A Class Divided

Last week our class watched a documentary called “A Class Divided”. The video was basically about Jane Elliott, an Elementary school teacher and her grade 3 class, and an exercise that would show people’s views about discrimination. She rounded up the children and separated them. The ones that had blue eyes were treated properly, the ones that had brown eyes they were treated very poorly, and unfair.  Then the tables were turned. After the exercise had concluded the children seemed really confused. But who really expected an 8 or 9 year old to understand the concept of what discrimination really is? The children were relived and that it was only a game to them, and now they can be whole again. Ten years later they all reunited, only this time they were all grown up and their teacher Jane Elliott came in and reflected on what happened on that day.

Personally I think everyone should experience this film no matter what race or ethnicity a person might be. Whether we realize it or not everyone in their life has experienced some form of discrimination or prejudice. I also think this was a brilliant example of how discrimination was presented. It also presents what it is like to be on the other side of the coin. After viewing this film hopefully a person would be less likely to focus on the differences they have with other people and see them as equals.    

Ethics

Last December when I volunteered with Eastlink TV there was an event called the Christmas Angles where elementary schools all across Colchester County come to either sing or show off their talent. It was a great show and I had an amazing time, until half way through the show a man had a heart attack right in the middle of the show. I was on camera I didn’t know what to do and I was really scared. I was really apprehensive at the time, it was my first time experiencing something like this.

The ambulance, firefighters, and everyone circled around the victim. Meanwhile, in the control room everyone was confused about what was going on, but the show went on. Now is it ethical or unethical to still go on with the show? The motto in any live event or business is the show must go on. In my opinion the show should of stopped because it created so much distraction and it was very scary to say the least. Especially when you have children present at the event and their parents are there all happy about their son and daughter performing, it killed the mood, and all of us should have waited until the victim was escorted safely out of the building. Unfortunately, when the victim made his way to the hospital he died. It was a horrible tragedy and I hope I never have to encounter a situation like this ever again. This sort of thing was unexpected obviously, and I hope that in the future all of us on the crew can take precautions and the next time we can be prepared.   

Residential Schools a Stolen Heritage

In 1928 a government official predicted Canada would end its “Indian problem” within two generations. Residential Schools were supposed to prepare the Micmac children to get them ready for life in a “white society”, but it did not turn out that way. Children between the ages of 6 to 15 were prohibited in speaking the aboriginal language if they did the children would be punished severely. The students would be forced to live on school premises , most of them had no contact with their families for up to 10 months at a time, sometimes even years. This would continue for decades leaving physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual scars that haunt the Micmac people to this day.

  In 2008 the government gave a public apology stating “the treatment of the Residential schools is a sad chapter in our history”. The Prime Minister not only not only apologized about the Residential school system but the creation on the system itself. Today many of the aboriginal people are still traumatized by the horrific events that the Residential schools have put on them, and the scars it has left.  The Aboriginal people will always have an influence on citizens not only across Canada but all around the globe.

Incorporating Diversity in My Work

What I am interested in perusing after I have completed the Radio and Television Arts program is becoming a videographer, and making documentaries is my main goal. However, after I graduated and am out looking for work, I am open to anything so I can have a foot in the door and to be able to work my way up to my goal.

5 ways that I would be able to incorporate diversity in my work are:

1. I would find subjects that focus on diversity for documentaries.

2. I would make an effort to find people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds to interview.

3. Shoot documentaries in different areas of the world to show different cultures.

4. Make an effort to work with people who are different than I am and can give another perspective.

5. Not be biased against any type of diversity in my documentaries.

Doing these five things would show that I am making a conscious effort to show diversity in my projects. It would help demonstrate different ethnic and religious backgrounds can be shown in any type of media work. Also it would educate people about diversity and give exposure to things people may not always see.