In history class during my grade 12 year political debates where always raging. Keep in mind we are in small town Saskatchewan. I remember one vividly, It started out by identifying where you stood politically on a piece of paper. Keep in mind it was not real political parties or anything. We had already organized the class based on weather they supported “conservatism” or “liberalism” as we students dubbed the fake political parties. The class was split half and half.
I remember one conversation very vividly, my best friend who is African American almost shouted “You guys support slavery” as a joke between friends. One of the boys on the other side of the room shouted back “Let me get my whip.” Also as a joke between friends, however this was the first instance I really began to understand that this behavior is unacceptable and racist comments should not be made even if only intended as a joke to your friends. Everyone laughed the joke off and the teacher yelled at us not to say things like that. In the moment I shrugged it off but coming back to think about it now I realize how truly wrong this entire conversation was and that people of color do face extremely different challenges due to their skin color then what I have had to face throughout my life.
Hi Gavin! I enjoyed how you referenced where you lived in Grade 12 during these debates, because it helped me understand your point. I found it interesting that your class was split half and half, because when I was in high school it would not have been half and half. You should be very proud of yourself for reflecting on past experiences and being able to see what was wrong in those situations. When you write these self-stories, think about the five senses, and how you were experiencing them at the time. By incorporating the senses you were feeling, it creates stronger imagery. Great work, Gavin!