DATE: Sunday, June 29, 1997 TAG: 9706270821 SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL SERIES: TEACHING KIDS VALUES TOLERANCE LENGTH: 48 lines
Tolerance n. Understanding the traditions and customs of people
from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. (Definition from
from Norfolk schools)
Here's the rub
People who come from different backgrounds often have conflicting
notions of what is acceptable behavior. When is tolerance just
another name for being overly permissive?
So What Would You Do?
You find out that a colleague is gay. You firmly believe that
homosexual behavior is a sin and is not to be tolerated. However,
before now you've always respected both your colleague's quality
work and his general demeanor. You've even considered him a friend.
Do you maintain the friendship?
Whatever you decide, would you discuss your dilemma and how you
handled it with your children?
Building Tolerance
Children learn to deal with difference by seeing how adults and
their fellow children deal with it. If you're fearful of people who
look or act differently, chances are your kids will be too because
they'll take your fear to mean that there's something wrong with
people who are different than they are.
Questions for children
1. Have you and your friends ever picked on people and made fun
of them until they cried? If so, why did you do it? Did you enjoy
it?
2. If you liked someone who later turned out to be a liar, would
you still want to be good friends?
3. If you told your friends everything about yourself, including
the things you are most ashamed and afraid of, do you think they
would like you less or more than they do now?''
Source: The Kids' Book of Questions, by Gregory Stock. KEYWORDS: VALUES CHILDREN
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