The brown eyed/blue eyed experiment was very interesting to watch. Seeing a teacher try to teach her students about racism during a time when that’s all that was going on is noble. However, I’m not so sure she had to go to such an extent that she did. I think it was noble of her to want to really explain the true meaning of what was going on at the time, but I don’t think the way she went about certain parts of the experiment were right.
The experiment itself was a good idea. But allowing kids to bully others because of their eye color even if it’s for an experiment it’s not exactly the right thing. Granted Elliot wanted her students to really understand the concept and what was going on, I don’t think her ways of telling the blue eyed students they were smarter and better from the brown eyed students was right. Hearing such cruel words from your teacher has to be the hardest thing to endure. It’s not ethical to talk down to your students in such a way as Mrs. Elliot did.
In terms of education, it was interesting to see that based on how the children were treated because of their eye color; some students thrived more than normal when they felt so much more superior to the others. It makes you wonder why that is the case. I also think it was sad to see that groups of friends were broken apart because of their eye colors in such a short time. It’s sad to watch.
So do I think the ends justified the means? Yes and no. I think the kids did seem to learn a lot about racism and treating people differently and really learn what it felt like to be treated differently. But I think it didn’t have to be so harsh, or that Mrs. Elliot could have censored herself a little bit when it came to talking down to some of her students with some of her cruel remarks.
I think that you were right that Mrs. Elliot was unethical, but when I think of the day and age and how horrible the situations were in the country, I think that she did the right thing. The children were hurt, but in a way that was most real in life. There may have been a way to get the same points across to the children, but not in such a way that it would have stuck with them long term, especially without having their parents views altered.
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrote my blog after watching this experiment, i had a hard time choosing if this was ethical or not too. It is difficult to watch the children turn on each other and to hear what the teacher is saying to them. but then you think of how much this scenario will truly open their eyes, and may make them better people some day.
ReplyDeleteI was also torn on whether or not I found Elliot's experiment ethical. I think it had long term principles that were valuable lessons, but the short term effects caused the children to treat each other very harshly. I also would say yes and no to the means justifying the ends, it's hard to say.
ReplyDeleteI would have to disagree with you since in my blog I said that her experiment was ethical. I figured that since Elliot was trying to prove a point and she wasn't seriously discriminating these children for their eye color that it was ethical. I see where you're coming from, I did have a tough time deciding whether it was ethical or unethical. I also feel Elliot's experiment helped open a lot of people's eyes and help them realize the racism that surrounds our country.
ReplyDelete