Blog Post #1

 

            Module 3 deals with prejudice and bias against various groups of people including the LGBT

 community, African Americans, and Latinos. The purpose of the film and articles is to make future

 educators aware of how unfairly different people have been treated in schools and in society.

The Laramie Project (2012) is a film created by a theater group from numerous interviews of individuals in Laramie, Wyoming. The interviews focused on the murder of a homosexual man named Matthew Shepard in 1998. The murder caused outrage in the town because it appeared to be a hate crime motivated by anti-gay sentiment. The two murderers got life in prison. Many people in the town rallied together in support of Matthew and his family.

Vara-Orta (2018) discusses the problem of hate and bias in K-12 settings. A review of hundreds of incidents found multiple hate incidences targeting African American, Latino, Jewish, and Muslim students. According to Vara-Orta (2018), many schools have implemented programs to stop the bullying. However, the issue remains controversial because people have different views on how to solve the problem of hate and bias in schools.

Liens (2019) explains that Illinois has become the fourth state to pass a law stating that schools cannot use state funding for textbooks unless the textbooks include information about the accomplishments of people in the LGBT community. California was the first state to pass this law in 2011. Since then, only three other states have passed it. This shows that the law is controversial. Some states have refused to pass the law because they believe it promotes homosexuality. It seems that this law will continue to be controversial.

The articles and film in Module 3 all help to make teachers aware of the prejudice and bias that many individuals have experienced and are still experiencing today. This topic is especially relevant in light of the recent Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests that have occurred around the country. Being aware that a problem exists is the first step to finding a solution to the problem.

References

LaramieProjectMovie. (2012, June 6). The Laramie Project [Video]. You Tube. The Laramie Project - YouTube

Leins, C. (2019). These states require schools to teach LGBTQ history. U.S. News & World Report. States That Require Schools to Teach LGBT History | Best States | US News

Vara-Orta, F. (2018). Hate in schools. Education Week. Hate in Schools (edweek.org)