Teaching the Harmful Effects of Discrimination

KIMT News 3's Isabella Basco interviewed Jane Elliot, the brains behind a famous race experiment

Lange.

And i'm george mallet.

The death of george floyd is putting a magnifying glass on issues surrounding race.

Today we're hearing from an educator who's made it her life long mission to teach people about the weight of prejudice.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco joins us live with a story of one woman's fight for justice.

Xxx katie and george... today i got the chance to speak with jane elliott.

She is the brains behind the now famous exercise that designated people as superior or inferior based on the color of their eyes.

Xxx "there's only one race and it's time for all of us to begin to teach that."

In 1968... jane elliott conducted the controversial blue eyes/brown eyes exercise in an iowa classroom.

"i watched boys who couldn't read, brown eyed boys who couldn't read on the day they were on the top, read words they couldn't read and spell words they couldn't spell."

Elliott recalls one intelligent student who seemed to struggle in the classroom ?*- after experiencing discrimination, during the exercise.

"on that day, that brilliant girl made mistakes in reading, she made mistakes in spelling and she forgot how to multiply."

It was a moment that taught elliott and her class ?

"* experiences they coud never forget.

"if you can do that with a brilliant little so called white child in one day, think what you can do to children of color, black children, black boys particularly when you do this exercise on them for a lifetime."

Those classroom lessons catapulted elliott into the national spotlight as an educator on anti?

"*racism.

She says she's disheartened by racial tensions that have erupted following the death of george floyd.

Still ?

"* elliott remains hopeful.

"i'd like to see the day when my great grandson who is half hispanic is treated just as well as anybody else and i would like to see the day when my grandson and his black wife send their children to school knowing they will be treated fairly."

Elliott pledges to spend the rest of her life ?

"* fighting to see that day.

"that's the worst ultimately ?

"* elliott's intention is to teach the importance of human rights... respect and responsibility.

Live in rochester ib kimt news 3./// thanks isabella.

For more information about jane elliott's mission... look for