Cary students become immigrants for a day

The Northwest Herald ^ | Wednesday, December 12, 2007 | JIM BUTTS - jbutts@nwherald.com

[chicagolady]

CARY – After closely examining the immunization records and marriage and birth certificates of the eighth-grade “immigrant” with a magnifying glass, Brent Lueck asked him the important question.

“You’re from Ireland,” he said. “Are you a Catholic?”

Lueck said he was worried that the “immigrant” might try to subvert America in the name of the pope. “I’ve got some issues with you, some loyalty issues.”

It was just one example of the mock prejudice faced by about 120 eighth-grade students Friday at Cary Junior High taking part in a simulation of immigrant arrivals and experiences at Ellis Island. Millions of immigrants arrived and were processed at the New York port until it closed in 1954.

“I want them to get an essence of what it would have been like to be an immigrant,” explained Lueck, a history teacher at the junior high school.

Lueck has helped organize the annual simulation for the past three years as the culmination of a three-week unit on American immigration.

On Friday, students dressed in fedoras, head scarves and long dresses as they waded in front of Lueck and other teachers who checked their student-created passports and immigration papers.

The majority who made their way to the front of the line were forced to start all over again after teachers found some reason for them not to enter the country.

Students were red-flagged into categories, such as being possible political subversives or unmarried women.

“I want to check your mental ability to make sure you can remember when the boss tells you to sweep,” Lueck said before sending one student to take a quiz.

Meanwhile, many students, such as eighth-grader Brooke Singer, languished in a stairwell.

[chicagolady]

Did they learn how to file lawsuits because they felt discriminated against?

Did they learn how to march in the streets and demand their rights?

[chicagolady]

Immigration Ping

[perez24]

I think this is a great exercise to see what these kids’ European/Asian forebears endured in order to build a life here.

It might make them appreciate the sacrifices, while also showing them that if their ancestors could do this, why should we extend the same rights to people who sneak across.

[WildcatClan]

.......and the indoctrination continues.

[texastoo]

They also need to go to the hospital, welfare office, food stamp office, wic office and get the total for a day of free living.

[bcsco]

This is a ping list promoting Immigration Enforcement and Congressional Reform.
If you wish to be added or removed from this ping list, please contact me.

This article is from my neck of the woods...

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[ishabibble]

>>“I want to check your mental ability to make sure you can remember when the boss tells you to sweep,” Lueck said before sending one student to take a quiz.<<

Nope. No agenda here. It’s just a good old-fashioned history lesson.

[Bulldawg Fan]

Did they learn they could get their teachers (border agents) put in jail for doing their jobs and get a free pass from the government?

[InvisibleChurch]

I wonder if one of the seminars includes loading all 120 kids onto one school bus, having it driven into a desert and abandoned?

[donnab]

I think this is a good exercise in allowing the kids to see what immigrants had to go through to come to this country and how much they wanted to be here.
A good follow up would be to contrast how illegals now just jump the line and demand rights and entitlements.
Wonder how the kids would respond after experiencing the line waiting.

[VirginiaConstitutionalist]

.......and the indoctrination continues.

Considering that it's actually what happened, seems to be a history lesson more than anything else. It's not like they're making stuff up, like the school that taught kids ancient Egyptians had wings and could fly until white men shot them off.

You should see some of the anti-immigrant propaganda used back then. Immigrants were going to spread disease, plant bombs and surrender the United States to Europe.

[WildcatClan]

I’m a little cynical I guess, maybe you’re right. I looked at it more from the perspective of manufacturing sensitivity to illegal immigrants. You know, remember how you “felt” when you weren’t allowed to live in America for one silly reason or another.

[Sender]

If they were interviewing these 8th graders in English, and receiving answers in English, they are missing the point of the current immigration crisis.

[chicagolady]

GOOD POINT!!!

[wbill]

My grandmother had signs from her childhood that read "Help Wanted, No Irish need apply". 'Spose I can get some reparations? NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!!!

IMHO, depending on how it's presented, this might not be a bad history lesson.

[antiRepublicrat]

I wonder if they’re leaving out the fact that the alternative to the exercise was to go back home and starve.

[wbill]

A good follow up would be to contrast how illegals now just jump the line and demand rights and entitlements.

Excellent point - my previous comment was that this would be a good lesson, depending on how it's presented. You put what I was thinking into words.

[wbill]

I wonder if they’re leaving out the fact that the alternative to the exercise was to go back home and starve.

My great grandmother came here to escape an arranged marriage. Wonder what today's feminists would think about that.

She completely estranged herself from her family in the process - can't imagine how hard that must have been on top of leaving her home. Great Grandma was not a lady to be trifled with.

[gubamyster]

ping

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

reminds me of that ‘experiment’ in the 50-60’s? The prejudice between brown eyed and blue eyed children.

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

Thnx for the ping...

[B4Ranch]

Everyone knows that hiring an Irishman to sell alcohol just doesn’t work. That’s not prejudice, that’s common business sense!

You want reparations? Sorry, no can do for you. Wrong color, man. Try again when Dims are in the Office.

Justice, haha. We don’t have a justice system these days. Nowadays it’s called a legal system. If we can find a way to *legally* do it to you, we’ll do it.

Last month a buddy went to Ireland on a business trip. He came home and didn’t bring any good booze home with him! Talk about crazy. Go to the land of magical distillers and not bring home a few trophy samples. Some guys just don’t get it.

[wbill]

My parents went to Ireland and brought home Jamesons. A fine whiskey, to be sure, but I was hoping for something a bit more exotic.

Dad's argument? "I like Jameson's". I guess that it's pretty hard to argue against that.

[mtbopfuyn]

Nope. No agenda here. It’s just a good old-fashioned history lesson.

Exactly. Sounds like a lib agenda to me seeing as the majority got sent back to the end of the line since a mere 2% were denied.

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=11443

[Travis McGee]

Nothing like leftist brainwashing in our goobermint skools.

[TheLion]

Bttt!

[chicagolady]

The bad part is that we are paying for it!!

[Dianna]

So, are you saying that the scenarios taught did not happen?

I have discussed a few situations like this with students. How would you teach about Ellis Island?

I tried to focus on how brave the immigrants were, and how hard they had to work to be successful and create a better life for their children. Because of their determination and sacrifice, we got to be Americans, we got to be free.

I think children ought to be taught to be grateful for that.

[Dianna]

And, of course, if teachers didn't teach about Ellis Island, you all would be up in arms about not teaching history.

I honestly don't know why I bother...