has opposed longer waiting times for gun purchases. His Democratic opponents sense a&nbsp; political vulnerability in his refusal to consistently vote with other liberals for all gun control measures.</p> <p><br> <strong>Ben Carson</strong></p> <p><strong>&nbsp;</strong>Carson opposes laws restricting military-style assault weapons.&nbsp; He also argues that schools should have armed guards:</p> <p class="rteindent1">"If I had a little kid in kindergarten somewhere I would feel much more comfortable if I knew on that campus there was a police officer or somebody who was trained with a weapon."</p> <p><br> <strong>Carly Fiorina</strong></p> <p>Fiorina opposes new laws to control gun sales and insists that the current laws are not being enforced. She opposed the ban on military style assault weapons and considers herself to be a strong supporter of gun rights.</p> <p><br> <strong>Marco Rubio</strong></p> <p><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </strong>"You can pass all the gun laws in the world — like the left wants — criminals are going to ignore it because they are criminals."</p> <p>In March Sen. Rubio introduced legislation which would roll back the gun control laws of Washington DC.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Ask students: </strong>&nbsp;Based on these sound-bite descriptions of the candidates’ positions on guns, which candidate do you agree with most?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>Some deeper questions</h4> <p>Sound-bites on gun control don’t allow for a deeper exploration of&nbsp; the many complex issues surrounding this issue.&nbsp; If there is time, discuss one or more of the following issues with students.</p> <p><strong>The role of "mental illness" in gun violence</strong></p> <p>The NRA and their advocates in Congress often cite "mental illness" as the main cause of mass shootings and other gun deaths. At least some of the relatively small number of mass killers&nbsp; seem to have a mental illness. And a majority of the gun deaths in the United States are suicides. But no candidate of either party has actually proposed a plan to help those with mental illness.&nbsp; Instead, the focus of proposals has been on enacting stricter background checks on gun buyers so that those with mental illness are screened out. The federal Brady bill currently requires limited background checks on some gun sales. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>What do you think about proposals for stricter background checks to prevent gun deaths?</li> <li>How could such laws be effective in screening out those at risk of committing gun violence?&nbsp; Would stronger support for the mentally ill be a better approach?</li> </ul> <p><strong>The rural/urban divide on guns</strong></p> <p>Bernie Sanders has pointed out that people living in rural areas (such as in his home state of Vermont) tend to think very differently about guns than those in urban environments, in part because of a stronger rural interest in hunting. While a majority of the country may favor stricter gun control laws, our system of government gives citizens of rural states more of a voice in the Senate than those in urban states. As Marc Ambinder (at fivethirtyeight.com) puts it:&nbsp; Nevada’s two senators are as powerful as New York’s two senators, even though New York’s population is six times the size of Nevada’s.</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>If a majority of the country are in favor of a law, but the law cannot be passed through Congress, does that mean the system is broken?&nbsp;</li> <li>How could the different interests of rural and urban voters be reconciled - or can they be?</li> </ul> <p><strong>The role of drugs &amp; the criminal justice system in gun violence</strong></p> <p>About 30% of gun deaths are murders. Up to one quarter of these are related to drugs. Some proposals for reducing gun deaths focus on reforming drug laws and the criminal justice system.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>Could reforming drug laws reduce gun violence related to drugs? If so, how? If not, why not?</li> <li>Do you think that reducing the joblessness rate among teens and young adults would affect the rate of gun deaths? If so, how? If not, why not?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4><br> Additional discussion questions</h4> <ol> <li>The NRA and many Republican candidates propose arming teachers, professors and school staff to protect students at schools and colleges. What do you think?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Many Americans are unwilling to give up their guns. Can you think of laws that would both protect the rights of gun owners and protect people from gun violence?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>The prevalence of gun violence has spawned many organizations dedicated to gun control (e.g. Everytown.org, Moms Demand Action, Student Pledge Against Gun Violence). What is the best way for ordinary people to help stop gun violence?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ol> <hr> <h4><br> Optional Extension Activities</h4> <ol> <li>Break the class into four groups, representing students, the media, gun sellers and religious organizations. In their small groups, ask students to brainstorm ways their group could work to reduce gun violence.&nbsp; Then have students report on and discuss their ideas with the class.<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Break the class into four groups, assigning each to one of the positions on gun control below.&nbsp; In their small groups, have students discuss arguments for their position, and if possible research their positions as homework.&nbsp; Then ask students to represent their position in a class discussion.</li> </ol> <p class="rteindent1">a) Enact no new laws. Better enforce the present laws.</p> <p class="rteindent1">b) Close the loopholes in background checks so that virtually all gun sellers have to submit their customers' names to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.</p> <p class="rteindent1">c) Require licenses and insurance for gun owners similar to those required of car owners.</p> <p class="rteindent1">d) Fund free mental health care at every hospital.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Sources</h4> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jay-dickey-gun-violence-research-amendment_561333d7e4b022a4ce5f45bf">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jay-dickey-gun-violence-research-amendment_561333d7e4b022a4ce5f45bf</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.nraila.org/">https://www.nraila.org/</a></p> <p><a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/why-clinton-feels-safe-running-to-sanders-left-on-guns/">http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/why-clinton-feels-safe-running-to-sanders-left-on-guns/</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/12/the-single-best-anti-gun-death-policy-ending-the-drug-war/266505/">http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/12/the-single-best-anti-gun-death-policy-ending-the-drug-war/266505/</a></p> <p><a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/why-clinton-feels-safe-running-to-sanders-left-on-guns/">http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/why-clinton-feels-safe-running-to-sanders-left-on-guns/</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/any-mental-illness-ami-among-adults.shtml">http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/any-mental-illness-ami-among-adults.shtml</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/15/mass-killings-main/3821897/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/15/mass-killings-main/3821897/</a></p> <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States</a></p> <p><a href="http://smartgunlaws.org/background-check-procedures-policy-summary/#federal">http://smartgunlaws.org/background-check-procedures-policy-summary/#federal</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-10-18T11:07:14-04:00" title="Sunday, October 18, 2015 - 11:07">October 18, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 18 Oct 2015 15:07:14 +0000 fionta 438 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org A Eulogy Calls Out for Justice https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/eulogy-calls-out-justice <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>A Eulogy Calls Out for Justice</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>Learning Objectives</h4> <p>Students will:</p> <ul> <li>read or listen to President Obama’s eulogy of Clementa Pinckney</li> <li>analyze passages from the eulogy, focusing on race-related injustices</li> <li>plan and take action based on the president’s call to action<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4><br> Introduction</h4> <p>Ask students what they know or remember about the massacre in Charleston’s Emanuel AME church on June 17, 2015. Remind them that a white man shot and killed nine African American church members who were holding a Bible study session. Tell students that in this lesson, they will focus on President Obama’s eulogy for Clementa Pinckney, one of those murdered.</p> <p>If possible, show students a recording of the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000003767801/obama-delivers-eulogy-in-charleston.html">eulogy,</a> which lasts just under 40 minutes. If students have internet access at home, you can ask them to watch the eulogy at home, and then do the lesson the next day in class. Another option is to have students read the transcript of the eulogy at home ahead of time, so that they are ready to work with the material in class. (A transcript of the eulogy is <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Obama%20Eulogy%20Transcript.pdf"><u>here</u></a>.) Whether they view it or read the transcript, ask students to make notes of anything in the eulogy that stands out to them.</p> <p>Ask students to share their impressions of the eulogy.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Analyzing the Eulogy: A Jigsaw Activity<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Divide the class into five groups. Give each group one of the <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Eulogy%20Passages.pdf"><u>passages</u></a> from the eulogy.</p> <p>Ask one member of each group to read the group’s passage to the other group members. Ask them to discuss the passage, using these questions to guide them:</p> <p style="margin-left:40.5pt;">a. What injustice does the passage address?</p> <p style="margin-left:40.5pt;">b. What was the president saying about the injustice?</p> <p style="margin-left:40.5pt;">c. Why do you think the president included this topic in the eulogy?</p> <p>Ask each group to prepare a brief presentation about the passage and the group’s analysis of it. Have each group present its passage and analysis to the rest of the class. Leave time for questions and comments.</p> <p>Ask students: What common theme(s) do you see in these passages? How would you sum up what the president was saying in the eulogy about racism and justice?<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> A Call to Action</h4> <p>Read to students this passage from the eulogy:</p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;">But it would be a betrayal of everything Reverend Pinckney stood for, I believe, if we allowed ourselves to slip into a comfortable silence again. Once the eulogies have been delivered, once the TV cameras move on, to go back to business as usual - that’s what we so often do to avoid uncomfortable truths about the prejudice that still infects our society. To settle for symbolic gestures without following up with the hard work of more lasting change - that’s how we lose our way again.</p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;">It would be a refutation of the forgiveness expressed by those families if we merely slipped into old habits, whereby those who disagree with us are not merely wrong but bad; where we shout instead of listen; where we barricade ourselves behind preconceived notions or well-practiced cynicism.</p> <p>Ask: What point was the president was making in this segment of the eulogy?</p> <p>Read to students this passage from the eulogy:</p> <p style="margin-left:.5in;">Reverend Pinckney once said, "Across the South, we have a deep appreciation of history - we haven’t always had a deep appreciation of each other’s history." What is true in the South is true for America. Clem understood that justice grows out of recognition of ourselves in each other. That my liberty depends on you being free, too. That history can’t be a sword to justify injustice, or a shield against progress, but must be a manual for how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past - how to break the cycle. A roadway toward a better world. He knew that the path of grace involves an open mind - but, more importantly, an open heart.</p> <p>Ask:</p> <ul> <li>What did the president say would lead toward healing the wounds of racism?</li> <li>What might that look like in your life?</li> </ul> <p>Give students a few minutes to write down their answers to these questions. Explain that the writing is not to turn in, just to give them a chance to collect their thoughts.</p> <p>With students, discuss what your class can do to avoid "slipping back into old habits"?</p> <p>Come to an agreement on an action for students to take. Plan and take the action.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-07-22T15:37:06-04:00" title="Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 15:37">July 22, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:37:06 +0000 fionta 449 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Suggestions for Discussing Violent Events in the News https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/suggestions-discussing-violent-events-news <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Suggestions for Discussing Violent Events in the News</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Below are general guidelines for talking with students who may be upset about recent acts of violence in the news.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Don't ignore issues.&nbsp;</strong>If students are concerned about what they've been seeing and hearing in the news, the issue is present in the classroom, whether you talk about it or not. If you, the adult, provide a supportive environment in which to address challenging and sensitive issues constructively, they can become powerful teachable moments. If you don't, these very same issues can become disruptive and divisive in similarly powerful ways.</p> <p><strong>Be present and available.&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;When upsetting or frightening things happen, students need to know that the adults in their lives are present and are available and ready to provide support when needed.</p> <p><strong>Provide structure.&nbsp;</strong>At times of uncertainty, it is especially important to structure how information is shared (such as through talking circles, pair shares, microlabs and/or fishbowls) and to re-emphasize community norms. These structures and norms can provide some comfort and reassurance for kids to hold on to when they feel shaken. This is especially true if these structures have been used before and will continue to be used regularly.&nbsp; See&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/engaging-your-class-through-groupwork">engaging your class through groupwork</a>&nbsp;for more information on these formats.</p> <p><strong>Invite student feelings and thoughts.</strong>&nbsp;When students are worried or upset, it is helpful for them to know that they are not alone. &nbsp;(The same is true for us as adults, of course.)&nbsp; Feeling a sense of connection and support is more reassuring than a detailed explanation of what happened. Consider providing a space where all students have the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about the issue in question. You might do this through a "talking circle": &nbsp;pass an object (a talking piece) around the circle. &nbsp;See this&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/introduction-circles">introduction to the circle process</a>. &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Beware,&nbsp;</strong>as students' share their feelings, that sometimes grief and anger, though normal and healthy responses, can easily get misdirected. Share with students that we need to avoid making generalizations or fuel feelings of hatred and revenge that could promote a backlash against innocent groups of people (eg, Muslims and Arabs).&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Listen and paraphrase.</strong>&nbsp;Acknowledge students' feelings and thoughts. It is important, especially in difficult times, for students to know they are being heard without judgment. Listening, paraphrasing, and acknowledging students' feelings and thoughts allows students to process their feelings and possibly move beyond some of their worries so that they can begin to explore the issue and generate questions that might further understanding.</p> <p><strong>Normalize student feelings and thoughts.&nbsp;</strong>Let students know they are not alone in feeling confused, upset or angry. Many people feel this way in times of crisis. It is not at all unusual and talking about it will help kids understand that they are not alone.</p> <p><strong>Check in with individual students.</strong>&nbsp;Some students will reach out themselves when they are struggling. Others need to be encouraged. Look for kids who are acting out of the ordinary, because even if they are not reaching out verbally, there may be behavioral telltales that they are struggling.</p> <p><strong>Encourage students to generate questions.&nbsp;</strong>Generate lots of questions, open-ended questions, questions from different perspectives. (For more on how to generate good questions, see Alan Shapiro's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/thinking-questioning">Thinking is Questioning</a>.) The world is a complex place and the tools we use to engage it should embrace that complexity, rather than ignore it. It's easy to resort to black-and-white thinking, assuming that things are either good or bad. But this thinking promotes polarization and pits people against each other. Instead, try to promote thinking that recognizes not only shades of gray but the spectacular colors that bring the real world into view, accepting and respecting a multitude of varied thoughts and opinions.</p> <p>Brainstorming open-ended questions that do not assume answers (especially not "the one right answer"), cultivates critical thinking and encourages students to think creatively, without judgment or fear of giving the wrong answer. A classroom environment that emphasizes good questions rather than right answers prepares students for the complexity of today's world and the wealth of information that is available to them if they know to look for it.</p> <p><strong>Promote dialogue.&nbsp;</strong>Too often young people are only taught to debate issues. And though debating skills are useful to have in today's world, dialogue is perhaps a more valuable skill when it comes to better understanding complex issues. Debate is about competition and convincing your opponent. Dialogue, on the other hand, is about cooperation, understanding your partner and opening up new ways of thinking. Dialogue promotes a widening of horizons and openness to change. (For more on teaching on controversial issues, see our guidelines for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/teaching-about-controversial-or-difficult-issues">Teaching about Controversial or Difficult Issues</a>.)</p> <p><strong>Memorialize&nbsp;</strong>the victims.&nbsp; Consider a moment of silence for the victims or find other ways that students and staff can memorialize and honor the victims.&nbsp; Coming together in this way can promote solidarity and support among survivors and allies. It can help encourage a sense of social recovery, healing and inclusion when approached thoughtfully and with sensitively, possibly nipping thoughts and feelings of hatred and revenge in the bud.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Look for the helpers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>Consider sharing the following Fred Rogers quote:</p> <p>"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"</p> <p>Ask students what they've heard about people helping out and any acts of solidarity in the wake of recent violent events. &nbsp;How does that make them feel? Is there anything they'd like to do beyond the conversation today that may make help them and others impacted by the violence feel supported?</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-07-08T10:39:15-04:00" title="Wednesday, July 8, 2015 - 10:39">July 8, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Wed, 08 Jul 2015 14:39:15 +0000 fionta 450 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Overcoming Hate: A Circle on the Charleston Massacre https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/overcoming-hate-circle-charleston-massacre <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Overcoming Hate: A Circle on the Charleston Massacre</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>To the teacher</h4> <p>On Wednesday night, June 17, 2015, at 8:15 pm, Dylann Roof allegedly asked to join the bible study group at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.&nbsp; He was welcomed in and prayed with the group for an hour before drawing his gun. He then shot and killed nine of the African American worshippers, including the church’s minister, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney. &nbsp;Roof fled the scene of his crimes and was at large for 14 hours.&nbsp; He was captured on Thursday, 200 miles away in Shelby, NC, and extradited to South Carolina.&nbsp;</p> <p>In the 24 hours after the massacre, a portrait of a young white man emerged that points to extreme racist ideas and inclinations.&nbsp; Combined with the possession of a handgun, these inclinations turned deadly for the nine worshippers on June 17.</p> <p>In recent weeks Roof had reconnected with his middle school friend Joseph Meek through Facebook.&nbsp; Meek reported that Roof had complained that "Blacks were taking over the world" and that "someone needed to do something about it for the white race." According to Meek, "He said he wanted segregation between whites and Blacks."&nbsp; And though Meek says he didn’t think Roof would follow through on his threats, when he saw the surveillance footage of a young man outside the church on broadcast television Thursday morning after the shootings, he immediately knew it was Roof and called the authorities. "I didn't <em>think</em> it was him. I <em>knew</em> it was him," he said.</p> <p>In Charleston (and around the country), diverse crowds have gathered to honor the nine people killed at Emanuel AME Church.&nbsp; Hundreds have packed prayer vigils in a show of solidarity with the families and friends of those who were killed.&nbsp; They mourned, sang and prayed together.&nbsp; They sought and provided support, they came together and found connection.</p> <p>Restorative circles are often called healing circles. Circles are a powerful way for people to come together, share their thoughts and feelings, be heard, mourn and heal together. Below are suggestions for a circle to help students share, mourn and heal following the killings in Charleston.&nbsp;</p> <p>For guidelines on conducting circles, see our introduction to the process <a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/introduction-circles">here</a>. &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Gathering</h4> <p>Take a few minutes of silence for the nine people killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Go Round on Feelings</h4> <p>Send the talking piece around, asking students to share one feeling in response to what happened at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday.&nbsp; Acknowledge the diversity of feelings in the room. It's normal for people to experience a range of (strong) emotions in response to a horrific attack such as this one.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Go Round on What Happened</h4> <p>Send the talking piece around, asking students what they know about what happened in Charleston, one piece of information at a time, thus building the events together as a group. &nbsp;</p> <p>When the talking piece comes back to you, summarize what was shared, correct any misinformation that was shared, and add any additional information you think will help students understand what happened.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Additional Go Rounds</h4> <p>Consider sending the talking piece around again, asking one or both of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>How do you think the people in Charleston feel about what happened? How do you think this affects the U.S. as a whole?&nbsp;</li> <li>If it hasn’t come up yet, ask students what they know about how people in Charleston responded to the massacre in the days following the murders. &nbsp;What are their thoughts and feelings about this?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Reactions to the Massacre: Excerpt and/or Video Clip</h4> <p>Either read the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/south-carolina-shooting-emotions/">CNN excerpt</a>&nbsp;below about people’s responses to the massacre, and/or show the 2-minute ABC News video below about a vigil on the day after the murders.</p> <p><br> <strong>CNN Excerpt</strong></p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">The roots of Emanuel run deep in Charleston. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/18/us/charleston-emanuel-ame-church-history/index.html">Its history is one of perseverance</a> in the face of racial hostility.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">It was borne of discrimination, burned to the ground in hate, and rose again.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">The Wednesday night attack is just the latest incident of racism against African-Americans. And it's time for the nation to address it, some said.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">"There ain't time to cry. It's time to change," said Stephen Grant, 32. "It's time to step up by destroying racism."&nbsp; ...</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">As a heartbroken community tries to heal, strangers and friends alike are finding ways to help one another.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">Reaching out and connecting with others is important, Tracey Pickard, 46, said. And she did her part. As soon as she learned that librarian Cynthia Hurd was among the victims, she gathered her neighbors and took them to buy bouquets of flowers to leave outside the church.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">"My immediate gut reaction was to get out and just smile at somebody and be able to talk about it," she said.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">The building contractor stopped by the church, together with several children, and left flowers.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">They sat in a pile among bouquets of all colors, a quiet reminder of strangers united in grief. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>ABC News clip&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>The clip includes footage of a vigil on the day after the murders:&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.abcnews4.com/story/29357254/lowcountry-vigil-attendants-hopeful-they-can-overcome-hate">http://www.abcnews4.com/story/29357254/lowcountry-vigil-attendants-hopeful-they-can-overcome-hate</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Send the talking piece around asking students their thoughts and feelings about the excerpt and/or clip they just saw.&nbsp;&nbsp; Charleston people talk about comfort and healing.&nbsp; &nbsp;They talk about connection and being united in grief. &nbsp;What are students’ thoughts and feelings about the community coming together like this in the aftermath of the shootings?&nbsp;</p> <p>If students viewed the video, you might note that the song mourners are singing in the video, "We Shall Overcome," is considered one the most powerful songs of the past century.&nbsp; According to the <a href="http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/overcome.html">Library of Congress</a>, the song has especially deep roots in South Carolina, where it was first used as a protest song in 1945 "when striking tobacco workers in Charleston, South Carolina, sang it on their picket line. By the 1950s, the song had been discovered by the young activists of the African American civil rights movement, and it quickly became the movement’s unofficial anthem." &nbsp;Since then the song has taken on significance around the world as a call for resilience and perseverance.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Family Members Respond</h4> <p>On June 19, two days after the killings, family members of the slain worshippers at AME church attended Dylann Roof’s bond hearing.&nbsp; One after the other, they expressed their pain, anger, and sadness. But they also spoke of their forgiveness of Dylann Roof.&nbsp;</p> <p>Read the following excerpt from the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/06/19/i-forgive-you-relatives-of-charleston-church-victims-address-dylann-roof/">Washington Post:</a></p> <p class="rteindent1">The relatives of people slain inside the historic African American church in Charleston, SC, earlier this week were able to speak directly to the accused gunman Friday at his first court appearance.&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">One by one, those who chose to speak at a bond hearing did not turn to anger.&nbsp; Instead, while he remained impassive, they offered him forgiveness and said they were praying for his soul, even as they described the pain of their losses.&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">"I forgive you," Nadine Collier, the daughter of 70-year-old Ethel Lance, said at the hearing, her voice breaking with emotion.&nbsp; "You took something very precious from me.&nbsp; I will never talk to her again. &nbsp;I will never, ever hold her again.&nbsp; But I forgive you.&nbsp; And have mercy on your soul."&nbsp;</p> <p>Send the talking piece around again, asking students for their thoughts and feelings about what the family members of the slain worshippers said. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Closing ceremony</h4> <p><br> Read one or both of the following quotes:</p> <p class="rteindent1">"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."&nbsp;(Martin Luther King Jr.)</p> <p class="rteindent1">"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." &nbsp;(Mahatma Gandhi)</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-06-20T11:18:10-04:00" title="Saturday, June 20, 2015 - 11:18">June 20, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sat, 20 Jun 2015 15:18:10 +0000 fionta 451 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Freddie Gray and the Protests in Baltimore https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/freddie-gray-and-protests-baltimore <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Freddie Gray and the Protests in Baltimore</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>To the Teacher:</h4> <p>Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Baltimore resident, was arrested by police on April 12, 2015.&nbsp; He suffered a spinal injury while in police custody, and died from his injuries a week later. On May 1, Baltimore’s chief prosecutor charged six police officers with crimes including murder and manslaughter in Freddie Gray's arrest and fatal injury.&nbsp;Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged that police officers lacked probable cause to chase Gray after he had made eye contact with a lieutenant. And she alleged that&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 12px;">during the 45 minutes between the time of Gray’s arrest and when he emerged from a police van with fatal injuries, all six officers saw that he needed medical help but offered no aid, leaving him handcuffed and shackled in back of the van.</span></p> <p>The incident is only the most recent in a line of highly publicized, fatal encounters around the country between Black men and the police. It triggered a wave of protests in Baltimore, which, though mostly nonviolent, has included looting and property damage, including after Gray’s funeral on April 27. Rocks and bottles were also thrown at police, some of whom were injured. Many protesters were arrested. The day after Gray's funeral, hundreds of residents came out to clean up the streets after the riots.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 11.9999990463257px;">The violence in Baltimore touched off a great deal of media coverage and much debate and discussion.</span></p> <p>In this activity, students explore responses to Freddie Gray's death and the protests that followed, including through quotes, photos, and video.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Gathering</h4> <p>Facilitate a conversation with your students asking if they know what’s been going on in Baltimore.&nbsp; Ask them if they know the name Freddie Gray.&nbsp; Do they know what happened to him?&nbsp; What has been the response in Baltimore and in other cities around the U.S.?&nbsp; What are their thoughts and feelings about this response?</p> <p>Elicit and explain that&nbsp;Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Baltimore resident, was arrested by police on April 12, 2015.&nbsp; He suffered a spinal injury while in police custody, and died from his injuries a week later. On May 1, Baltimore’s chief prosecutor charged six police officers with crimes including murder and manslaughter in Freddie Gray's arrest and fatal injury.&nbsp;Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged that police officers lacked probable cause to chase Gray after he had made eye contact with a lieutenant. And she alleged that&nbsp;during the 45 minutes between the time of Gray’s arrest and when he emerged from a police van with fatal injuries, all six officers saw that he needed medical help but offered no aid, leaving him handcuffed and shackled in back of the van.</p> <p>The incident is only the most recent in a line of highly publicized, fatal encounters around the country between Black men and the police. It triggered a wave of protests in Baltimore, which, though mostly nonviolent, has included looting and property damage, including after Gray’s funeral on April 27. Rocks and bottles were also thrown at police, some of whom were injured. Many protesters were arrested.&nbsp;The day after Gray's funeral,&nbsp;hundreds of residents came out to clean up the streets after the riots. The violence in Baltimore touched off a great deal of media coverage and much debate and discussion.</p> <p>Explain that in today’s lesson we’ll explore a variety of responses to Freddie Gray’s death and the protests that followed.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Gallery Walk: Images and Quotes from Baltimore</h4> <p>In preparation for the lesson, print up these images and quotes from the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/28/us/voices-from-baltimore-protests.html?action=click&amp;contentCollection=U.S.&amp;module=RelatedCoverage&amp;region=Marginalia&amp;pgtype=article">New York Times</a> (photos by&nbsp;Gabriella Demczuk).</p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/28/us/voices-from-baltimore-protests.html?action=click&amp;contentCollection=U.S.&amp;module=RelatedCoverage&amp;region=Marginalia&amp;pgtype=article">http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/28/us/voices-from-baltimore-protests.html?action=click&amp;contentCollection=U.S.&amp;module=RelatedCoverage®ion=Marginalia&amp;pgtype=article</a></p> <p>Post them around the room for students to see.&nbsp;</p> <p>Explain that these pictures were taken on April 28, the day after violence erupted across Baltimore following Freddie Gray's funeral. The people in these images were assembled outside of a CVS drugstore that had been looted the previous evening. They were among the hundreds of people who came out that day to clean up and show support for the community after the violence.&nbsp;</p> <p>Invite students to get up out of their seats and quietly walk around the room, looking at the images and reading the quotes.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about these images/quotes?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Which image/quote resonates most with you?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What do you notice about the people in the images?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are people saying about the neighborhood/the city?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are people saying about the people in the neighborhood?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are people saying about protection and care?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>One of the protesters says, "This is my neighborhood.&nbsp; I understand the issues."&nbsp; What issues do you think she’s talking about?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4><br> Responses to the protests in Baltimore</h4> <p>President Obama, the Mayor of Baltimore, and many other politicians and commentators condemned the violence in Baltimore. Many also noted that most protests had been nonviolent, and that local residents had many legitimate grievances, including unrelenting poverty, high unemployment, and poor housing.&nbsp;Some conservatives blamed these problems on the policies of Democrats, who dominate city politics.</p> <p>Read out loud or distribute the following quotes.&nbsp; After the quotes, engage students in discussion, using the questions that follow.</p> <p><br> <strong>A.&nbsp; President Obama</strong></p> <p>In a press conference on April 28, President Obama said:</p> <p class="rteindent1">"...&nbsp;there’s no excuse for the kind of violence that we saw yesterday.&nbsp; It is counterproductive.&nbsp; When individuals get crowbars and start prying open doors to loot, they’re not protesting, they’re not making a statement — they’re stealing.&nbsp; When they burn down a building, they’re committing arson.&nbsp; And they’re destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities that rob jobs and opportunity from people in that area.</p> <p class="rteindent1">...&nbsp; That is not a protest.&nbsp; That is not a statement.&nbsp; It’s people — a handful of people taking advantage of a situation for their own purposes, and they need to be treated as criminals....</p> <p class="rteindent1">[W] hat we also know is that if you have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, where children are born into abject poverty... &nbsp;In communities where there are no fathers who can provide guidance to young men; communities where there’s no investment, and manufacturing has been stripped away; and drugs have flooded the community, and the drug industry ends up being the primary employer for a whole lot of folks — in those environments, if we think that we’re just going to send the police to do the dirty work of containing the problems that arise there without as a nation and as a society saying what can we do to change those communities, to help lift up those communities and give those kids opportunity, then we’re not going to solve this problem.&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1"><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/04/28/president-obamas-comments-on-baltimore-violence-video-transcript/">http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/04/28/president-obamas-comments-on-baltimore-violence-video-transcript/</a></p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>Who does President Obama focus on in this quote?<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; How does he describe those who looted and set buildings on fire?<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; Why does he say these actions are "not a protest"?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does President Obama say about the problems in Baltimore?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does he say about the police in this situation?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does he say about the role of government?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does he say about the role of society in general?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What do you think President Obama thinks the solution is?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>B. Republican Presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz (on April 28):</strong></p> <p class="rteindent1">Today 85,000 Baltimore city children will not be going to school. Buildings have been set ablaze, stores have been looted, the police in the streets have been seriously injured, and strict curfews have been imposed.</p> <p class="rteindent1">No man, woman, or child should fear for his or her safety in America-not in their schools, not in their neighborhoods, not in their cities-but today families are scared.</p> <p class="rteindent1">Our government must perform its central functions and purposes: to preserve the peace, protect the people, and serve justice. The government exists to ensure our domestic security-whether it’s from a city riot, or the threat of a terrorist attack on our homeland. We have to restore that trust and prove to the people we can make America safe again.</p> <p class="rteindent1">Every case deserves justice, and the facts surrounding Freddie Gray’s death should be thoroughly and impartially investigated. But rioting and mayhem are not the answer.</p> <p class="rteindent1">While we continue to pray for a peaceful conclusion to the events in Baltimore-and pray for the families of those injured-I hope we all remember that our nation’s law enforcement consists of thousands of heroic officers who deeply respect the dignity of each person they serve to protect. Targeting law enforcement for violence is wrong, and it cannot be allowed to persist.</p> <p class="rteindent1">Likewise, the small number of those who have wreaked destruction upon Baltimore over the past few days are not emblematic of the thousands of honest, hard-working families who are proud to call the city home.</p> <p class="rteindent1">There is, and has always been, far more to celebrate in America than to worry about. Don’t lose sight of that fundamental truth.</p> <p class="rteindent1">We will always face challenges and, together, we must rise to address them with strength and confidence in the future of our nation.</p> <p class="rteindent1"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tedcruzpage/posts/10153254334827464">https://www.facebook.com/tedcruzpage/posts/10153254334827464</a>?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>Who does Senator Cruz focus on in this quote?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What response does he advocate to the death of Freddie Gray?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does Senator Cruz say about the problems in Baltimore?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does he say about the police in this situation?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does he say about the role of government?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does he say about the role of society in general?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li><span style="font-size: 12px;">What do you think Senator Cruz thinks the solution is?</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>C. New York Times columnist Charles Blow</strong></p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">The black community in America has been betrayed by Democrats and Republicans alike — it has been betrayed by America itself. Therefore, it can be hard to accept at face value any promises made or policies articulated. History demonstrates that too many forked tongues have delivered too many betrayed covenants...</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">It is this disenchantment, as well as the steady beat of black bodies falling, the constant murmur of black pain and the incessant sting of black subjugation that contributed to the conflagration of rage this week in Baltimore.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">You could easily argue that that rage was misdirected, that most of the harm done was to the social fabric and the civil and economic interests in the very neighborhoods that most lack them. You would be right.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">But misdirected rage is not necessarily illegitimate rage...</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">It has been my experience that people who feel no investment in systems of power — no belief that they have access to that power and that that power will treat them fairly — are the ones most likely to attack those systems with whatever power they think they have.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">The time that any population will silently endure suffering is term-limited and the end of that term is unpredictable, often set by a moment of trauma that pushes a simmering discontent over into civil disobedience.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">And, in those moments, America feigns shock and disbelief. Where did this anger come from? How can we quickly restore calm? How do we instantly start to heal?</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">That is because America likes to hide its sins. That is because it wants its disaffected, dispossessed and disenfranchised to use the door under the steps. That is because America sees its underclass as some sort of infinity sponge: capable of quietly absorbing disadvantage, neglect and oppression forever for the greater good of superficial calm and illusory order. And expected to do so.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">No one of good conscience and sound judgment desires violence or would ever advocate for it. As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it, "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy."</p> <p><br> Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>What does Blow say about how the black community in America feels about its politicians?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How is this related to what happened in Baltimore this past week?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What do you think Blow means by 'misdirected rage is not necessarily illegitimate rage"?&nbsp; What are your thoughts about that?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does Blow say about how long people are willing to suffer in silence? What do you think about that statement?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does he say America tends to respond when anger finally erupts from that suffering?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Dr. King’s quote?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><strong>D. &nbsp; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.</strong></p> <p>Introduce another King quote for students to consider, excerpted from a speech King gave at Grosse Pointe High School in Michigan on March 14, 1968 (less than a month before his death).</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard.</p> <p style="margin-left:.25in;">And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students to discuss:</p> <ul> <li>How does King’s quote relate to Blow’s argument?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How do you feel about the fact that King’s quote is still so relevant today, fifty years after the end of the civil rights movement?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4><br> Commentary from Baltimore Residents</h4> <p>Show the following clip:</p> <p><a href="http://www.aol.com/video/want-to-know-whats-really-going-on-in-baltimore-listen-to-the-residents/518797335/">http://www.aol.com/video/want-to-know-whats-really-going-on-in-baltimore-listen-to-the-residents/518797335/</a></p> <p>Then ask students:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about what you just heard and saw?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What voices connected most with you?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What is the resident in the clip saying about the CVS that was destroyed?&nbsp; What about the small minority-owned businesses?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What are people saying about the anger and frustration in Baltimore?&nbsp; What are they saying about how to handle it?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>One resident is upset at the kind of&nbsp;attention Baltimore has received. She asks a reporter:&nbsp;"When we were out here protesting peacefully last week, where were you?&nbsp; Why does it take this for America to hear our cry?" &nbsp; What does this resident say about the media and what people like to focus on?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What does the white resident say about white people starting to figure things out when this has been a problem for a very long time?&nbsp; How do you feel about this?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Towards the end of the clip, residents talk about some of the reasons why young people went into the street. &nbsp;They also talk about why they are out in the street cleaning up.&nbsp; What are your thoughts and feelings about that?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does that relate to the activist Charles Blow quotes, who says: "I don’t have to condone it to understand it"?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <p><br> <strong>Closing</strong></p> <p>Ask students to share one thought about the following:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/pictures/baltimore-cover-final.jpg" style="width: 280px; height: 373px;"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Time Magazine photograph by Devin Allen</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-05-03T09:00:00-04:00" title="Sunday, May 3, 2015 - 09:00">May 3, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 03 May 2015 13:00:00 +0000 fionta 460 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Considering Our Responses to an Assault https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/considering-our-responses-assault <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Considering Our Responses to an Assault</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>To the teacher:</h4> <p><br> This classroom activity is based on an attack on one girl by several others at a McDonald's restaurant in Brooklyn in March 2015. The incident&nbsp;went viral on YouTube. Consequently a video of what happened is easily accessible and could be used in discussing the incident. However, this activity does not depend on students having seen the video, and I strongly advise that you think carefully before using it. Consider the maturity of the students and how they might respond. Think about why you would use it, and whether it would enhance your students’ understanding.</p> <p>This activity uses a circle format: Students sit in a circle and use a "talking piece," which can be anything from a stuffed animal to a seashell.&nbsp; Participants pass the talking piece around the circle in order, from one person to the next. The person who is holding it is &nbsp;invited to speak or pass. Everyone else in the circle practices active listening, knowing that their turn will come when the talking piece comes around.&nbsp; Everyone in the circle has an opportunity to share without interruption what is on their mind, and those not speaking can listen more fully without the distraction of preparing a response or rebuttal.&nbsp; In this way, the talking piece encourages more thoughtful reflection and unhurried expression.</p> <p>See this <a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/introduction-circles" target="_blank">Introduction to Circles</a> for a more complete description of the circle process.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Introduction</h4> <p><br> If students have not participated in a circle before, explain the process.</p> <p>Then share with students these facts about an incident that occurred in a McDonald’s restaurant in Brooklyn, NY, in March 2015.&nbsp;</p> <p>1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A teenage girl was attacked by a group of girls in McDonald’s.</p> <p>2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The teenage girl was severely beaten.</p> <p>3)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A number of other teenagers encouraged the beating of the girl and cheered on the attack.</p> <p>4)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Many bystanders, teenagers and adults as well, used their cell phones to record the beating.</p> <p>5)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It appears that no one stepped in to try to protect the teenager, call for help, or assist the girl in any way.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Opening Ceremony</h4> <p><br> Read&nbsp; the following quote by Martin Luther King:</p> <p class="rteindent1">The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Go-Round</h4> <p><br> Pass the talking piece around the circle, asking the questions below in succession with each new go-round.</p> <ul> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">How does Martin Luther King’s quote relate to the incident at McDonald's?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">Who was bullied, who were the bullies, and who were the bystanders?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">What do you think Martin Luther King would have done if he were at McDonald’s that day?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">What would&nbsp;<em>you</em>&nbsp;have done if you were at McDonald’s that day? How would you help the girl and at the same time protect yourself?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">Have you ever been bullied or attacked? If so, did anyone come to your aid?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">What value or values do you think were missing among the bullies and the bystanders at McDonald’s?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">What can we do to help prevent similar situations from occurring?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li style="margin-left: 0.25in;">If you, your friend, sister, brother or relative were the individual being attacked, would you be able to forgive the people who were the bullies? What would your reaction be?</li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 0.25in;">&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Closing</h4> <p><br> Read the following saying:&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">It takes a strong person to say sorry, and an even stronger person to forgive.</p> <p>Ask: What do you think about this quote?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-04-24T13:45:57-04:00" title="Friday, April 24, 2015 - 13:45">April 24, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Fri, 24 Apr 2015 17:45:57 +0000 fionta 464 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Walter Scott Killing: Reactions https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/walter-scott-killing-reactions <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Walter Scott Killing: Reactions</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>Gathering</h4> <p><br> Read the following quote out loud:&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">This case is yet another in a horrifyingly familiar succession of cases that have elevated the issue of use of force, particularly deadly force, by officers against people of color and inflamed the conversation that surrounds it.</p> <p>Ask students:&nbsp; Do you know what the quote refers to?</p> <p>Elicit and explain that the quote, by <em>New York Times</em> columnist <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/opinion/charles-blow-walter-scott-video-south-carolina-shooting-michael-slager.html?_r=0">Charles Blow</a>, refers to the fatal shooting of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man from North Charleston, South Carolina. According to local media, Scott, 50, had been stopped for a broken tail light by white police officer Michael Slager, 33, on April 4, 2015.<br> &nbsp;<br> In a video shot by a passerby, Scott is seen running away from the officer after a scuffle in a nearby park over what we’ve now been told was the officer’s stun gun.&nbsp; Without warning, Slager fires his gun eight times, shooting Scott in the back. Scott falls to the ground, never to get up again. The officer handcuffs him, walks away and waits for back up. Slager doesn’t check Scott’s vital signs till minutes later and no CPR appears to be administered in the video at any point. &nbsp;Scott is pronounced dead at the scene.<br> &nbsp;<br> Ask students:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about what happened?</li> <li>How does this relate to other incidents this past year in Ferguson, Missouri; &nbsp;Cleveland, Ohio; Staten Island, New York, and other parts of the U.S.?&nbsp;</li> <li>How is this case similar to the others? How is it different?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4>&nbsp;<br> Jonathan Capehart Commentary&nbsp;</h4> <p>Next, show the following <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/editorial/why-video-breaks-the-tie-in-police-shootings/2015/04/08/40b0684e-de2a-11e4-b6d7-b9bc8acf16f7_video.html">2-minute video clip</a> in which Jonathan Capehart of the <em>Washington Post</em> talks about what happened in North Charleston. Note: &nbsp;The video includes upsetting footage of two police shootings.</p> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/editorial/why-video-breaks-the-tie-in-police-shootings/2015/04/08/40b0684e-de2a-11e4-b6d7-b9bc8acf16f7_video.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/editorial/why-video-breaks-the-tie-in-police-shootings/2015/04/08/40b0684e-de2a-11e4-b6d7-b9bc8acf16f7_video.html&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Ask students some or all of the following questions:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What stood out to you about the video?</li> <li>What resonated most with you?&nbsp;</li> <li>What are your thoughts or feelings about Capehart’s arguments? &nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;Next discuss some of Capehart’s quotes, touching only on those that students have not already addressed.<br> &nbsp;<br> Capehart says: "A routine traffic stop is never routine when you’re black."<br> &nbsp;<br> Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about this?</li> <li>What do you know about such traffic stops?</li> <li>Can you relate to this statement? If so, how?&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>Further in the clip Capehart says:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">The April 4 shooting of Walter Scott by NC police officer Michael Slager in South Carolina shows just how vital documentation of encounters with the police are.&nbsp;&nbsp; A passerby captured the shooting with a cellphone and thank goodness for it.&nbsp; We saw with our own eyes an abuse of power that’s every African American’s worst nightmare.&nbsp; Not only does the enraging incident argue for body cameras but it also should encourage people to continue to use their cellphones to hold police accountable.&nbsp; Without video in these situations the tie goes to the cop.&nbsp; Because of that horrific video the tie was broken in favor of Scott.</p> <p>Ask students:</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about this?</li> <li>What do you think about Capehart’s argument for body cams?</li> <li>How is a police body cam different from a video shot by a passerby?</li> <li>What do you know about what happened to Eric Garner in Staten Island last year?&nbsp; How might this relate?</li> <li>What does Capehart say about community responsibility and involvement?</li> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the shooting at a gas station, which we saw on the video?</li> <li>How does Capehart say that case is similar to the shooting of Walter Scott?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4>Responses from the Mayor and Walter Scott's family&nbsp;</h4> <p>Show students this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000003617291/reaction-to-walter-l-scott-shooting.html">2-minute video</a>, which includes North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey’s statements about the shooting, and reactions from Walter Scott’s family members: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000003617291/reaction-to-walter-l-scott-shooting.html">http://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000003617291/reaction-to-walter-l-scott-shooting.html</a><br> &nbsp;<br> Alternatively, read the quote below from Summey:&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">I can tell you that as a result of that video and the bad decision made by our officer, he will be charged with murder. And that’s not something that we like to hear, or like to say, but it goes to say how we work as a community. When you're wrong, you're wrong, and if you make a bad decision, don't care if you're behind the shield or just a citizen on the street, you have to live by that decision. And so we as a city want the family to know that our hearts and our thoughts are with them.&nbsp; Our prayers are with them. Anything that we can do for them, we’re here to. We do not look at the responsibility we have lightly.&nbsp; We take the role that when we do wrong we do wrong.</p> <p>Explain that several days after the shooting, Mayor Summey went to visit the Scott family to offer his condolences. It was also the day that it was announced that 250 body cams would be installed on police officers uniforms.<br> &nbsp;<br> Ask students:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What do you think about North Charleston’s response to the police killing of Walter Scott?</li> <li>What do you know about the response of authorities in Ferguson and Staten Island response?&nbsp; How was it the same/different?&nbsp; Why do you think that is?</li> <li>How do you think this might affect people’s response to the case?&nbsp; Why?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4><br> What is needed?</h4> <p>In the earlier video, Jonathan Capehart of the <em>Washington Post</em> said: "The swiftness of action ... &nbsp;is heartening but we have to find ways to keep such confrontations with tragic ends from happening in the first place."&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What does Capehart mean when he says that "the swiftness of action is heartening"?&nbsp;</li> <li>What does he mean when he says that "we have to find way to keep such confrontations with tragic ends from happening in the first place"?</li> </ul> <p>Tell students that there are many proposals for preventing police shootings of unarmed black men. Read the quote below by Jessica Pierce, national co-chair of the <a href="http://byp100.org/">Black Youth Project</a>, an activist organization begun in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting.&nbsp; In an interview on the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/bystanders-video-revealed-truth-police-shooting-south-carolina/#.VSbc4lyHz38.twitter">PBS NewsHour</a>, she says: &nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">I think that that what we really need at this point is not to look at this one individual case, but to look at the entire system and say, What type of changes do we need on a systemwide level? ...That’s why we have to indict the institutions and we have to say we need to pass the End Racial Profiling Act. We need to talk about publicly elected independent police review boards that have some level of hire-and-fire power as an accountability system... I think it’s more than just police officers’ responsibilities to keep our communities safe.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What does she mean by that last statement that "It’s more than just police officers’ responsibilities to keep our communities safe"?</li> </ul> <p><em>&nbsp;New York Times </em>columnist Charles Blow says:</p> <p class="rteindent1">Now is the time for not only considering the interplay of race and power in these cases, but also the ability to register and respect humanity itself. That requires a change of culture.</p> <p>Ask students: &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What do you think Blow means by a "change of culture"?&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4><br> Closing</h4> <p>Share one thought or feeling about today’s lesson.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2015-04-10T10:35:16-04:00" title="Friday, April 10, 2015 - 10:35">April 10, 2015</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Fri, 10 Apr 2015 14:35:16 +0000 fionta 469 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org