 Recognizing Black History Month As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s a time to reflect on the incredible contributions, resilience, and brilliance of Black people throughout history. However, it would be irresponsible to discuss Black history without acknowledging the systemic racism and prejudice that Black individuals have endured—and continue to endure—across the world. The impact of discrimination is not confined to the past; it shapes lives, policies, and opportunities even today. Understanding this history is crucial, and that’s why lessons like Jane Elliott’s experiment in A Class Divided remain as relevant as ever. In 1968, one teacher changed the way many understood prejudice forever. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the nation was shaken. People mourned, protested, and debated, but for one third-grade teacher in a small town in Iowa, the tragedy ignited a powerful idea. Jane Elliott, a teacher in Riceville, Iowa, wanted her students to truly understand the pain and injustice of discrimination—not just in theory but in a way they would never forget. The result was an experiment that became one of the most controversial and eye-opening classroom lessons ever taught. Her lesson, now immortalized in the 1985 PBS documentary A Class Divided, is as relevant today as it was over 50 years ago. Though some view it as too harsh for children, others—including myself—see it as a necessary, experiential approach to teaching empathy, bias, and the long-lasting effects of discrimination. If you haven’t seen this documentary, I highly encourage you to watch it. Additionally, Jane Elliott has continued to speak about racism and discrimination in interviews and presentations over the years, providing even deeper insight into her experiment and its implications.  The Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes Experiment: A Lesson in PrejudiceThe day after Dr. King’s assassination, Elliott entered her all-white third-grade classroom with a radical lesson plan. She divided her students into two groups: those with blue eyes and those with brown eyes.' On the first day, she told the blue-eyed children they were superior. She reinforced this message in several ways:
The effects were immediate and shocking. The blue-eyed children, who had been equals the day before, quickly adopted an air of superiority. They spoke down to their brown-eyed classmates, excluded them, and even performed better on classwork. On the other hand, the brown-eyed students, many of whom had been confident and high-achieving just the day before, became timid, withdrawn, and made more mistakes on their assignments. Then, Elliott flipped the script. The next day, she told the children that she had made a mistake—brown-eyed children were actually the superior group. Suddenly, the blue-eyed children found themselves on the receiving end of discrimination, while the brown-eyed students basked in their newfound "superiority." The same patterns emerged: the "superior" group excelled, while the "inferior" group suffered.  The Emotional Impact and Lasting Lessons This was not just a classroom experiment—it was a deeply emotional experience for the students. Many of them cried, some lashed out, and all of them felt the sting of unfair treatment. But by the end of the lesson, they had internalized something no textbook could have ever taught them:
Years later, PBS filmed a reunion with the now-adult students. Every single one of them remembered the lesson vividly, and many credited it with shaping their perspectives on racism and inequality.  Why This Lesson Matters—Even (or Especially) TodayJane Elliott’s lesson is controversial. Critics argue that it was too harsh for young children, that it subjected them to unnecessary emotional distress, and that it wouldn’t be acceptable in today’s classrooms. But I would argue that this is exactly why it was so effective. Children learn best through experience. You can explain racism, discrimination, and injustice in words, but until someone feels it, it’s difficult to truly understand. Elliott’s lesson was not about punishing children or traumatizing them—it was about teaching them a lesson they would never forget. And it worked. In a world where discrimination is still rampant, children need to be taught about bias, privilege, and systemic injustice in meaningful ways. Shielding them from uncomfortable truths does not prepare them for the realities of the world. Instead, lessons like this—adapted thoughtfully for different age groups—could be powerful tools for fostering empathy and social awareness.  Jane Elliott’s Work Beyond the Classroom Elliott didn’t stop with her third-grade class. Her eye-opening experiment gained national attention, leading her to conduct similar exercises with adults in corporate, government, and educational settings. She has spent decades speaking on racism, white privilege, and bias, often challenging audiences to confront their own assumptions. Her interviews and lectures remain some of the most thought-provoking discussions on race and discrimination. If you want to go deeper, I strongly encourage you to watch not just A Class Divided but also her various interviews and presentations over the years.
Final Thoughts: Should This Lesson Be Taught Today? I believe the core of Elliott’s lesson should still be taught today, even if the execution needs to be adapted. There is no doubt that her approach was intense, but its effectiveness is undeniable. Children—and adults--need to understand discrimination on more than just an intellectual level. They need to feel it, wrestle with it, and come out of the experience with a deeper sense of empathy and responsibility. Again, if you haven’t seen A Class Divided, I urge you to watch it. Reflect on its impact and consider how we can teach the next generation not just to recognize discrimination, but to actively stand against it. Must See Jane Elliot Clip In an attempt to do my part and try to build upon Jane Elliot's teachings, I also created a resource to help children understand discrimination in a meaningful way. The Sneetches & Segregation is a Dr. Seuss-inspired lesson designed to teach students about equality, discrimination, and segregation using The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. This comprehensive resource includes 70+ pages of lessons and activities that challenge students to think critically about prejudice and the impact of exclusion. A few ago, this was my best-selling product on Teachers Pay Teachers, but it was removed due to being deemed too controversial. I was asked to "remove any element where students take on the perspective of victims of or participants in traumatic situations." However, much like Jane Elliott’s lesson, the whole point of some of these activities is to encourage students to put themselves in the shoes of those experiencing prejudice—because that’s how deep, meaningful learning happens. I was unable to comply with their request, and now, this resource is available exclusively on my website. Hundreds of teachers have provided positive feedback sharing how engaging and thought-provoking this resource has been for their students. If you’re looking for a way to help your students actively learn about discrimination, I encourage you to check it out. You can find more details about what’s included by clicking the link below.   Have you ever experienced or witnessed discrimination that changed the way you see the world? How we can teach children not just to recognize discrimination, but to actively stand against it? What moment in your life made you truly understand the impact of prejudice? Do you believe children should experience discomfort to learn about injustice, or is there a better way? How can we make sure the next generation grows up with more empathy and less bias? Please leave your comments below. Your feedback is always appreciated. 
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