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What did you learn in school about the Native American experience?
I actually learned quite young that all the things other Americans had been taught about Native Americans was wrong- there was a lot of emphasis on getting history "right" and my family always provided sarcastic commentary when it came time for Thanksgiving and Columbus Day. I always think you can tell a lot about your childs school by what version of the Native American experience they teach.
My parents were involved in anti-Columbus day organizing when I was a wee thing, and so I could state how Columbus didn't really "discover" America. But it is sad how little I remember learning in school. I do remember putting on a little pageant in my 2nd grade classroom that was the happy little myth story. High school= a big gap. I really don't remember it at all.
Growing up I learned enough to know I was being shined-on about Native people and Euro-Am history. There were family stories of rebellious New Englander and Pennsylvanian colonists who ran off with native people, refused to fight them, etc. So I understood from very young that much of American formative myths were screwy. I spent most of my grade school days in the principal's office for speaking the truth to power during Columbus Day week, Thanksgiving week, etc. I had two plays I wrote banned in high school due to their anti-American content. Thanks to many friends (Puebla, Chumash, Lakota, Anishinabe, Haudenosaune, Dineh) coming to school on our invitations, my kids get more accolade than discipline in their schools for telling the truth.
This is funny because my first real traumatic school experience I remember as a child was probably 4th grade when I realized (someone told me? another teacher? something I read?) that everything I had learned about Pilgrims and Columbus was a lie...that Native Americans had been harmed (I'm sure I didn't understand genocide or exploitation at that point)by Europeans...that celebrating Thanksgiving and Columbus Day was a big farce...I cried in my room for a long time, wondering what other lies my teachers were telling me and feeling very helpless and sad.
October 2007: Have you, a family member or friend ever worked in agriculture? What were the circumstances?
September 2007: How did (or does) your social class impact your educational experiences?
August 2007: What books or films have expanded your understanding of class?
July 2007: How does your current class position effect what kind of vacations you take?
June 2007: How does your class background affect how you use the commons (public spaces, commodities and rights)?
May 2007:How do you see class differences in the way that holidays are celebrated?
April 2007: How does your class affect what you eat?
March 2007:Has class status affected your family's mental health and or access to services? How?
February 2007: How do you feel your class situation has impacted your experience in or with sports?
December 2006: What responsibility do different economic classes bear for reducing their contributions to global warming pollution? Should wealthy people assume more of the cost of fixing the problem?
November 2006: For those who have served (or who are currently serving) in the military: Have you encountered classist attitudes about your choice to serve? For everyone: Do you see a class divide in terms of who serves in the military? What does this mean for the military and the country?
October 2006: How is television perpetuating stereotypes or classist portrayals? What are some examples of characters, storylines, or news stories that you have found particularly troubling?
September 2006: Higher Education can be a class marker, the access channel to "upward" mobility,or class liberator. What are the connections with class and higher education for you?
August 2006: How does class affect how you spend your non-working hours and impact your vacation options?
June 2006: What are the ways that you see class or classism play out in your spiritual community or congregation of faith?
May 2006: When did you first become aware of your class or class differences? How old were you?
February 2006: How do class differences impact your relationships?
January 2006: What privileges should we all have?
Are there any privileges none of us should have?
December 2005 Survey Question:
How do class issues come up for you during the end-of-year "consumer" holidays?
November 2005 Survey Question: Please tell us about your experiences of class, class differences, and classism in your education/school.
October 2005: Tell us about a time you've either been an ally to someone or had someone be an ally to you around issues of class.
September 2005: What are the ways you see the race and class divisions exposed by Katrina?
August 2005: What class did you grow up in? What was good or bad about your class experience growing up?
July 2005: What are your strongest memories connecting race and class?
June 2005: The New York Times and Wall Street Journal each ran their own series on class. What is your response to the recent press on class?
May 2005: The good, the bad, and the ugly of cross-class relating
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