A Class Divided - Brown Eyes Blue Eyes Experiment

Summary

In 1968, following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., teacher Jane Elliott conducted a groundbreaking classroom exercise on discrimination with her third-grade students in Riceville, Iowa. By dividing the class based on eye color, she vividly demonstrated the harmful effects of prejudice, illustrating how easily discrimination could be learned and internalized. Over the years, Elliott's controversial but powerful 'Eye of the Storm' experiment has been revisited, continuing to challenge individuals to confront biases and reflect on their actions toward others. This exercise remains a poignant reminder of the dangers of judgment based on superficial traits.

Takeaways

• 😀 Jane Elliott's 'Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes' exercise was designed to teach third-grade students about discrimination and prejudice by dividing them based on eye color.
• 😀 The lesson was initiated after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, with the intent to help children understand the injustice and emotional pain of racism.
• 😀 The exercise involved giving preferential treatment to one group (blue-eyed children) while discriminating against another (brown-eyed children), mimicking the real-world effects of racial prejudice.
• 😀 Students were subjected to rules that reinforced inequality, such as giving blue-eyed children extra recess time and allowing them to drink from the water fountain, while brown-eyed children were segregated and treated as inferior.
• 😀 The power dynamics within the classroom shifted dramatically as the children experienced firsthand the emotional impact of being discriminated against or privileged based on an arbitrary characteristic.
• 😀 The students’ behavior quickly shifted to reflect the harmful societal patterns they had witnessed or experienced, with some becoming aggressive and others feeling hopeless.
• 😀 At the end of the exercise, Jane Elliott revealed that the discrimination was based on eye color, not any inherent differences in intelligence or worth, teaching students about the irrationality of such prejudice.
• 😀 The lesson challenged the children to reflect on their own biases and to think critically about how people are judged based on arbitrary factors like race or appearance.
• 😀 Elliott's approach was controversial but effective in demonstrating the personal and social impact of discrimination, leading students to confront their own roles in perpetuating inequality.
• 😀 Although the community of Riceville, Iowa, where the exercise took place, was largely homogenous and conservative, the exercise sparked lasting change in the students' understanding of racism and discrimination.
• 😀 Elliott continued to conduct this exercise for years, believing in the importance of teaching empathy and combating prejudice from a young age, despite resistance from some adults and communities.

Q & A

What was the purpose of Jane Elliott's 'Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes' exercise?

The exercise aimed to teach children about racism and discrimination by simulating the effects of being judged based on physical traits, in this case, eye color. It allowed students to experience discrimination firsthand to better understand its impact.

How did Jane Elliott divide the students during the exercise?

Jane Elliott divided the students based on their eye color, with blue-eyed students being treated as superior, while brown-eyed students were made to feel inferior, facing restrictions and discrimination throughout the day.

What was the effect of the exercise on the behavior of the children?

The children quickly adopted the roles assigned to them. Blue-eyed students became arrogant and bossy, while brown-eyed students became submissive, sad, and even acted out aggressively. The exercise demonstrated how easily people could internalize discriminatory behavior.

How did the students react when the roles were reversed, and brown-eyed students were made superior?

When the roles were reversed, the brown-eyed students began to show increased confidence and perform better academically and socially. This shift in behavior highlighted how external factors like perceived superiority can influence self-perception and performance.

What was the significance of the students' reactions to being discriminated against?

The students' reactions underscored the emotional and psychological harm caused by discrimination. Those who were discriminated against felt sad, angry, and demoralized, showing how discrimination can deeply affect self-esteem and social relationships.

What did Jane Elliott hope to achieve with her lesson?

Jane Elliott hoped to raise awareness about racism and teach her students the importance of empathy. By forcing them to experience discrimination firsthand, she aimed to help them understand how arbitrary and harmful racial prejudice can be.

What is the core message of the 'eye color' exercise?

The core message of the exercise is that discrimination is arbitrary and unjust. It demonstrates that people's worth should not be judged based on physical characteristics such as eye color, skin color, or ethnicity.

What were some of the psychological effects on the students who were discriminated against during the exercise?

Students who were discriminated against experienced feelings of inferiority, frustration, and emotional distress. Some acted out in anger or withdrew, showing the deep emotional toll discrimination can take on individuals.

What did Jane Elliott observe about the students' behavior after the second day of the exercise?

By the second day, the students' behaviors had shifted significantly. The brown-eyed students performed better academically and showed more cooperative behavior, while the blue-eyed students struggled with the reversal of roles and experienced the discomfort of being discriminated against.

What was the long-term impact of Jane Elliott's exercise on her students, according to the reunion footage?

The long-term impact was profound, with many of the students reflecting on how the exercise changed their views on discrimination. Some expressed regret for how they behaved during the exercise, while others acknowledged its lasting educational value in understanding prejudice and bias.