Martin Luther King: brief presentation for 8th graders

[fastenatingguy]

Just got caught up with an email from our DRE for tomorrow’s class. I teach confirmation preparation and each week I try to work in a current event or something from the church calendar.

So my thought is to take some of the text from Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech that are obviously Christ’s teachings (from NT) and present them in keeping with RCC teachings.

Any thoughts or suggestions? This will be only ten minutes max in length because I already had over-preprared before realizing my oversight.

Thank you

 

[fastenatingguy]

In my OP I forgot to mention that the DRE’s email requested that all catechists include something in tomorrow’s class regarding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

[on_the_hill]

Just got caught up with an email from our DRE for tomorrow’s class. I teach confirmation preparation and each week I try to work in a current event or something from the church calendar.

So my thought is to take some of the text from Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech that are obviously Christ’s teachings (from NT) and present them in keeping with RCC teachings.

Any thoughts or suggestions? This will be only ten minutes max in length because I already had over-preprared before realizing my oversight.

Thank you

I’m certainly no expert in MLK, but he was closely affiliated with Senator Harris Wofford, a Catholic.

 

[1ke]

MLK was not a Catholic, and I am not sure why he would be the subject of a Catholic religion class. You have precious little time with these kids, spend it wisely, not on PC nonsense.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

PC nonsense.

Do you mean that learning about MLK, Jr. at all is “PC nonsense”? Or just in the context of a RE class?

In any event, teachers often use analogies and examples that children understand to explain principles and ideas. I know that CAF users tend to be at best lukewarm and at worst hostile towards MLK, Jr. and other black civil rights leaders, but this might be a good starting point for a lesson.

 

[Timothysis]

MLK was not a Catholic, and I am not sure why he would be the subject of a Catholic religion class. You have precious little time with these kids, spend it wisely, not on PC nonsense.

I agree. There was a reason why Jackie Kennedy despised the man.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

I agree. There was a reason why Jackie Kennedy despised the man.

We’re all sinners. MLK, Jr. no less so. But he also did so something special for an entire nation and that took a lot of courage and fortitude. We would be missing out on a huge portion of U.S. history if we erased Mr. King, Jr. from the record.

 

[Timothysis]

We’re all sinners. MLK, Jr. no less so. But he also did so something special for an entire nation and that took a lot of courage and fortitude. We would be missing out on a huge portion of U.S. history if we erased Mr. King, Jr. from the record.

If the Founding Fathers can be ridiculed and demeaned because of their ownership of slaves, then MLKs serial adultery is fair game.

 

[1ke]

Do you mean that learning about MLK, Jr. at all is “PC nonsense”?

MLK’s civil rights struggle is a part of American history. It belongs in an American history class. NOT in RE.

While his struggle for civil rights was a just cause, much about MLK as a man has been omitted from the story. The legend and myth are bigger than the real person. He had some large flaws, serial adultery among them.

Or just in the context of a RE class?

Yes. definitely. MLK is not a Catholic saint. Not a Catholic lay person to hold up as a person of virtue (I wouldn’t hold him up as an example of virtue at all). The struggle for civil rights was a just cause, and in the context of social justice it could have a place in RE in a broader context.

However, in the context of social justice, one could look at Dorthy Day, Mother Teresa, and numerous Catholic examples. Why MLK?

But to take this week, because it is MLK day, and cover MLK specifically outside of the context of Catholic social justice– yes, that is PC nonsense.

In any event, teachers often use analogies and examples that children understand to explain principles and ideas.

Yes, but if the lesson planned for the week is on, for example, Holy Orders or Mary or whatever, I would not try to fit MLK into that just because Monday is MLK Day not to mention that what is appropriate in a 2nd grade classroom vs a 10th grad classroom are quite different.

I know that CAF users tend to be at best lukewarm and at worst hostile towards MLK, Jr. and other black civil rights leaders, but this might be a good starting point for a lesson.

I’ve used the civil rights struggle in my own RE classes, but it was an organic part of the lesson on social justice and did not focus arbitrarily on MLK or really on him as a person.

I am not sure where you get the idea that CAFers are “hostile” to black civil rights leaders. One of my friend’s parents actually marched with MLK, they are Catholics who were very involved in civil rights and social justice in the 1960s. I don’t think it’s bad or wrong to talk about social justice, I think it’s silly to order all the classes to talk about it randomly this week.

 

[1ke]

We would be missing out on a huge portion of U.S. history if we erased Mr. King, Jr. from the record.

No one has advocated “erasing” MLK from the record. RE class is not American history class. The Catholic Church is universal, not American. The struggle for social justice is not confined to the US south. It is so much more than that.

Yes, study of MLK is appropriate for US history. Study of Catholic modesl of virtue and heroism and Catholic social justice are appropriate for Catholic RE class.

 

[Inisfallen]

While his struggle for civil rights was a just cause, much about MLK as a man has been omitted from the story. The legend and myth are bigger than the real person. He had some large flaws, serial adultery among them.

. . .]

However, in the context of social justice, one could look at Dorthy Day, Mother Teresa, and numerous Catholic examples.

We’re all flawed and weak. Dr. King certainly had his personal weaknesses, and yet achieved great things for his country.

Dorothy Day had her flaws, too. She was as much of a sinner as Dr. King – she had affairs with men, and even had an abortion in her younger days. And she too achieved great things.

We shouldn’t downplay the importance of Dr. King because he wasn’t Catholic (he was, of course, a brother Christian). Or because he was a sinner, as we all are. Certainly what he worked for, what he struggled for, what he risked (and lost) his life for, was entirely in keeping with Catholic ideas of social justice, right?

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

I am not sure where you get the idea that CAFers are “hostile” to black civil rights leaders.

This entire thread, for example. I could see this thread devolving into this bickering from the moment I read the original post.

Racism is hardly if ever discussed at all in social justice, as if it wasn’t and still isn’t a real thing.

Searching back through CAF threads about Dr. King, there’s a lot of discussion as to whether his image can be co-opted for the purposes of the pro-life movement, but jack squat about the civil rights movement per se.

Moreover, posts like this certainly don’t help:

Timothysis:

If the Founding Fathers can be ridiculed and demeaned because of their ownership of slaves, then MLKs serial adultery is fair game.

As if anyone who thinks Dr. King made a valuable contribution to his nation by leading a civil rights movement for millions of people that were treated in a sub-human fashion must automatically be a foaming at the mouth leftist who treats the accomplishments of the U.S. founding fathers with disdain because, after all, they are “just a bunch of old, dead white men.”

1ke:

But to take this week, because it is MLK day, and cover MLK specifically outside of the context of Catholic social justice-- yes, that is PC nonsense.

I don’t think the original poster intended to teach a lesson that excluded Catholic teaching. He states quite the opposite:
fascinateinguy:

So my thought is to take some of the text from Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech that are obviously Christ’s teachings (from NT) and present them in keeping with RCC teachings.

So, the purpose of discussing these current events is to shed more light on Catholic teachings, to help students connect what they’re hearing about in the outside world to what the Church says, not to detract from what the Church says. Do you have a problem any time this instructor connects current events to Catholic teachings, or only in this case? If only in this case, why?

 

[1ke]

Dorothy Day had her flaws, too. She was as much of a sinner as Dr. King – she had affairs with men, and even had an abortion in her younger days. And she too achieved great things.

And she repented, dedicated her life to God, and has an open cause for sainthood.

We shouldn’t downplay the importance of Dr. King because he wasn’t Catholic (he was, of course, a brother Christian).

He is important in American History. He is not important in Catholic catechism class.

Certainly what he worked for, what he struggled for, what he risked (and lost) his life for, was entirely in keeping with Catholic ideas of social justice, right?

Again, there are many Catholic examples of saints, blessed, and heroic virtue that we can use as examples in catechism class.

As I have already stated, MLK may be an appropriate topic for a class on social justice. It is not appropriate to artificially plug MLK into this week’s lesson just because it is his birthday. American History class, yes. Catechism class, no.

 

[1ke]

Do you have a problem any time this instructor connects current events to Catholic teachings, or only in this case? If only in this case, why?

I have a problem when a DRE instructs ALL teachers to do a lesson on MLK (or JFK or Abe Lincoln or anyone else) regardless of whether or not it is appropriate in the context of their particular class that week, just because it is MLK day.

 

[LeafByNiggle]

I have a problem when a DRE instructs ALL teachers to do a lesson on MLK (or JFK or Abe Lincoln or anyone else) regardless of whether or not it is appropriate in the context of their particular class that week, just because it is MLK day.

That depends on how it is done. The teachers need not focus on MLK as a person. They could focus on those aspects of his work that directly exemplify the Christian values of the dignity of the human person. 8th graders benefit from examples, and the examples afforded by the non-violent civil rights protests are too rich and numerous to ignore. The ethical aspects of that struggle, which seem so obvious to those who lived through that era, are just dry facts to 8th graders, unless it is enlightened by a religious perspective… As for deferring these topics to history class, that is not as good as covering it in RE. There are important Christian perspectives on that struggle that, due to the secular nature of public schools, will never be covered.

Now if we are talking about a RE in a Catholic school setting, maybe history class would be a better place for this material, since a Catholic school can include a religious perspective, even in history class. But for public school students, whose only exposure to a religious perspective in any class is their after school catechism class, this is material that should not be passed up.

 

[fastenatingguy]

That depends on how it is done. The teachers need not focus on MLK as a person. They could focus on those aspects of his work that directly exemplify the Christian values of the dignity of the human person. 8th graders benefit from examples, and the examples afforded by the non-violent civil rights protests are too rich and numerous to ignore. The ethical aspects of that struggle, which seem so obvious to those who lived through that era, are just dry facts to 8th graders, unless it is enlightened by a religious perspective… As for deferring these topics to history class, that is not as good as covering it in RE. There are important Christian perspectives on that struggle that, due to the secular nature of public schools, will never be covered.

Now if we are talking about a RE in a Catholic school setting, maybe history class would be a better place for this material, since a Catholic school can include a religious perspective, even in history class. But for public school students, whose only exposure to a religious perspective in any class is their after school catechism class, this is material that should not be passed up.

Thanks for your response. My brief presentation on MLK was consistent with Catholic social teaching. I trend more conservative in my politics and more orthodox in the faith, so I am not the deepest when it comes to social teaching. Many think of it as liberal in the political sense, but it seems that we’re all sinners and if we want to know Jesus, we better know (and love) our neighbor.

As I mentioned earlier, I used the “dream” speech as the basis for my presentation, and each student received a copy of the full speech. I edited/underlined these lines speech whose message to my ears is either scriptural or Christian:

*Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” (Isiaih)

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day – this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning.

We will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Tank God Almighty, we are free at last!
*

My neighborhood and parish are overwhelmingly white, with filipinos making up the largest minority, and some hispanics among our many thousand families. But there are not more than five African families, all recent immigrants from Ghana. There is one student in my class of mixed race (black/filipino) heritage. After the class she was appreciative of the fact that I acknowledged a black “man of God.” I took the opportunity to tell her that when she is confirmed in three months, she may receive the sacrament from Bishop Perry. She honestly had no idea there were black priests–let alone a bishop!

 

[fastenatingguy]

**

I have a problem when a DRE instructs ALL teachers to do a lesson on MLK (or JFK or Abe Lincoln or anyone else) regardless of whether or not it is appropriate in the context of their particular class that week, just because it is MLK day.

]

I understand your concern. And even though I was “short and sweet” with this requirement, and didn’t like her last minute curveball, I honored the DRE’s request, As always, this part of my presentation came after a sincere reading and comments on yesterday’s readings and all of our prayers and petitions. I also participated in the Chicago March for Life after class and explained why I was doing so during class. That’s also at the core of Catholic Social Teaching: protecting those who cannot defend themselves. I hope it was worthwhile and that the kids took it all to heart.**

 

[fastenatingguy]

If the Founding Fathers can be ridiculed and demeaned because of their ownership of slaves, then MLKs serial adultery is fair game.

Two weeks from now, we’ll be spending some time on the sixth and ninth commandments.

I guess this would make for a “fair and balanced” approach

My prep for that class will be straight from the catechism.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

And she repented, dedicated her life to God, and has an open cause for sainthood.

Do you know that Dr. King didn’t repent?

 

[jtkalehua88]

I agree. There was a reason why Jackie Kennedy despised the man.

Maybe she hated the idea, like many still today, of a Negro taking a stand against institutionalized racism.