Alex Archambault ‘14
Every day in Room 102, a group of diverse and opinionated students meet for class to openly discuss taboo and controversial topics in an environment that can only be described as the “trust tree.” This class, called Race and Ethnicity, is taught by Justin Brandon, VI Form Dean. Race and Ethnicity is a history elective that focuses on topics such as race, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status in history and contemporary society. The class was started by Al Williams, a former member of the History Department, in 2003 when Harriet Crane was head of the History Department. When Williams retired the class was taken over by Brandon who had past experience teaching similar classes. Chuck Bryant, Head of the History Department, said, “Al Williams had an interesting background. He went to law school before he taught and his grandmother was full blood Cherokee. He also had ancestors that were descendants of slaves.” Bryant explained that, “coming from a very interesting background himself he had an interest in teaching the course.” Bryant said that his philosophy on creating history electives is similar to Crane’s philosophy when she was the department head. “We figure that if the faculty had an interest or a passion in something, the students would too,” said Bryant. Many current students still feel passionate about the class started by Williams. Amber Davis ’12 said, “It is frustrating how sometimes people ignore topics like race and ethnicity and act like they are not important. But in this class we are able to discuss these ideas and you feel like the ideas are getting out and talked about.” Matt Rushton ’13 said, “I feel the diversity in the class helps me learn about other races and what they’re going through.” During controversial class exercises or discussions, Brandon often reminds his students that they are in the trust tree and can say whatever they feel without fearing the consequences. Brandon explained that the trust tree “provides an opportunity for people in the class to ask honest questions or make honest statements that may be uncomfortable.” Michael Thrower ’12 said, “I feel like I can express myself through the trust tree.” Some of the controversial exercises employed in class include the “stereotyping exercise”, which is when the class writes down as many stereotypes of a certain gender or race on the board while people who belong to that group wait outside. When they come back into the classroom they are able to agree, disagree, or laugh at the stereotypes written down. Another exercise is the “fishbowl activity” which allows for only one gender to speak at a time, forcing the other to sit quietly and listen. This exercise addresses gender issues in a head-on and ultimately revealing way. Aside from the exercises, the curriculum includes several books such as Honky by Dalton Conley and The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore, as well as many documentaries that tackle hard topics such as race, gender, and inequality. Students watch “The Chiefs,” which documents a Native American basketball team dealing with the challenges of Reservation life, “30 Days” which is a series by Morgan Spurlock, and “Prom Night Mississippi,” which documents the first integrated prom in a small town in Mississippi. To many, Race and Ethnicity is a unique experience unlike any other class offered at Episcopal. Many students enroll in the class not knowing what to expect. Faith Mascioli ’12 said, “I would definitely say the class is not what I expected but I love it. Mr. Brandon is a good teacher to have in class and we have a great mix of kids.” By the end of the semester, most students feel their time spent in class was valuable. “I would say Race and Ethnicity is one of the more fun history electives to choose from and my favorite class for sure,” said Mascioli. Georgia Wassall, an exchange student from Australia, said, “It’s been my favorite class at EA. I really like the people in the class and Mr. Brandon. He’s a great teacher.” Wassall further explained that, “There’s no class like this in Australia. You guys are lucky to have this class.” Courtney Portlock, head of diversity life, said, “What I think is so valuable is that students enter the course recognizing that these issues are important and then leave the course with the skills and knowledge to participate in a national and international debate.” Marissa Rivera ’12, like many of her classmates, values the ability to discuss topics of race, gender, and socioeconomic status in such a unique and accepting environment. Rivera said, “I like Race and Ethnicity class because it opens new doors that people have never walked through before.”