Denny Smith Dennis Smith Training and Development PO Box 1611 St. Cloud, MN – EMBRACING DIVERSITY: Making Our Schools Safe for ALL Students Minnesota School Social Workers Association

Three Goals: CommitmentConfidenceCompetence

Every student wants and deserves to be treated with respect. Every staff person wants to work in a climate of mutual respect, free of discrimination and harassment.

How do we eliminate bullying and achieve respect and dignity for every student and staff member? One person at a time!

Build a Better YOU

People Building Attitude

“To the extent you help others get what they want do you receive what you want.”

“The primary function of any organization is to make life more meaningful for others.” Earl Nightengale

SolutionConsciousAttitude

“The problem is not the issue. The issue is how you deal with the problem.” Mike Patrick Mike Patrick

You can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles three things. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles three things. 1. A Rainy Day 2. Lost Luggage 3. Tangled Christmas Tree Lights

The Attitude Mechanism Think---- Attitudes---- Behavior---- Results

It all starts with the way you choose to THINK!

The Attitude Mechanism Think---- Attitudes---- Behavior---- Results

“Society as a whole must respect, defend, and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life.”

“Society as a whole must respect, defend, and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life, unless he or she is _________”

“Society as a whole must respect, defend, and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life.”

“I swore never to be silent whenever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Eli Wiesel

Stand up and go to the bar.

“I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us with a sense of reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” Galileo Galileo

“Can we talk?”

An Historical Perspective 1870 Black men given right to vote Women given right to vote Native Americans granted citizenship and, along with it, the right to vote.

1948 Hubert Humphrey advocates civil rights at the Democratic National Convention 1957 “Little Rock 9” escorted into school 1961 James Meredith escorted onto Campus of ‘Ole Miss

Voting Rights Act of 1965 Did away with all poll taxes, banned “voting literacy” tests and all other deterrents to peoples’ right to vote.

Prior to 1967 Laws in 14 states banned inter-racial marriage. Prior to 1967 Laws in 14 states banned inter-racial marriage. Virginia’s Law was called the “Racial Integrity Act”

Judges ruling to the appeal “Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races showed the he did not intend for the races to mix.” Judge Bazile

Loving vs. Virginia (1967) U. S. Supreme Court U.S. Supreme Court declared laws unconstitutional U.S. Supreme Court declared laws unconstitutional Gallop poll: 72% thought decision was wrong. 48% thought interracial marriage should be a punishable crime

Do Disclaimers Work? 1.We really have nothing against black people. We just think that they should have separate water fountains.” 2. “We are all children of God but they should really go to their own church.”

Disclaimers are an attempt to ease the conscience of the sender, and do absolutely nothing to ease the pain of the receiver.

How Do You Carve a Duck?

4 Steps to Growth & Change 1. Unconscious Incompetence 2. Conscious Incompetence 3. Conscious Competence 4. Unconscious Competence

First Tolerance Then Acceptance Then Irrelevance Then We “Embrace” and Celebrate

An Individual Challenge Dr. Bill Allen 1. Get to know yourself. 1. Get to know yourself. 2. Be open to learn about others. 2. Be open to learn about others. (Be eager and curious.) (Be eager and curious.)

“I don’t like that man very much…I’m going to have to get to know him better.” Abraham Lincoln

An Individual Challenge 1. Get to know yourself. 1. Get to know yourself. 2. Be open to learn about others. 2. Be open to learn about others. (Be eager and curious.) (Be eager and curious.) 3. Want to build bridges. 3. Want to build bridges.

You DO Make a Difference.

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What to say… What not to say. Oriental/Asian Indian/Native American Mexican/Latino or Hispanic Black/African American*