A Class Divided, Then and Now, Expanded Edition

Although the main point of the book is the battle against racism, the message doesn't stop there. The difference in academic performance of the children between "superior" days and "inferior" days is dramatic. When children truly believe they can excel, they do. When children truly believe they are worthless, the behave accordingly. Teachers wield an amazing amount of power in the class room -- for better or for worse.

Wow! I was astounded by this experiment and by the fact that this teacher was brave enough at that time to teach this lesson in racial prejudice. I was amazed at the reactions of the children. We should all take this lesson to heart and make sure we don't pass on prejudice.

I agree with the other reviewer that the Frontline video of "A Class Divided" (available on PBS' website) and the original documentary, "Eye of the Storm," are about as informative as this book, if not more so, but I think any exposure to Jane Elliott's work is a positive one. So, if you come across the book first, it wouldn't hurt to check it out. To really appreciate Elliott's brown-eyed/blue eyed exercise, I think one has to see the students' reactions. Her conviction is so strong I felt as if I was in the classroom (first with the children, later with the prison guards and company employees). Prejudices I wasn't even aware I had were brought into the light. The book does provide some additional insight into Elliot's internal moral conflict, the fear she had of harming her students with her hard-nosed approach, but it wasn't anything that would make me recommend the book instead of the video; and it wasn't anything I didn't find in her other informative video, "Blue Eyed," which documented one of her more recent workshops in greater detail. Now, if we could just do something about the Mexicans.

I found that many children are in need of these experiences, being taught that we are all the same. The teacher shows the reader and students how easily one can be manipulated to believe anything without validating the information. I recommended this book for anyone interested in teaching or a life lesson.