Saturday 28 October 2017

Food for homeless

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-restaurant-bosu-body-bar-homeless-people-food-boxes-donate-warm-clothes-sleep-rough-a8014821.html

Bosu Body Bar is a restaurant in Manchester that have started leaving bags of free food outside at closing time for homeless people to eat.

Staff are also encouraging customers to donate warm clothes to go with the food.

On their Facebook page the restaurant has posted, "If you see anyone on the streets of Manchester or Didsbury who look hungry, let them know where they can find a meal in a bag."

Thousands of people have praised the shop. One person wrote, "What a lovely thing to do. We need more people like that in the world."

What do you see in the picture
What do you think is in the bags?
Why do you think the bags are on the street, what time of day is it? Who are the bags for?

Explain the story

-Why has Bosu Body Bar chosen to leave bags of food for people who are homeless?
- Why do they bags say, "share" and "eat me"?
- What reasons might a person have for being homeless?
- Are there people of different faith who are homeless? Different skin colour? Different gender?
- The restaurant could write on the bags, "For Christian homeless people only" or "For Jewish homeless people only" or "For black homeless people only"; why don't the bags say that?
- What does this show about the staff at Bosu Body Bar?
- Thousands of people have praised the restaurant and customers are donating clothes; what does this show us about people in the UK today?
- What can we learn from this restaurant?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat 

equalitiesprimary




Dialogue and Hug

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/aaron-courtney-randy-furniss-nazi-hug_us_59ea47b4e4b00f08619eb45f

Many people protested in Florida, America when a man who believes in racist ideas tried to make a public speech. This photo went viral after a racist supporter, wearing a shirt with swastikas, was surrounded by a protest against racism.

Many people were angry at the man wearing the shirt. The swastika symbol was used in World War Two by the Nazis and many people say swastikas and racism have no place in America today. The man was quickly surrounded and someone in the crowd punched him.

However, Aaron Courtney, a High School Football coach, tried a different approach. Aaron tried talking, and hugged the racist man.

"I had the opportunity to talk to someone who hates my guts and I wanted to know why. During our conversation I asked him, 'Why do you hate me? What is it about me? Is it my skin colour? My history? Is it my dreadlocks?'

At first the man ignored the questions. Aaron says, "Maybe he just needs love. Maybe he never met an African-American like this."

"I reached over and the third time he wrapped his arms around me and I heard God whisper in my ear, 'you changed his life.'

The man then finally answered, "I don't know."

What do you see in the picture?
What do you think is happening?

Explain the story

- Why do you think the man wore a shirt with swastikas drawn on it?
- What did the man learn when he was surrounded?
- Why did someone punch the man? Do you think that punch made him change his mind about racism?
- Why do you think Aaron hugged the man?
- What do you think the man thought when Aaron first hugged him?
- Why do you think the man didn't answer the questions?
- Why do you think the man hugged Aaron in the end?
- The man said he didn't know why he hated Aaron; what does this show about the racist ideas he holds?
- Why do some people have racist ideas? (because some people don't understand about diversity and about No Outsiders. Some people think we all should be the same  - the same skin or same religion. Some people are frightened of difference. It's the opposite to us; we know that difference is a good thing)
- Aaron says he thought he changed the mans' life. How do you think Aaron might have changed the mans' life?
- What does the protest show about lots of people in America today?
- What can we learn from Aaron?
-Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat 

equalitiesprimary




Saturday 14 October 2017

Jack and Rani


Jack and Rani from a school in Manchester have become famous in the UK because of their friendship and the way they met.

Rani is a refugee form Iraq and was bullied in his first few days at school until Jack met him and they became friends.

Jack said, "He was in a corner by himself so I thought, 'he needs a friend.' So I thought I'll go up to him and ask him, 'How are you? Where are you from?'"

"He said Syria and I took a step back because on the TV, on the radio you hear bad things about it. But then I said, 'come and join us, come and join our group,' and he did and here we are."

Jack and Rani appeared on the Ch4 programme,"Educating Greater Manchester" and since then have been on This Morning to talk about their friendship. They have received a huge amount of praise on twitter and social media; one tweet said, "The whole world could learn something from Jack."

Another said, "Every school class everywhere needs a Jack."

Jack's Head Teacher said, "We should all be more like Jack."

What do you see in the picture?
What do you think the story is?

Explain the story

- What do Jack and Rani have in common?
- What are their differences?
- Why was Rani alone?
- Why do you think Jack approached Rani and said, "How are you"?
- Why did Jack take a step back when Rani said he was from Syria?
- Jack could have walked away at that point but he stayed; what was the impact of his actions?
- Jack and Rani became famous because of their story; why?
- What does this show about people in the UK today?
- Why are people saying every school needs a Jack? What do they mean?
- What can we learn from Jack?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary

Gender-scouts


The boy scouts of America have announced for the first time they will allow girls to join. The plan is to have girls' groups and boys' groups for younger children and to allow older groups to decide whether to have single gender or to welcome mixed gender groups.

The chief scout executive Michael Surbaugh said, "The values of scouting- trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind, brave and reverent, for example - are important for both young men and women."

What do you see in the picture?
What do you notice about the young people in the picture?
What do you think this story could be about?

explain the story

- What are boy scouts?
- Do we have boy scouts in the UK?
- In the UK we have scouts and girls and boys are allowed to join. Why do you think America still has separate genders in their scout groups?
- Why do you think the boy scouts of America have changed their mind?
- What does this show us about ideas and changes in the world? (it shows that ideas can change)
- The boy scouts are saying that girls can join but that young children will still have separate groups for different genders. What do you think about that?
- What law do we have in the UK that says different genders should not face discrimination? (The Equality Act 2010)
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary


Tuesday 3 October 2017

Las Vegas Vigil


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/10/02/las-vegas-vigils-chime-lives-cut-short-mass-shooting/726042001/

Hundreds of people across Las Vegas have joined vigils to remember those who lost their lives in the tragic attack this week. They heard religious leaders from the Catholic, Jewish, Protestant and Muslim communities speak and pray together.

So many people have given blood to blood banks that those wanting to offer their blood now have to wait for a week for an appointment. When queues formed around the block to give blood, volunteers from a nearby medical centre gave out free food and water to those in line.

A Go Fund Me page raising money for the families of those affected by the attack raised $1.8 million by the time of the vigils.

Stories have emerged about how people helped each other during the attack. One survivor returned to the scene with her truck to carry injured people to hospital.

What do you see in the picture?
What do you think is happening? Where do you think the photo was taken?

explain the story

- What do you notice about the people attending the vigil?
- Are the people at the vigil the same race or gender? Do you think they all practice the same faith? Do you think there are LGBT people at the vigil? People with disabilities or different ages?
- Why did the leaders from different faiths work together at the vigils?
- Why are so many people wanting to give blood?
- Why has almost $2 million been raised?
- What does all of this show us about different people in Las Vegas working together?
- What can we learn from the response to this attack?

Our thoughts are with all those affected in this tragedy.

Sunday 1 October 2017

Gay marriage



Alistair Dinni and Peter Matthews have become the first gay couple to get married in a church in the UK. Gay couples can get married in the UK but before now none of the ceremonies have taken place in a church because some people believe that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

The people at St Johns Church in Edinburgh where Alistair and Peter wanted to get married had a discussion about these rules; should gay couples be allowed to get married in their church? After a discussion they had a vote and it was decided from now on marriage in their church could take place between a man and a woman, or a woman and a woman, or a man and a man.  Alistair and Peter are the first couple to get married following the decision.

What's happening in the picture?
Who do you think the people are?

explain the story

- Why have Alistair and Peter got married?
- Do people have to get married in churches? Where else can people get married?
- Why do you think Alistair and Peter wanted to get married in a church?
- Why couldn't Alistair and Peter get married in a church before now?
- St Johns Church used to think marriage was only for a man and a woman. Why have they changed their mind?
-What does does this story show about ideas and dialogue?
- What can we learn from St Johns Church?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

equalities primary