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  Case: Don't Hold Hands
Ade and Elsa are two 7th grade girls from Indonesia who joined our school couple months ago. I teach them Physical Science. They have well-developed English skills. Although they have an accent, they can communicate with teachers and fellow students. I am very sensitive to the needs of newly-arrived immigrant students, so I paid close attention when I heard rumors from other students about them. Students started spreading that Ade and Elsa were in a lesbian relationship. Apparently Ade and Elsa heard about the rumors; they came to me in tears. I asked them to tell me what was going on. What I found out was very interesting. Ade and Elsa have known each other since they were small children and they have always been best friends. Their families decided to move to the US together. Their fathers applied for jobs in the same company. They both received offers and moved together. Ade and Elsa were excited about going to the same school in US and continuing their friendship. In Indonesia, same-gender friends holding hands is very common and indicates friendship. When children at our school saw Ade and Elsa holding hands they thought that Ade and Elsa were in a lesbian relationship. I have to do something about this. I see two options before me: I will explain to the children in my classes that friends holding hands in some cultures is completely normal, or I will tell Ade and Elsa to not hold hands to avoid these rumors. The second option seems culturally insensitive, but if Ade and Elsa continue holding hands, rumors will continue even if I explain to my students the cultural side of their friendship. What should I do? If you have an original solution to this issue, please advice.
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
As a Physical Science teacher I would likely speak to other teachers such as Ade and Elsa's English teacher, or U.S. History teacher, to see if there was any way either of the teachers could implement "Walk around the World" type of lesson in their classes. In this lesson students would be assigned a culture to study and would have to create a PowerPoint presentation to present to the class. Student should be allowed to work with a partner or group so that the presentations don't take up much time. Obviously English and History classes would be the two easiest classes to implement this lesson in. With everyone having to present a different culture, it doesn't single Ade and Elsa out from anyone else.In this manner Ade and Elsa would be allowed to share their cultural norms and beliefs, and learn about a few others. I think this activity would create a sense of respect for ALL cultures from majority, if not all, of the students.