School Bells – 8th grade current affairs – week 3
Goodness, these weeks fly by. It is difficult to believe that it is time for my third meeting with the 8th grade class to discuss current affairs.
Me: Good morning class. I hope everyone has been doing well since we last met.
This week we are to address Abdul’s concerns about he and his family being sent back to Egypt because some people think that all Muslims are terrorists. Abdul why don’t you say more about your concerns.
Abdul: There has been a lot of talk about not letting Muslims into this country. Some people say that if you are not yet citizens of the United States and you are Muslim, you could be sent back. We are from Egypt and want to stay here. We do not understand why some people think all Muslims are terrorists. Some Mosques have been set on fire and some Muslims attacked. We are very peaceful.
John: My dad says that all the terrorists are Muslims.
Susie: I talked to my parents and they said that most of the Klu Klux Klan were Christians but not all Christians are racists.
Amena: My family said that some of the terrorists were citizens of the United States already.
Me: I am glad that so many of you did think about and talked to your family about this issue. It is true that some Muslims are terrorists. It is not true that all or even most Muslims are terrorists. It is true that many racists or many anti-gay people are Christians, but not all Christians are racist or anti-gay.
Tom: My uncle is a Christian minister and he is gay. His partner is also a minister.
Me: It seems as if we are saying that just because:
Some X = Y where X = muslims and Y equals terrorists.
It is not true:
All X = Y
If we said that some men are gay. Would it be true that all men are gay?
Paul: That would be dumb Uncle Jim.
Amy: Is this what we call generalization Mr. Jim?
Me: Yes. It is also called a logical fallacy – a fallacy of composition - assuming what is true of the part is true of the whole. Let me put that on the board. It seems as if we have two fallacies here. They are:
· All terrorists are immigrants.
· All Muslims are terrorists.
Have some of the terrorists in this country and others been citizens of the country in which the terrorist act occurred?
Abdul: Several of them have been citizens of that country.
Me: Yes, they have. The other issue, of course, is the question of what constitutes a terrorist action. Are all violent actions terrorist actions or is there a lot of disagreement about what actions should be labeled as terrorists actions?
Paul: My mom and I googled the word terrorist. I know you Uncle Jim. You are always making us look up words.
Me: What did you find out Paul?
Paul: The FBI in the United States has one definition, but lots of other people have many different definitions. Some violent people could just be angry or someone else might be mentally ill. Someone else might be want to be part of a group such as Isis.
Me: That is right Paul. Very good. ( Paul and his sister are very acquainted with my habit of looking up definitions.)
Paul: Yes! (sigh)
Me: What is another world for generalizing when it comes to people?
John: Profiling?
Me: Very good John. There is a lot of talk about profiling. Class, what is meant when some person uses this term?
Will: Assuming that just because someone is black or gay or a woman that he or she to going to do or be something?
Me: Outstanding Will. I am impressed.
Will: My parents and I talked about this. My father says that as a black male I am more likely to be stopped by the police.
Me: Sadly, that is true in many places in the United States.
Ring, ring, ring - indicating class time is up
Me: Goodness, the time went very quickly. You all did a wonderful job. I am very impressed with your thoughtful approach. Next week we will be discussing Tom’s concern about why some people are so uncomfortable with people who are transgendered. I am again recommending that you talk to family members about this issue.
Thanks. See you next week. Class dismissed.
Written August 22, 2016
Goodness, these weeks fly by. It is difficult to believe that it is time for my third meeting with the 8th grade class to discuss current affairs.
Me: Good morning class. I hope everyone has been doing well since we last met.
This week we are to address Abdul’s concerns about he and his family being sent back to Egypt because some people think that all Muslims are terrorists. Abdul why don’t you say more about your concerns.
Abdul: There has been a lot of talk about not letting Muslims into this country. Some people say that if you are not yet citizens of the United States and you are Muslim, you could be sent back. We are from Egypt and want to stay here. We do not understand why some people think all Muslims are terrorists. Some Mosques have been set on fire and some Muslims attacked. We are very peaceful.
John: My dad says that all the terrorists are Muslims.
Susie: I talked to my parents and they said that most of the Klu Klux Klan were Christians but not all Christians are racists.
Amena: My family said that some of the terrorists were citizens of the United States already.
Me: I am glad that so many of you did think about and talked to your family about this issue. It is true that some Muslims are terrorists. It is not true that all or even most Muslims are terrorists. It is true that many racists or many anti-gay people are Christians, but not all Christians are racist or anti-gay.
Tom: My uncle is a Christian minister and he is gay. His partner is also a minister.
Me: It seems as if we are saying that just because:
Some X = Y where X = muslims and Y equals terrorists.
It is not true:
All X = Y
If we said that some men are gay. Would it be true that all men are gay?
Paul: That would be dumb Uncle Jim.
Amy: Is this what we call generalization Mr. Jim?
Me: Yes. It is also called a logical fallacy – a fallacy of composition - assuming what is true of the part is true of the whole. Let me put that on the board. It seems as if we have two fallacies here. They are:
· All terrorists are immigrants.
· All Muslims are terrorists.
Have some of the terrorists in this country and others been citizens of the country in which the terrorist act occurred?
Abdul: Several of them have been citizens of that country.
Me: Yes, they have. The other issue, of course, is the question of what constitutes a terrorist action. Are all violent actions terrorist actions or is there a lot of disagreement about what actions should be labeled as terrorists actions?
Paul: My mom and I googled the word terrorist. I know you Uncle Jim. You are always making us look up words.
Me: What did you find out Paul?
Paul: The FBI in the United States has one definition, but lots of other people have many different definitions. Some violent people could just be angry or someone else might be mentally ill. Someone else might be want to be part of a group such as Isis.
Me: That is right Paul. Very good. ( Paul and his sister are very acquainted with my habit of looking up definitions.)
Paul: Yes! (sigh)
Me: What is another world for generalizing when it comes to people?
John: Profiling?
Me: Very good John. There is a lot of talk about profiling. Class, what is meant when some person uses this term?
Will: Assuming that just because someone is black or gay or a woman that he or she to going to do or be something?
Me: Outstanding Will. I am impressed.
Will: My parents and I talked about this. My father says that as a black male I am more likely to be stopped by the police.
Me: Sadly, that is true in many places in the United States.
Ring, ring, ring - indicating class time is up
Me: Goodness, the time went very quickly. You all did a wonderful job. I am very impressed with your thoughtful approach. Next week we will be discussing Tom’s concern about why some people are so uncomfortable with people who are transgendered. I am again recommending that you talk to family members about this issue.
Thanks. See you next week. Class dismissed.
Written August 22, 2016
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