I lead a small 7th Grade Bible Study. We use a year round curriculum. Ironically (or maybe not) our topic this week was "Peaceful Resistance." We have student leaders who guide the discussion and adults help keep things focused on track. (With 7th Graders that's no easy task).
Well this topic along side with 9/11 and Monday's shootings had the students focused easily. I am going to share their input to this one questions that was asked: "If a country that harbors or supports terrorists is identified, is retaliation against that country in order? Does it matter whether innocent citizens of that country are hurt or killed in a retaliatory attack? (Synago; pg 40).
7th Grade boy - No. I mean we should do something. Like maybe put them in a camp and try to teach them that terrorism is bad.
7th Grade girl - Innocent people shouldn't never get hurt or anything. We should just talk to them and see what they are really angry about and try to fix that.
7th Grade girl - Why do they hate us anyway?
7th Grade boy - Because they believe we are all Christians?
7th Grade girl reply - Really? I thought they just wanted to come into the United States and we wouldn't let them.
7th Grade boy reply - No! My dad told me its because they just hate us.
7th Grade girl reply - Well that's dumb.
Me - What do you think _________
7th Grade boy - I don't understand what the big deal is. There's only one small country with terrorist right?
7th Grade girl - Well I think if we treat them nice and show them how much we love them as people that could help.
7th Grade boy - I like the idea of a camp where we could just teach them that we don't hate them and Christians aren't bad people.
7th Grade girl - I think we should do something as long as innocent people aren't hurt.
(this is all paraphrased)
I had to hold my mouth and remind myself these students were 2 or 3 years old when 9/11 happened and their exposure to the outside world beyond Facebook, Instigram, Snapchat, and Twitter is very limited. Thought you would find this insightful. Good luck parents!
Well this topic along side with 9/11 and Monday's shootings had the students focused easily. I am going to share their input to this one questions that was asked: "If a country that harbors or supports terrorists is identified, is retaliation against that country in order? Does it matter whether innocent citizens of that country are hurt or killed in a retaliatory attack? (Synago; pg 40).
7th Grade boy - No. I mean we should do something. Like maybe put them in a camp and try to teach them that terrorism is bad.
7th Grade girl - Innocent people shouldn't never get hurt or anything. We should just talk to them and see what they are really angry about and try to fix that.
7th Grade girl - Why do they hate us anyway?
7th Grade boy - Because they believe we are all Christians?
7th Grade girl reply - Really? I thought they just wanted to come into the United States and we wouldn't let them.
7th Grade boy reply - No! My dad told me its because they just hate us.
7th Grade girl reply - Well that's dumb.
Me - What do you think _________
7th Grade boy - I don't understand what the big deal is. There's only one small country with terrorist right?
7th Grade girl - Well I think if we treat them nice and show them how much we love them as people that could help.
7th Grade boy - I like the idea of a camp where we could just teach them that we don't hate them and Christians aren't bad people.
7th Grade girl - I think we should do something as long as innocent people aren't hurt.
(this is all paraphrased)
I had to hold my mouth and remind myself these students were 2 or 3 years old when 9/11 happened and their exposure to the outside world beyond Facebook, Instigram, Snapchat, and Twitter is very limited. Thought you would find this insightful. Good luck parents!