Students come to school dressed as Klansmen... with teacher's permission

[B3Wannabe]

Stereotypes aren't accurate, otherwise they would be known as facts. I think if you acknowledge a stereotype as accurate, IMO you are wrong.

It's hard to believe in these times that a teacher is so "oblivious" to racial issues that she allowed her students to do this.

A stereotype can be accurate. It is just a simple way of coming to a conclusion...as in...

Detroit has a large African-American population, so all African-Americans must live in Detroit (or large cities).

[nessalynn77]

I kind of disagree. I think some stereotypes are accurate but the problem is when we try to generalize it to the entire population. Yes there are black folk who are lazy (that's the grain of truth in the stereotype) but does it mean every black person is lazy? Nope. But to say the entire African-American race is lazy? Now that's stretching it.

BTJM

I think you have to consciously reject that basic form of prejudice.  If you meet 10 asians in your life, and two of them are biochemistry majors, 3 are doctors, one is the smartest kid in your class, etc, etc, etc., you subconsciously develop a prejudice that tells you that all asians are smart.  The eleventh one you meet by no doing of his or her own already has a bias for or against them based on your prior experience. 

I used a good stereotype because they are not all bad, but still cause us to have inaccurate expectations of people, and to give them more or less latitude instead of allowing them the opportunity to show who they are.  I think we try to save ourselves the trouble of getting to know individuals.  That way we shortcut around hurt, disappointment, being taken for a ride, but we also miss good positive connections that can broaden our view of the world.

[sjonathan02]

A stereotype can be accurate. It is just a simple way of coming to a conclusion...as in...

Detroit has a large African-American population, so all African-Americans must live in Detroit (or large cities).

Yea, a rather fallacious one. 

[B3Wannabe]

Yea, a rather fallacious one. 

I think I'm just wired differently on this one. I don't look at a stereotype as being inherently bad. I think, if it has a small margin of error, it can be used to efficiently come to a conclusion, when you lack evidence about a given subject.

I use them all the time to recognize patterns, not just for people.

[churchyreal]

I think I'm just wired differently on this one. I don't look at a stereotype as being inherently bad. I think, if it has a small margin of error, it can be used to efficiently come to a conclusion, when you lack evidence about a given subject.

I use them all the time to recognize patterns, not just for people.

I disagree to a certain extent. 

[B3Wannabe]

I disagree to a certain extent. 

NP.

As I said, I may just be wired differently. I, personally, use stereotype, hypothesize, deduce, or infer, interchangeably.

To me, if you strip away the negative connotations of the word, it means the same as the others.

[csedwards2]

NP.

As I said, I may just be wired differently. I, personally, use stereotype, hypothesize, deduce, or infer, interchangeably.

To me, if you strip away the negative connotations of the word, it means the same as the others.

technically, they are usually negative. But I respect your use of them, especially as a fellow analytical brother (closet geek), I probably have used it positively as well. I was taking a class recently, and the positive scholarly term is a "stereotype lift," which is used in the same way Ness used it to give a positive stereotype to someone based on previous experience. Just saying, not that I am expecting anyone to change their vocab to include, but just to bring it to your attenttion.

[churchyreal]

technically, they are usually negative. But I respect your use of them, especially as a fellow analytical brother (closet geek), I probably have used it positively as well. I was taking a class recently, and the positive scholarly term is a "stereotype lift," which is used in the same way Ness used it to give a positive stereotype to someone based on previous experience. Just saying, not that I am expecting anyone to change their vocab to include, but just to bring it to your attenttion.

NP.

As I said, I may just be wired differently. I, personally, use stereotype, hypothesize, deduce, or infer, interchangeably.

To me, if you strip away the negative connotations of the word, it means the same as the others.

I'm with yall.

[LaylaMonroe]

I disagree to a certain extent. 

I just want to point out that it's not especially useful to state that you disagree without expressing your stance or position on the subject.

I mean, I'm not the debate police or anything, but I do want to point that out... for future reference. 

I think I'm just wired differently on this one. I don't look at a stereotype as being inherently bad. I think, if it has a small margin of error, it can be used to efficiently come to a conclusion, when you lack evidence about a given subject.

I use them all the time to recognize patterns, not just for people.

Yeah, I'm a pretty cut-and-dried person, personally, so I tend to categorize by nature, but not to a point of ignorance (all _______ people have poor hygiene, or all Asians are smart). I just use qualifying words like "most" "many" "usually" "in my experience" "from what I've seen" and that takes care of any problems with my observations... *shrug*

Some stereotypes can be true, when worded correctly. Most blacks DO season their food better than their white counterparts. 

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

Stereotypes aren't accurate, otherwise they would be known as facts. I think if you acknowledge a stereotype as accurate, IMO you are wrong.

It's hard to believe in these times that a teacher is so "oblivious" to racial issues that she allowed her students to do this.

With so many people willing to perpetuate a stereotype by gladly living up to it, they give that stereotype a constant reason to exist.  In turn, many others believe it to be so for a particular group.

[B3Wannabe]

technically, they are usually negative. But I respect your use of them, especially as a fellow analytical brother (closet geek), I probably have used it positively as well. I was taking a class recently, and the positive scholarly term is a "stereotype lift," which is used in the same way Ness used it to give a positive stereotype to someone based on previous experience. Just saying, not that I am expecting anyone to change their vocab to include, but just to bring it to your attenttion.

I just want to point out that it's not especially useful to state that you disagree without expressing your stance or position on the subject.

I mean, I'm not the debate police or anything, but I do want to point that out... for future reference. 

Yeah, I'm a pretty cut-and-dried person, personally, so I tend to categorize by nature, but not to a point of ignorance (all _______ people have poor hygiene, or all Asians are smart). I just use qualifying words like "most" "many" "usually" "in my experience" "from what I've seen" and that takes care of any problems with my observations... *shrug*

Some stereotypes can be true, when worded correctly. Most blacks DO season their food better than their white counterparts. 

Right.

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

Now the next question is were they wearing authentic klan outfits?  If so, were they basically given a convenient excuse to show their true allegiance.  If some Black students had come with shotguns on the premise of portraying Black men trying to protect their family from the klan how would that have been recevied?

[sjonathan02]

Now the next question is were they wearing authentic klan outfits?  If so, were they basically given a convenient excuse to show their true allegiance.  If some Black students had come with shotguns on the premise of portraying Black men trying to protect their family from the klan how would that have been recevied?

C'mon son. Weapons are not allowed on school property in most of the country so the Black students would be wrong from the door.

[T-Block]

So, does that mean the black students can come to school dressed in their Blank Panther stuff?

A stereotype can be accurate.

I don't think a stereotype can ever be accurate. You have to look at a person's individual behavior.

[nessalynn77]

So, does that mean the black students can come to school dressed in their Blank Panther stuff?

I don't think a stereotype can ever be accurate. You have to look at a person's individual behavior.

I think it can, but without knowing a person, it's a big gamble.  That's the danger in using them.

[churchyreal]

I don't think a stereotype can ever be accurate. You have to look at a person's individual behavior.

Hmmmm. Let me marinate on that because I don't fully agree or disagree with that statement....hmmm. 

[B3Wannabe]

I think it can, but without knowing a person, it's a big gamble.  That's the danger in using them.

...if you have enough information to support a given stereotype, then the likelihood of it being wrong diminishes. Statistics.

[churchyreal]

That's interesting.

[nessalynn77]

...if you have enough information to support a given stereotype, then the likelihood of it being wrong diminishes. Statistics.

Agreed.

[BassbyGrace]

...if you have enough information to support a given stereotype, then the likelihood of it being wrong diminishes. Statistics.

Still wont matter.  Lets use the stereotype that black ppl love chicken.  Can you find enough info that EVERY black person likes chicken?  I can name atleast 10 that dont right now.  So how do you find that supportive information, AND how much is enough to generalize a stereotype over a whole culture of ppl?