Synopsis:

In 1965 in rural Iowa, a third grade teacher, Jane Elliott, started her pioneering work in the deprogramming of racial stereotypes among young children. The idea was to segregate students by eye colour and deny privileges to the unfortunates with 'inferior' eye hue and heap lavish praise on those with 'superior' eye hue. Almost immediately and without exception, the students' academic abilities and behaviour changed depending on their eye status. The children with the 'superior' eye hue became arrogant, discriminatory and vicious, whilst the 'inferior' became depressed, self doubting and resentful. Later the roles were reversed - by simple edict. Jane Elliott has been experimenting with this method in other settings, including, as highlighted in this video, a Correctional Facility involving prsion officers who experienced similar results to those described above. One officer said "I have never been discriminated against. I was powerless. There was a sense of hopelessness. I was angry. I wanted to speak up, and yet I knew if I did . . . . . . . I'd be attacked." A CLASS DIVIDED is reverting and potentially life changing. A noteworthy presentation for raising consciousness as well as introducing prejudice concepts.

Key Learning Points:

• Most people are susceptible to the pernicious effects of racial prejudice
• Racial prejudice can exist in the absence of minority group members
• Prejudice is more often the result of, rather than the cause of discrimination
• People tend to live down to others expectations of them
• Racial prejudice is a learned response
• The way human beings tend to react when judged on the basis of physical characteristics over which they have no control
• Learning even the simplest material is extremely difficult under stress, regardless of age, sex, race, etc