The best thing Obama did yesterday.

I teach 7th-grade English in an inner-city public school. While I have (extremely) strong political opinions, I never express them to my students. When controversial issues are brought up in class, I remain neutral and try to get my students to examine both sides (and if you think that's difficult on DU, try it in a room full of 12-year olds!) I do not, however, shrink from discussing important issues and I want my students to have the tools to examine them critically. I believe that if I accomplish that goal, then most of my students will discover for themselves their "inner progressive."

Today I started off my class by telling my students that something historic happened yesterday and asking if anybody knew what that was. Many hands shot into the air, and while some of the details were wrong (for instance, many thought it was Idaho, not Iowa), they were able to identify that for the first time, a black man had won a primary or caucus. As we discussed the significance of this win, the students had many questions ("Is he president yet?" was the most common) and we were able to have a real discussion about the political process and what this means in terms of American history. As I looked out at my mostly Black and Hispanic students, I could see not just a sense of pride, but also a real interest developing in the American political process. Then I told each of my classes, "For the first time, there is a real chance that a black man or a woman could become President of the United States. So some of you who thought that you could never do that may need to rethink it."

I am not an Obama supporter. In fact, for reasons that have nothing to do with race or gender, I am most likely to vote for a white male on Super Tuesday. But after today, I see that there may be a lot of value in having my students realize that race or gender does not necessarily have to be an impediment. And for the first time, I feel like I can tell my students, "You can be anything - even President of the United States" and not feel like I'm lying to them.

K & R

Total shock in the Caribbean.

somehow he appeals to them

What's Jesse Jackson, chopped liver?

:shrug:

I was under the impression that Jackson did well in some primaries, but did not win one.

I'll correct my error on Tuesday.

And besides, you're definitely right that Obama has the best chance of getting the candidacy -- he's certainly the first black man to win the Iowa caucus.

:-)

Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Jackson#1988_election

:dem:

-Laelth

Not where it was strongly contested. This is something new.

:hide: