[Mark was here]

I once had an otherwise very bright African American student tell me that he firmly believed that the US Govt started AIDS to kill black folk.

Did you ever ask him about O.J.?

[brytlea]

I didn't really try to get him going, as my main purpose was teaching biology! But, I do remember he was very upset also when the DC Sniper turned out to be AA. He felt this was a stain on his race. I tried to explain that his race had nothing to do with it, but I'm not sure I made any headway. He was one of those kids you really like and think could go far, if they could just get some of the race stuff out of their head and see themselves as plain old Americans, instead of a hyphenated American.
susie