Lecture Notes: Jane Elliott's "A Class Divided"

Introduction

• Presentation of a two-day exercise on discrimination by Jane Elliott, a third-grade teacher from Riceville, Iowa.
• Exercise initiated following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968.
• Aimed to address racism in a concrete, experiential way.

The Experiment

Setup

• Elliott used eye color (blue vs. brown eyes) as a means to simulate societal discrimination.
• Class was divided into two groups: blue-eyed ("superior") and brown-eyed ("inferior").

Execution

• Blue-eyed children were given privileges (extended recess, second helpings).
• Brown-eyed children faced restrictions (no playground equipment, collars to mark them).
• Roles were reversed the following day.

Observations

• Immediate transformation of children's behaviors: cooperative to discriminatory.
• Feelings of superiority and inferiority experienced by respective groups.
• Increased academic performance correlated with being in the "superior" group.
• Emotional and social impact highlighted by confrontations and reflections in class.

Long-term Impact

• A reunion 14 years later showed lasting impressions on former students.
• Students expressed the experiment's deep impact on their understanding of discrimination.
• Many reflected on how the experience changed their views on racism and social injustice.

Broader Applications

Iowa Correctional Facility

• Jane Elliott conducted the exercise with prison employees to reveal biases and promote empathy.
• Blue-eyed group faced neglect and discrimination during the exercise.

Observations

• Participants reported feelings of powerlessness, anger, and frustration.
• Some recognized the exercise's reflection of real-world discrimination.
• Elliott emphasized the exercise's potential misuse and the need for careful handling.

Reactions

• Participants noted the exercise's effectiveness in simulating minority experiences.
• Discussions arose about discrimination's pervasive nature and personal reflections.

Conclusion

• Elliott's exercise continues to serve as a tool for understanding discrimination.
• Emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in diverse environments.
• Calls for educational efforts to reduce the need for such exercises by addressing root causes of discrimination.

Key Takeaways

• Discrimination can be effectively demonstrated through experiential learning.
• Empathy can be fostered by allowing individuals to "walk in another's moccasins."
• Educational systems should prioritize anti-racism education to eliminate the necessity of such exercises.