Why We Must Teach the Consequences of Hatred
by Jill Jenkins
I have always loved science fiction because the literature freely exposes social evils and ethics without overly offending “those so blind they will not see.” For example in H. G Wells novel, War of the World, aliens attack and invade earth destroying everything and everyone in their path, until they are killed by a virus. Likewise, the European attacked, enslaved and murdered indigenous people in the Americans, but unlike the aliens in Wells’ novel, the indigenous people are destroyed by the virus. The parallel between the science fiction is rarely discussed in schools, because revealing the atrocities in history are often denied by some parents and may cause conflict. Education should not be controlled by the prejudices of a few loud parents. Truth should triumph.
The recent destruction and disrespect demonstrated in the United States Capital reminds us that this hatred leads to violence. As a results, schools shouldn't ignore the threat, but should teach about the pain such groups have imposed on marginalized people in our history. The problem created by hate does not get resolved by sweeping it under the rug. We must embrace the mistakes we have made in the past, teach the consequences of such hatred and teach students the ethics of our constitution: “All men are created equal."
Even though America is suppose to be haven for free speech and fee thought, schools rarely teach controversial historic incidents. For example even though I have lived in Utah for 60 of my 66 years, I knew nothing of the Bear River Massacre where over 200 Shoshone men, women, and children were massacred just over the Idaho border along the Bear River. The plight of Native Americans aren't the only persecuted group in the United States. Recently I was watching a documentary on PBS American Experience “The Chinese Exclusion Act” which described how mutilated and decomposing bodies of Chinese Americans floated down the Snake River in the spring thaw. A group of Chinese American gold miners were attacked by local White ranchers on the border of Idaho and Oregon who tortured, mutilated them my slicing off body parts before shooting them and discarding their bodies into the Snake Rivers. Were the murders apprehended, prosecuted and punished? No, they were released and never punished.
I was reminded a story my husband told that he heard from his grandfather. As a child his grandfather lived in the small mining town of Winter Quarters, Utah. A community of Chinese American lived and worked in the mining camp. Fearing the Chinese workers might take their jobs, the mine collected the Chinese population, forced them into a train car and sent the car careening down the canyon. In the morning, the miners walked to tracks to find the remins of the Chinese workers, but all they found was an empty train car lying on its side. Despite the horrors of these acts, they were never mentioned in any school curriculum in schools. Never allowed to be mentioned.
What about justice for all?
In the November 29, 1864 675 man force in the Third Colorado Cavalry under the command of Colonel John Chivington killed and mutilated 70-500 old men, women and children. Sand Creek Massacre where Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians were wintering. Since many of the men were on a hunting trip, the majority of victims were women, children and old men. To distinguish themselves the soldiers created souvenirs from the body parts they severed from their victims. The outrage felt by Sioux tribes probably led to the destruction of General Custard and his men at Little Big Horn. I never learned about these events until I was in my 60’s. Certainly, these events should been taught in schools.
What about the miners in Winter Quarters? I guess there was some justice, but it was not delivered in our court system, because on May 1, 1900 the largest mining disaster in Utah and for a time the United State occurred when an explosion killed as many of 246 miners. Even this disaster was never mentioned in any classroom in Utah.
Justice for all will not be learned because a teacher wears a t-shirt with the words “Be Kind” emblazoned on it. Hatred is dangerous, as the recent incidents have shown us. Schools need to hold active discussions abut what respecting one another looks like. Furthermore, those who attack others verbally or thought their actions need swift and appropriate consequences. Students need to be empowered and taught appropriate ways to confronting and stifling those bullies who continue to derogate others. In Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste: The Origins of our Discontents she describes an incident in the first class section of a plane, where a white man inappropriately pinned her in while getting his luggage and no one spoke out in her defense. Students need to learn to recognize inappropriate behavior and stand up for those being marginalized by others. Empowered children become empowered adults. This also doesn’t mean that teachers and staff can keep order in their classroom and ignore inappropriate behavior in the halls or the internet. I have seen some truly abhorrent behavior in my teaching career. Students once filled an expectant girl’s locker with feces because they felt being an unwed mother was immoral. Children need to learn that treating another human being with such disrespect is even more immoral. Children who behave in such a manner are capable of behavior even more indecent. Teaching ethics must become the job of the entire staff and administration. I know of principal who was dismissed because a gym teacher allowed a student to perform in black face. The principal had no knowledge of the pep rally performance, but he was responsible for happened in the school.
How do school approach teaching tolerance. Maybe using science fiction is a start, or discussing the results of other hate filled incidents that have happened in United States, so students are aware the actions have consequences and hatred is a problem in the United States and not just in places far removed from them. Teach student how to show respect and kindness and how to confront others who treat their peers with disrespect. Stomping out hatred and violence that results from should be the goals in every school.
