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Students in Jane Elliott's 1970 class line up for lunch during the "brown eyes/blue eyes" experiment. On this day, blue-eyed children were labeled the superior group, and were allowed to cut in line. Rec Kozak, principal at East Marshall High School in LeGrand, is third from right.
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"Brown eyes/Blue eyes" exercise still has place in the classroom 40 years later
By MARY STEGMEIR, Courier Staff Writer
RICEVILLE --- The third-graders in Jane Elliott's Riceville classroom were scheduled to study an American Indian meditation on April 5, 1968.
But the night before --- after learning that civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. had been assassinated in Memphis --- Elliott tweaked the assignment.
"We were supposed to learn the Sioux Indian prayer that says: 'Oh Great Spirit, keep me from ever judging a man until I've walked a mile in his moccasins,'" she said. "I made the decisions that if my students didn't seem to understand the reason (behind the assassination), then not only would I teach them that prayer, but I would arrange to have it answered for them."
What followed became one of the most famous lessons in American education. After discussing discrimination with her students, Elliott divided her class based on eye color. During the first day of the exercise, Elliott's brown-eyed students were given a privileged status. They moved their desks to the front of the classroom, cut in line at the cafeteria and received praise for their superiority. Meanwhile, the needs of blue-eyed students were brushed aside, and those youngsters' inequalities were pointed out for all to see.
"Immediately, within 15 minutes, I created a microcosm of society," said Elliott, who assigned dominance to blue-eyed students on day two of the activity. "I didn't think that my third graders would know how to act like racists, but they exhibited all the behaviors that you see every day in an adult racist society: contempt, arrogance, desire to watch others suffer, joy at being on top."
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the so-called "brown eyes/blue eyes" exercise. Thousands of individuals from across the country and overseas have participated in similar lessons since Elliott introducd the concept in her Iowa classroom. Today, the 75-year-old, who splits her time between Osage and California, continues to led the lesson at schools and corporations across the world.
Rex Kozak, of LeGrand, underwent the exercise in Elliott's 1970 third grade class. Now an administrator at East Marshall High School, Kozak says he still reflects on the "brown eyes/blues eyes" lesson.
"As a principal, it factors into a lot of the decision-making that I go through on a day-to-day basis," Kozak said. "It teaches you something about fairness that's hard to shake."
Participants feel the full effect of the lesson when they transition from belonging to the superior group to the inferior group, he said.
"It's really amazing how you can take a kid one day who's flying high and just by manipulating what you told him the day before, you can take him down very quickly," Kozak said. "It made me realize that there's good in everyone, even if you have to spend a little extra time looking for it."
Michael Blackwell, director for multicultural education at the University of Northern Iowa, said just watching films of Elliott's exercise teaches people how easily prejudice can thrive in the right environment.
"It's a little frightening, actually, because you see the people who are told they are better just internalizing that feeling," said Blackwell. "Then, at the same time, you see the people who are treated poorly believing that they are inferior. It's hard to watch."
After 40 years conducting the "brown eyes/blue eyes" exercise, Elliott says she is no longer surprised at the results of her in-classroom activity. She is, however, dismayed that the racially divided environment she creates during the lesson is still so prominent in society.
For that reason, the educator plans to continue conducting diversity lectures and workshops.
"This exercise inoculates you against racism for the rest of your life," Elliott said. "? It has the capacity for changing your life forever in a positive way."
Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.
But the night before --- after learning that civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. had been assassinated in Memphis --- Elliott tweaked the assignment.
"We were supposed to learn the Sioux Indian prayer that says: 'Oh Great Spirit, keep me from ever judging a man until I've walked a mile in his moccasins,'" she said. "I made the decisions that if my students didn't seem to understand the reason (behind the assassination), then not only would I teach them that prayer, but I would arrange to have it answered for them."
What followed became one of the most famous lessons in American education. After discussing discrimination with her students, Elliott divided her class based on eye color. During the first day of the exercise, Elliott's brown-eyed students were given a privileged status. They moved their desks to the front of the classroom, cut in line at the cafeteria and received praise for their superiority. Meanwhile, the needs of blue-eyed students were brushed aside, and those youngsters' inequalities were pointed out for all to see.
"Immediately, within 15 minutes, I created a microcosm of society," said Elliott, who assigned dominance to blue-eyed students on day two of the activity. "I didn't think that my third graders would know how to act like racists, but they exhibited all the behaviors that you see every day in an adult racist society: contempt, arrogance, desire to watch others suffer, joy at being on top."
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the so-called "brown eyes/blue eyes" exercise. Thousands of individuals from across the country and overseas have participated in similar lessons since Elliott introducd the concept in her Iowa classroom. Today, the 75-year-old, who splits her time between Osage and California, continues to led the lesson at schools and corporations across the world.
Rex Kozak, of LeGrand, underwent the exercise in Elliott's 1970 third grade class. Now an administrator at East Marshall High School, Kozak says he still reflects on the "brown eyes/blues eyes" lesson.
"As a principal, it factors into a lot of the decision-making that I go through on a day-to-day basis," Kozak said. "It teaches you something about fairness that's hard to shake."
Participants feel the full effect of the lesson when they transition from belonging to the superior group to the inferior group, he said.
"It's really amazing how you can take a kid one day who's flying high and just by manipulating what you told him the day before, you can take him down very quickly," Kozak said. "It made me realize that there's good in everyone, even if you have to spend a little extra time looking for it."
Michael Blackwell, director for multicultural education at the University of Northern Iowa, said just watching films of Elliott's exercise teaches people how easily prejudice can thrive in the right environment.
"It's a little frightening, actually, because you see the people who are told they are better just internalizing that feeling," said Blackwell. "Then, at the same time, you see the people who are treated poorly believing that they are inferior. It's hard to watch."
After 40 years conducting the "brown eyes/blue eyes" exercise, Elliott says she is no longer surprised at the results of her in-classroom activity. She is, however, dismayed that the racially divided environment she creates during the lesson is still so prominent in society.
For that reason, the educator plans to continue conducting diversity lectures and workshops.
"This exercise inoculates you against racism for the rest of your life," Elliott said. "? It has the capacity for changing your life forever in a positive way."
Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.
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MAC wrote on Dec 14, 2008 12:43 PM:
" I can think of some of the posters on this blog site that might benefit from participation in this exercise, if they have never done so. "
physicsguy wrote on Dec 14, 2008 8:59 PM:
" Chester11-
Yes, there is film of this. You can watch it for free online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html. "
Yes, there is film of this. You can watch it for free online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html. "
joyce wrote on Dec 14, 2008 9:32 PM:
" I had never heard of this exercise before. Very interesting. I know some who could have benefited from this if it were only implemented. "
DaddyTJ wrote on Dec 14, 2008 10:27 PM:
" Dunno if he still teaches or not, but I had an 8th grade teacher at Hoover in Waterloo, Mr. Denny McCabe who did a one day exercise on this in his social studies class. Those with brown eyes, much like the article state, got the privileges while those of us with blue eyes were the "trash" of the classroom. He did this while talking about racism and like good students, when he asked a question, we raised our hand. If those with brown eyes did not know the answer, he gave the answer, even if those of us with blue eyes had our hands raised. If we tried to say something, he cut us off and was blunt enough to tell us to shut up. This lasted for about half the class and then he explained why he did it and showed us part of the film. It taught us a lesson in humility and it's something I'll never forget. "
(return of) joe wrote on Dec 15, 2008 11:47 AM:
" I know a lot about this story. Jane Elliott taught for very few more years after thee exercises. In essence, she was run out of Riceville. The community HATED her for it. Her husband and father lost their businesses due to boycotts, her kids were beaten, and she received death threats. She taught for a couple of more years in Osage, and then retired from teaching to travel around the country speaking against racism. "
cf4life wrote on Dec 15, 2008 12:00 PM:
" We did this exercise with Mrs. Zischke at Peet Jr. High in the mid-1980s. A very powerful exercise indeed. The priviledged students played it up accordingly - some of the same ways - sitting in front, eating lunch first, leaving to use the restroom, etc., and also were allowed to bring snacks to class and other things. The same as Daddy TJ, if one of the non-priviledged students asked a question, the teacher wouldn't answer, or wouldn't call on that student. It was really a thought-changing experience. I was on the non-priviledged side, and I've often thought about that class and what the students on the other "side" took from it. "
horsehugs wrote on Dec 15, 2008 10:44 PM:
" You don't know the facts:
she wasn't run out of R'ville; we chose to leave. Turned out to be a good choice.
The community, well, the entire community didn't hate her...but they sure didn't show the "love".'
My dad didn't lose his business and my grandfather didn't lose his business; however, the crowds we used to serve lunch and breakfast to before the exercise were definitely smaller at the Jennison Inn after the exercise. My dads business was in another town, out of the fray, so-to-speak. Needless to say, we didn't "brag her up" in this other town, hoping for 'friends' in our new community. Kids need friends.
Death threats...yes, she's received them, but not from anyone in R'ville.
Beaten? Yes, we kids were beaten and called "n-lovers" and spit on and had our personal belongings destroyed or stolen...but, that's nothing compared to what people of color have to deal with every day of their lives in our world! We are stronger people for what we took at the hands of our fellow classmates and our teachers and some of the citizens of R'ville. We got out and away...people of color cannot escape what they must endure in a white society...no matter where they go!
Mom never taught in Osage; she was told by the administration (at that time) that "Osage doesn't hire 'local' people". We wondered how far 'local' extended...in-town? in-county? in-state? That little excuse made us laugh but turned out to be the first of many in our new location.
She left R'ville and teaching because the school board wouldn't grant her a leave-of-absence to "try" this exercise/speaking gig against racism. She started a new career at 33y.o., with 4 little kids and a husband who stuck by her side, unsure of where it would lead. It's been a roller coaster and one helluva learning experience for all of us; and hey, let's face it...if there were no hate in this world, if racism didn't exist, she could stop doing what she's doing. I think that's her ultimate goal, to stop the need for the exercise.
Her daughter, Sarah "
she wasn't run out of R'ville; we chose to leave. Turned out to be a good choice.
The community, well, the entire community didn't hate her...but they sure didn't show the "love".'
My dad didn't lose his business and my grandfather didn't lose his business; however, the crowds we used to serve lunch and breakfast to before the exercise were definitely smaller at the Jennison Inn after the exercise. My dads business was in another town, out of the fray, so-to-speak. Needless to say, we didn't "brag her up" in this other town, hoping for 'friends' in our new community. Kids need friends.
Death threats...yes, she's received them, but not from anyone in R'ville.
Beaten? Yes, we kids were beaten and called "n-lovers" and spit on and had our personal belongings destroyed or stolen...but, that's nothing compared to what people of color have to deal with every day of their lives in our world! We are stronger people for what we took at the hands of our fellow classmates and our teachers and some of the citizens of R'ville. We got out and away...people of color cannot escape what they must endure in a white society...no matter where they go!
Mom never taught in Osage; she was told by the administration (at that time) that "Osage doesn't hire 'local' people". We wondered how far 'local' extended...in-town? in-county? in-state? That little excuse made us laugh but turned out to be the first of many in our new location.
She left R'ville and teaching because the school board wouldn't grant her a leave-of-absence to "try" this exercise/speaking gig against racism. She started a new career at 33y.o., with 4 little kids and a husband who stuck by her side, unsure of where it would lead. It's been a roller coaster and one helluva learning experience for all of us; and hey, let's face it...if there were no hate in this world, if racism didn't exist, she could stop doing what she's doing. I think that's her ultimate goal, to stop the need for the exercise.
Her daughter, Sarah "
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chester11 wrote on Dec 14, 2008 12:21 PM:
Might have to check into that more.. "