Breaking the Cycle of Prejudice
To mark King anniversary, OIE shows classic "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" film
On April 5, 1968, the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., third grade school teacher Jane Elliot decided to change her lesson plan, and changed the lives of her all white third graders forever. In response to King's assassination, this teacher in a small, all-white Iowa town, devised the controversial and starting "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" exercise by dividing her third-grade class based on eye color and giving them a daring lesson in discrimination.
Today Jane Elliot's lesson is the cornerstone of many diversity training classes. Does this 40 year old window into a third grade classroom still have relevance today? What are the implications for our workplace?
On Friday, April 4, to mark the 40th anniversary of King's death, Duke employees are invited to view an excerpt of the powerful film "A Class Divided" that documents the exercise of these third graders and the enduring impact that this simulation had on the student's lives. Judy Seidenstein, Duke's new director of diversity & equity will facilitate a conversation on this "classic" diversity film and explore the impact of the cycle of prejudice by identifying the roots and relationships between discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes. Join the dialog and learn what you can do to help break the cycle of prejudice.
The event is sponsored by Duke's Office of Institutional Equity. Space is limited. RSVP to Jean Toomer by April 3 at 681-6435 or email jean.toomer@duke.edu.