Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: I Wish I Were Black! As a teacher of 5th grade students, I try to make sure that my students have a good sense of all the people and cultures that make up this country. Last couple weeks, I paid special attention to the African American people who have made significant contributions to the US. We read a book written by Walter Dean Myers. We have studied scientists, writers, and political figures. Students were very engaged and interested in the content. Yesterday something happened that puzzled me. Three of my White students told me that they wished they were Black. This was not my intention when I planned all my lessons on contributions of African Americans. How should I address this issue? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I would need to know how they said this statement. Were the students being facetious? If they were sincere, then I would asks them why they wanted to be black. It might be that they were experiencing some sort of envy because of the attention that African Americans are receiving in class. I would remind these students that each group of people have made significant contributions and that every culture has people and contributions that they can be proud of.