"Selma"by Susan L. (this missed being published yesterday!)

  H and I went to our local theatre to see the movie "Selma". It's part of Martin Luther King's story: the pivotal point where African Americans got the their right to vote unencumbered by the obstacles white politicians had put in their path. Obstacles not placed on white voters. It was a powerful and moving story.
  Racially motivated injustices continue to take place all around the globe.
  I believe there is a school in Toronto that was started within the last few years. It's an all black school by choice because they felt they weren't getting enough racially or culturally relevant teaching in the public school system. I wonder how Dr. King would have felt about this because he fought so hard for de-segregation. Could they not have petitioned to have their history and culture included in the curriculum instead?
  When I was in school, our Canadian military history wasn't taught. It is now because we need to honour what our soldiers did for us in the two great wars. Curriculum can change as the need arises.
  When my oldest son was in public school, they banned Christmas celebrations as being discriminatory. One of his teachers had a brilliant way of getting Christmas into the classroom. She had all her children do a project in December about the most important holiday in their culture. Two thumbs up to her!
  Us and them. It's an attitude that has its filthy claws wrapped deeply into every society. I confess, at times I am guilty of that line of thinking. It's so subtle, so interwoven in to the fabric of my middle-class, Caucasian thinking that it sneaks up every once in a while. Which is why I am so thankful for last weeks conference about poverty and the anti-oppression training that was part of PREFER.
  Being aware is half the battle.
  "I (Jesus prays) do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." Jn 17:16