THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 2, 1996 TAG: 9608020045
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Teanspeak
SOURCE: BY MICHELLE MIZAL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 79 lines
This week Teenspeak traveled to the Learning Bridge program at Norfolk Academy and asked: If you had to pick one of these words to best describes (sic)you, which would it be and why? Latino, black, white, Asian, Pacific Islander, American, religious (i.e. Christian, Jewish), teen-ager, boy or girl.
WHEN SIX middle school students were asked to describe themselves in a word, only one referred to race.
``I'm proud to be black,'' said Alfonzo Cooper, a rising ninth-grader at Norview High School. He added that not all black males fit the stereotypes society gives them.
Stereotypes. That's what the conversation was about and all six knew well the stereotypes that surround them.
``I heard that black boys are the ones to get in gangs. They become fathers early and do drugs. White boys are the surfer dudes and all nerdy,'' said Joyvan Malbon, a rising seventh-grader at Lake Taylor Middle School.
Prycie Reid, a rising seventh-grader at Rosemont Middle School, said that the stereotype for teens is that they all smoke, drink and that the girls get pregnant fast.
Maytee Moreno, a rising seventh-grader at Ruffner Middle, said she's heard Asians described as ``super-smart ginseng takers.''
Boys treat girls wrong and get them pregnant. Girls are physically weak and less smart than males. Americans are selfish with a ``messed-up government.''
After a few minutes of spouting stereotypes, Maytee put her head on her desk as if exhausted.
``I'm sick of it,'' she said. She mentioned that when she was growing up people teased her - saying she wasn't born in America and that she was an immigrant because she is Mexican. ``But I am American, I was born in Brownsville, Texas, so there,'' Maytee said.
The media, parents, teachers and peers all shoulder some of the responsibility for judgmental views, students said.
Joyvan said the Ku Klux Klan is a good example of how parents can influence their children. She said the reason the Klan has lasted is because the customs were passed through the generations.
Prycie said that TV shows are also strong influences on the perception of other people. She said that she saw a show where two brothers traveled to Asia where the cars were more high-tech than those in America - hinting at the stereotype as Asians being smart.
There were some suggestions to stop stereotypes.
David Bilberry, a rising seventh-grader at Azalea Gardens Middle School, said that more people should get involved with community programs to get to know other people. He also said that schools should have multicultural programs so that students can learn about each other's backgrounds. MEMO: Michelle Mizal is a rising junior at Old Dominion University and a
summer intern at The Virginian-Pilot. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo on page E1
Maytee Moreno, 12...
Photos
`Girl' . . . I can't describe myself by color; however, I can
describe myself as an independent girl, and that's the way I should
be treated. Joyvan Malbon, 11, a rising seventh-grader at Lake
Taylor Middle School
Alfonzo Cooper, 15...
I think `American' because I was born here and my whole family
lives here. I would never want to leave my family or my country.
Prycie Reid, 11, a rising seventh-grader at Rosemont Middle School
I picked `boy' because it tells about the kind of person I am. I
tells about my characteristics and it also tells you that I'm not
trying to be a teen or a man. David Bilberry, 12, a rising
seventh-grader at Azalea Gardens Middle School
I think `American' describes me best because I was born here and
I am also an American Indian. Patrick Briscoe, 12, a rising
seventh-grader at Azalea Gardens Middle School by CNB