A freshmen in class as we begun to discuss the religion of Islam made some remarks about Muslims being terrorists. Admittedly, I still find it mind blowingly hocking that there are STILL people out there that believe this, particularly educated people and certainly not privileged people that have the resources at their disposal to know better.
Immediately after 9/11 I could have understood the confusion and perhaps even the need to point the finger at someone "other" in the wake of the devastating losses and violence on our own land. But we have hit the limit on ignorance. It is a fact that hundred of thousands of Americans are Muslims. In a recent story on NPR, they report there are 91 mosques in the greater Chicago area alone. That should be a radically clear indication of the population of our free land.
As a teacher, I am responsible to set them straight. I am responsible for giving them language to use that is appropriate. I am responsible for ending the blind bigotry towards 1 billion of the world's people. It isn't an easy task. I need new ways to help my students engage the material. I have had them create Public Service Announcements. Watch a great episode of Muslims in America by documentarian, Morgan Spurlock. We have discussions, however it's not enough. I can do more, but what?
