I think the setting in the play presents the Appalachian people in a poor
light which can be very uncomfortable to those who don't understand
the culture. But the behaviors of the culture depicted in the play could
very
well be represented in many homes today...slobs? poorly educated? parents
with little or no education? clothes on the floor? animals in the house?
I wonder if we realize just how much our media and our society have both
inundated
us with a variety of stereotypes that we accept without much question? Do
you
remember "hillbillies" in the 1960's on television--(The Beverly
Hillbillies) or perhaps
nitwits that made everything common sense seem unreasonable (Green Acres)?
I
believe they are both being aired as "appropriate television" in
syndication.
Do you remember "Hee-Haw"--(I'm a pickin' and I'm a grinnin')? That was in
the
1970's---and it was all about "hillbillies" and "country folk." (I know too
many
individuals who STILL model their lives after many of the characters in that
sitcom.)
But that was too long ago and we are beyond that, right? Perhaps political
correctness
has not yet set-in...but let's look at our children's networks today. I just
finished watching
(with my children, 6 and 13) an episode of "Amanda" on Nickelodeon. They
were
making fun of "hillbillies" in one skit...Then there's the cultural
characters
on the cartoons... "Hey, Arnold"--very multicultural but some pretty dense
characters
and many that depict stereotypes. I'm sure there are more...I just haven't
watched
for these specifics today....and let's not even go into music....
I believe that as Americans we must see ourselves as part of a
whole...with each culture giving a particular "spice" to the unique flavor
that
is our nation. Because the play is centered around a group of individuals
without any education, we can either become offended or we can use this as a
"teaching tool" by showing our students, parents, and administrators that
this type of presentation depicts (in fun) a group of people without
education...but we know that being illiterate and uneducated is not funny.
What can we do to make a difference?
As a native Oklahoman, I am constantly reminded that I am an "Okie" (in
reference
to John Steinbeck's _The Grapes of Wrath_ ) especially since I am now living
and
working in Texas. However, I understand the novel, the time period and
people of
that time--my grandparents were these people and I have pictures to prove
it!
I can be upset because people believe that because I am FROM Oklahoma
I must be LIKE a specific group that is considered "stereotypical"-- or I
can change
their stereotypical beliefs and show them another side. I believe that by
doing this we
maintain control over issues that could offend us and create a learning
environment
for those who don't understand. Being too over-sensitive to every little
issue doesn't
help us to clarify our position.....(aren't you offended sometimes because
you are
considered a "typical librarian?" Wouldn't you rather change their minds by
showing
them that you are neither typical nor "just" a librarian?)
Learning disabilities (as well as physical disabilities and blindness) are
issues that I've worked with for several years. I don't normally associate
"hillbillies" with learning disabled people...however, I do know people who
appear to have disabilities (only because they have not been educated or
been given the opportunity to learn as children) and who look like they
"came from the hills." Many times I talk with these people and learn that
they are just uneducated and poor. However, the sad thing is that we don't
have to go far in public places to find these people...and they aren't only
in the
hills anymore.
Overall, I don't think that the play is a totally inaccurate depiction of a
cultural group...there are people who live like this--not by choice but by
birth or destiny. There are inaccurate depictions everyday on
television, on radio, in magazines, and in music about Texans, Okies,
New Yorkers, Catholics, Jews, Hispanics, African Americans...
but in some of these depictions we must realize that these "different
spices"
make up the flavor of what we have come to either love, hate, or hopefully,
tolerate.
We may not be able to change people's values or opinions, but we can show
them the
other side. It is only when both sides of an issue are visible to the
viewer that opinions
can then be formed and we hope that they are accurate presentations of what
IS true.
It is only because I know that all hillbillies aren't learning disabled
that I can see this play as a tongue-in-cheek parody...perhaps we need to
make
certain that our students (administrators, teachers, and parents) see both
sides of a subject to be sure that they also see what is or isn't really
truth (especially when it's depicted in various formats including a play.)
Just an opinion...
Shonda Brisco
"Okie"
MS / US Librarian
Trinity Valley School
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Willard" <nwillard@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 5:20 PM
Subject: Academic Freedom vs. Discrimination/Harassment
> I am involved in a local concern that raises issues of academic freedom in
> the context of material that appears to be discriminatory and promote
> harassment of students with learning disabilities. I would really
appreciate=
> e
> some feedback on how issues such as this might be perceived and resolved
in
> your districts.
>
> By way of background, there are two schools in our school building. My
> children attend the neighborhood school. The other school is a more select
> school that requires application and admission by lottery. I serve on a
> district committee that is seeking to address the inequities that are the
> result of these more select schools that were established by the district
> about 20 years ago. I chose the neighborhood school for my children and
hav=
> e
> spoken out against the more select schools because of the obvious
inequitie=
> s
> -- which has not won me any friends at the school located in our building.
>
> A teacher in this select school has had his students prepare a play to be
> performed for students and parents. This play is entitled Murder Most Fowl
> ("fowl" as in "chicken"). The play, in my opinion, is a crude,
> discriminatory portrayal of Appalachian mountain people that depicts them
a=
> s
> stupid, backwards people who live like slobs.
>
> There are old clothes strewn on the floor of the stage which is supposed
to
> be the house these people live in.
>
> I have walked past the room to hear the teacher say "Come on you
> Hillbillies, let's get on stage." The kids are all talking in fake
> "hillbilly" accents.
>
> The first scene involves the father coming into the cabin with a dead
> chicken. He announces that this is the 3rd dead chicken in 3 days. "How
man=
> y
> we got left," asks the mother. "Well =8A we had four =8A" "Yep." "=8Athree
died=8A"
> "Yep." "(sits) =8Aso I reckon that leaves =8A(all face the audience and
think
> hard) =8A one or two." This inability to determine how many chickens are
left
> is repeated two additional times with the one daughter who has gone to
> college providing the answer. Other instances of the inability of the
> characters to count occur throughout the play.
>
> Later in the play, the sheriff indicates the need to go count chickens and
> asks everyone who has passed the 6th grade to follow him. No one moves. He
> counts down the grades and finally reaches 2nd grade when another
character
> announces that his sons have passed 2nd grade and so can go count the
> chickens.=20
>
> It appears obvious to me, but not to the principal, teacher, and parents
of
> children in his class, that the term "hillbillies" is a derogatory, ethnic
> slur and that the play is an inaccurate depiction that ridicules a
cultural
> group. The teacher and principal indicate that this is just "Americana." I
> think it is bigotry. If this play ridiculed a poor southern black family,
o=
> r
> a Native American family, of a Latino family, I think this bigotry would
be
> more evident.=20
>
> Further, I have a son who is adopted from India who has profound learning
> disabilities. There will be many instances in his life where he will not
> know the answer to what to other students will be a very simple question.
S=
> o
> the last thing I want the students in this building to watch is a play
that
> encourages them to do just this.
>
> I have followed through with a complaint about this play. Much to my
> chagrin, the complaint process is the one that was originally set up to
dea=
> l
> with complaints from the more conservative folks in our society who are
> seeking to censor more liberal books in the library. Please remember that
I
> wrote previously in relation to the ability of teachers to use the
Internet
> to provide students with access to information that has been removed from
> textbooks, noting that this was a good thing. I do believe that the right
o=
> f
> teachers to present material has to be balanced with the responsibility to
> ensure that such material is not presenting a inaccurate, biased,
> discriminatory perspective that promotes ridicule.
>
> I am curious about your evaluation of this situation. How would such an
> issue be resolved in your district? How do you balance between academic
> freedom and concerns about discrimination and harassment?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Nancy
>
> Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.
> =20
> Center for Advanced Technology in Education
> University of Oregon, College of Education
> E-mail: nwillard@oregon.uoregon.edu
> URL: http://netizen.uoregon.edu
>
> Responsible Netizen Institute
> URL:http://responsiblenetizen.org
>
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