Dear FRONTLINE,

The most interesting aspect of the program was how angry and saddened the brown or blue eyed people who were being judged became and how quickly they did so. That such a dramatic change could occur in people who were, previously, of normal, seemingly even-tempered mindset, shows how we can not possibly imagine how racism would feel unless we experience it ourselves.

It is this problem, of the inability to empathize with minorities experiencing such prejudice that creates many instances of racism and unjustified judgement. It is tragic that many do not consider racism and the extent of the anger and hurt it causes in people.

As a white person, I have no experience of being judged by my color or appearance and have never been part of an exercise such as this, so I can only imagine racial prejudice of a harrowing degree.

Sean McQuillan
Port Moody, British Columbia

Dear FRONTLINE,

So many emotions involved in this experience of being Black in America.

As hundreds of thousands of minority and lower income whites are being shipped off to the middle east to battle to keep those scared, privileged Whites in power, I appreciate that much more the righteous activities of my White brethren like Mrs. Elliot. She is proof that not all White people are against us. I just wish more of those White people would take a stand the way she did and put this bigotry issue to rest, finally.

Thank you PBS, Thank you Mrs. Elliot, and thank you, the reader of this commentary for caring enough to come to this website and actually take a closer look at what real America is going through.

Ben Frank
Fontana, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I think that this was the greatest program on race relations that I have ever seen. Jane Ellott should recieve the highest award that there is. she is a genius and must be the strongest person I have ever seen.

Thank you for putting this program on the air.

Monte E. Gilles
Pullman, WA.

Dear FRONTLINE,

THANK YOU FRONTLINE AND PBS for this homerun for humanity!!!

This exercise is proof positive that learned behaviors absoulutely shape what we think about ourselves and others as well as what we will become in this life. Indeed, genetics plays a role in our identity, but how we are treated and what we are taught is crucial from the beginning of our lives and on if we want to create the kind of consciousness that will prevent our species from destroying itself and the world that sustains us in what is most certainly a global community.

Michelle Pitts
Los Angeles, CA

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am a white adoptive mother of two bi-racial brothers. For years I naively thought that if I just helped my children feel good about themselves as individuals, not as one color or another, they would be shielded as adults from the effects of racism in our society, or at least the effects would not be as severe as for someone who had had to fight it from early childhood.

Jane Elliott's lesson taught her students what my sons have learned as young adults - it takes but one brief moment to change how you feel about yourself, possibly forever. I believe my sons will survive the racism which still pervades our society, but what a lesson we are learning as a family! Thank you for this program.

Terry Abrahamson
Portland, OR

Dear FRONTLINE,

i realised liveing in a mostly native town how much i do think of them as different. If they get lice I think gross dirty people where as if onw of my white friends kids got it i wouldnt think anything of it.

it made me think of how i act about other people in front of my kids and want to change my view. I hope my kids learn a lesson like this in there school years. Even more I hope I can teach them myself by the way I act.

shelly niebergal
Duncan, canada

Dear FRONTLINE,

Although a very thought provoking documentary, it was somewhat one-sided. I would have liked to have seen a more scientific analysis of the subject.

Also, where I could see an non-government employer or private school mandating such an experience, I think it is unfair that children who are compelled to go to school or workers in government employment should be subjected to this.

Odenton, Maryland

Dear FRONTLINE,

First time in my life I was so thankfull of being sick tonight. Because of that I was in the bed watching TV and my favorite chanell PBS. You have no idea about the impact of whatching Frontline, story about this wonderfull intelligent person Ms.Jane Eliiot.

I am originaly from Eastern Europe and i have two beautiful kids from biracial marriage. This is the program I am going to have my children watch if they ever think they are less than others. We need more programs like this to shown on tv.Such a fantastic test so smart. So good to see somebody is trying and something is getting done about racism in America.

Thank you Jane Elliott. Thank you PBS.

Aysun Bailey
Atlanta, GA

Dear FRONTLINE,

Please replay it as much as you can. I wish everyone could go through the program. I have been very blessed to have been raised by parents who have already taught me not to judge. I also attended an elementry school in Midvale, Utah where I was part of the minority. I was called white trash, horrible notes were left on my desk, I was always afraid that I was going to get beat up at recess and I was stared at all the time. I was lucky to have had some friends that were of all sorts of races defending me. I am so glad that they did not discriminate. I am also grateful for the experience because I will always think twice before judging another human being.

Thank you for showing the program. I hope it touches millions so we can have a better world for our children and our children's children.

Amy Loughney
Nampa, Idaho

Dear FRONTLINE,

I'm a Junior at Arizona State University and I'm majoring in

Social Work. Racism, prejudice and discrimination are all

things that social workers must be aware of try to avoid and

take into consideration.

I myself am a minority and I understand

exactly how it feels to be discriminated and oppresed because ofthe color of your skin. I was amazed at what Mrs. Elliot wasable to accomplish with such a simple experiment. Diversity is

what makes this country great - lets make it even greater.

Rey Carbajal
Phoenix, Arizona

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am very impressed by Ms. Elliott's efforts. I am very saddened though that after going on-line to see a comment that no matter how noble the lesson was, that the kids in the class rights were violated. I didn't hear any of the kids complaining as adults about what happened.

Sometimes when someone does something great, people have to do something to lessen its value. In this day and age when people are so willing to be ignorant to what is going on, it takes a revolutionary individual to do something radical. I pose this, what it have been better if she didn't do the experiment. I guess for that viewer, it what probably be good.

Albany, Georgia

Dear FRONTLINE,

Terrific show. Now I would like to see one that shows the devasting effect of sexism. Somehow, I don't think that sexism is treated as seriously as racism.

micki bitsko
baltimore, maryland

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am a diversity trainer in an industrial setting. We use some of the tape "A Class Divided" in our program. The response is overwhelmingly positive. One black gentleman got angry with me for "forcing" him to relive something he didn't want to. Quite a few white males respond to diversity training with a roll of the eyes. They "wish things could be like they used to, people weren't as sensitive then".

Ever since I started diversity training I've taken notice of this sentiment. It's said often and without malice in our society. I try to let folks know that people targeted by discrimination have ALWAYS been sensitive about it. It is only when the majority is made aware and realizes the importance the impact of discrimination has on EVERYONE that it can change. Women and people of color in this country never thought what was happening to them was OK. We just didn't always have the courage to address it without the approval and consent of white males.

Thank you Frontline for keeping the information out there, knowledge is power.

Hastings, Minnesota

Dear FRONTLINE,

I want to express my gratitude for providing this piece, because I am currently enrolled in a class where the discussion of white privilege is the topic. White Privilege is a presence, whether described as invisible or not, it is a presence. Such presence is absolute and never regarded as anything but dominant. In my class these topics are discussed, but the whites don't view privilege as questionable.

As long as this country continues to ignore difference in our schools, in our neighborhoods, in our churches, in our places of business, and in our politics, white privilege will continue to prevail as a dominant presence. Americans want to democratize the world, but are unable to fix the oppression in this country by first deconstructing white privilege mindsets and reforming the institutions that thrive to maintain the preservation of whiteness. Many people are misinformed on difference in this country, but Jane Elliott has been speaking truth for over 30 years. May God bless her and the Frontline Family for such a thoughtful and provocative twist to race relations in this country. From St. Louis, Missouri, the 4th most segregated city in the United States.

Jennifer A. Thompson
St. Louis, Missouri

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am a senior at Hopkins High School. This week the social studies classes have been participating in an extra credit assignment. The teachers took the idea from Jane Elliott. The assignment is as follows; people that choose to try it for 30 extra credit points have to wear an orange armband for the entire week. The orange symbolizes that a lot has dropped our social status in the school.

The people that have the armbands have to follow a strict set of rules. They can’t talk to anybody unless they too have an armband on with the exception of school related discussion. The armband people can’t make any contact with anybody. No form of communication what so ever, not even a nod or a shake of the head. They can only use one lavatory the one that gets rather unsanitary by the end of the day. The people with orange armbands can only drink out of one drinking fountain the one that is farthest from the rest of classes. If they are caught breaking any of these rules points are deducted.

The staff, particularly one hall monitor know about the assignment, and pick on the people with the armbands, and try to get them to talk to them. Then they report to their teachers that the student broke a rule and the student looses points. The other students that are not participating also know about it, and have fun trying to get those students to talk.

The thing that makes this assignment so hard is that it is an entire week of being discriminated. Jane Elliott’s program was not as long, but she was stricter about it than the staff at Hopkins. Also, students at Hopkins can back out at any time, which is just tempting to do at times.

I have been participating in this assignment for four days, and I couldn’t believe how hard it was going to be. Before I started the assignment I thought it was going to be an easy 30 extra credit points, but I found it so much more difficult than that. My life at school has been changed. With that orange armband on, I have fewer rights than an animal. I walk by my friends in the halls and they say hi, and want to talk about what to do this weekend, but I can’t even notice them. Eventually they get irritated, because they think that I am ignoring them, and walk away. This project has opened my eyes like nothing before. There is no way that I can describe how it feels to be lowered in society like that.

St. Louis Park, Minnesota

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