CULTURE

1. Reflect on personal experiences of being treated differently based on physical appearance; think critically about the notion of segregated societies and educational systems.
2. Investigate the efforts of one Bulgarian village to desegregate schools by reading and discussing "Bulgaria Opens School Doors for Gypsy Children."
3. Explore school segregation that currently exists in countries around the world.
4. Debate the notion of school segregation.
5. Respond to a quotation about the notion of "separate but equal" being inherently unequal, supporting their views with examples of school segregation around the world.

1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Students respond to the following prompt in their journals (written on the board prior to class): "Describe a time in which you were treated differently because of your physical appearance. This difference could either be something you cannot change, such as your skin color or height, or something you could change, such as an item of clothing. How did you feel? What, if anything, did you say or do in response?" Students may share their responses. Then, ask students to share their knowledge about school segregation. What is your country's history of segregated education? Where around the world are students in separate schools based on the race, religion or ethnicity of students? What do students think of this? In what ways are educational systems microcosms of a society?
   
   
2. As a class, read and discuss "Bulgaria Opens School Doors for Gypsy Children," focusing on the following questions:
   
   

   In what "unusual experiment" is Linka Shankova taking part? Who are the Roma? What kind of educational system have the Roma people in Bulgaria had for the past several decades? How have the Roma been treated in Bulgaria for centuries, and why? How long have the educational reforms in Vidin been taking place? Have efforts in other parts of Bulgaria to desegregate schools been successful? Why or why not? In what other parts of Bulgaria or Eastern Europe are people modeling their educational reforms after those in Vidin? How are these attempts being funded? What were conditions like for the Roma under the post-World War II Communist governments of Eastern Europe? How do "Bulgarian versus Roma" school and university graduation rates compare? How has Donka Panayotova, a woman featured in the article, contributed to the desegregation initiative in Vidin? According to the article, how has the Bulgarian government reacted to these initiatives? What were some concerns from Bulgarian parents and educators about the inclusion of Roma in Bulgarian classrooms? What were some concerns from Roma parents about the inclusion of their children in Bulgarian schools? How does the changing economy of Bulgaria affect Vidin in particular, according to the article? How have these economic changes affected the local Roma community? What is meant by the quote "Every Romany leader feels he's Martin Luther King"? Do leaders in this initiative feel that desegregation can be implemented quickly, according to the article? Why or why not? What are some possible further educational reforms planned for the future? How do the two twelve-year-old classmates' plans for summer vacation differ? Why do you think they offered such different responses?

   
   
3. Explain that the initiatives taking place in Bulgaria are just one example of segregation within a broader global debate on education. In the case of the Roma, a people who have been marginalized and discriminated against for centuries are slowly gaining rights within the dominating culture -- the first step being their inclusion in Bulgarian schools. Ask students to share examples of segregation that are occurring now around the world, and create a list on the board. For example, in South Africa, blacks and whites are just starting to attend the same schools together after centuries of racial segregation in all levels of society. In other countries with multicultural populations, however, students may attend separate schools for various reasons, such as to promote religious beliefs or to preserve regional language. In Northern Ireland, Catholics and Protestant children attend separate schools. In many Arab countries, Muslim, Christian and Jewish children usually attend separate schools. Other examples include Basque and French language-only schools in Spain and Belgium, respectively. While these systems of separate education may promote or strengthen the culture of the population they represent (which may or may not co-exist peacefully with other populations), they must nonetheless exclude others. You may also wish to mention the debate on gender segregation (all-girls' and all boys' schools versus co-education) to illustrate this point.
   
   
4. Divide students into four or six groups, depending on the number of students in your class, and number each group. Students in odd-numbered groups should formulate a position on this statement: "Segregation in education should not exist under any circumstances." Assign the even-numbered groups this position: "Segregation in education is acceptable in some cases." Groups should meet individually to develop their arguments. After ten to fifteen minutes, have each group appoint a spokesperson. Then, pair the spokespeople so that they are each matched with someone supporting the opposing position. Call up each pair and have them debate their views. Allow each spokesperson two to three minutes to present his or her argument. After all pairs have debated, allow the students to share their personal views.
   
   
5. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Students respond to the following prompt, written on the board for them to copy prior to leaving class: In the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka court case, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that segregation generated "a feeling of inferiority...that may affect [children's] hearts and minds in a way unlikely to ever be undone. In the field of education the doctrine 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate education facilities are inherently unequal." How does this quote apply to the Roma case in Bulgaria? How does it apply to other examples of segregation around the world?

• How do the examples of segregated education around the world that were discussed in class relate to your own country's current educational policies or history?
• Do you think the current initiatives taking place in Bulgaria will inspire other European countries to be less discriminatory in their policies toward the Roma? Why or why not?
• Is there segregation in the schools in your city? If so, how are students separated? Do you think this is harmful? Why or why not?
• What in the society in which you live is there segregation based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other factors? What do you think about this? Is segregation a "natural" occurrence in society?

1. Many Roma communities practice segregation by not allowing members of their community to marry into or have contact with "gadje" (the Romany word for non-Roma, or foreign) culture. Research the notion of "Roma versus gadje," and write a critical response paper.
   
   
2. Many theories suggest that the Roma originated in India over one thousand years ago. Research the diaspora of the Roma people. How, when, and why did they most likely migrate to other continents? Trace these migrations on a map of the world.
   
   
3. Bulgaria's efforts to desegregate will surely be noticed by the European Union, which has only recently drafted legislation to protect the rights of Roma populations in its Western European member states. Make a chart in which you compare and contrast social, economic, and living conditions for Roma in Eastern and Western Europe.
   
   
4. The Roma were included among groups targeted for annihilation in the Holocaust during World War II. The collective deaths of 1.5 million Roma during this time are referred to as the "Porrajmos," a Romany word meaning the "Devouring." Research and present on the persecution of these people during World War II and how these victims are commemorated today. You may wish to focus on the recent Holocaust memorial debate in Berlin.
   
   
5. The school mentioned in the article was called SS. Cyril and Methodius. Who were Cyril and Methodius, and how did they play an important part in the development of written language in Eastern Europe? Write an informative report.
   
   
6. Explore how the names of religious, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation or racial groups are used in English slang (such as the sayings "I was gypped" or "I jewed him down.") List as many of these slang words and phrases as you can. Then, write an essay assessing how negative stereotypes about these groups are perpetuated by these slang terms.