Notes on Jane Elliott's Eye Color Experiment

Background

• Date: 27 years after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
• Location: Riceville, Iowa.
• Context: The shooting of MLK prompted teacher Jane Elliott to address racism in a concrete way.
• Elliott's objective: To teach her third graders about prejudice and discrimination.

Initial Setup

• Elliott had discussed racism from the first day of school.
• Acknowledged inherent biases: "Blue-eyed people are better than brown-eyed people."
• This statement led to a significant change in student behavior, transforming them into discriminatory individuals.

Reunion in August 1984

• High school reunion for former students of Jane Elliott.
• Eleven students, with family, revisited the experiment filmed for ABC News, "The Eye of the Storm."

National Brotherhood Week Discussion

• Elliott initiated conversation about kindness and treatment of others.
• Students recognized racial disparities in treatment of Black people and Native Americans.

Eye Color Experiment

• Elliott divided students based on eye color (blue vs. brown).

• Rules for Blue-eyed Children:

  • Viewed as superior.
  • Received privileges (e.g., extra recess time).
  • Allowed to use the drinking fountain.

• Rules for Brown-eyed Children:

  • Treated as inferior.
  • Had to wait longer and were restricted in play with blue-eyed peers.
  • Identified with collars.

Observations During the Experiment

• Blue-eyed children began to show superiority complexes.
• Brown-eyed children felt devalued and discriminated against.
• Incidents of name-calling and physical altercations occurred (e.g., "brown eyes").
• A stark contrast in learning ability was observed, with brown-eyed students performing better when treated as superior.

Lesson Reflection

• Elliott revealed the truth about eye color supremacy after one day.
• Students expressed feelings of inferiority and the unfairness of the treatment.
• The key takeaway: No inherent value in judging people by eye color or skin color.

Elliott's Continuing Efforts

• Elliott has taught this lesson multiple times since the initial implementation.
• Emphasized the importance of understanding discrimination through experiential learning.
• The exercise is intended to challenge societal norms and promote empathy.

Conclusion

• The lesson aimed to instill the understanding that discrimination based on arbitrary characteristics is unjust.
• Elliott's exercise has sparked discussions on prejudice and is considered a powerful educational tool.