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The Problem With Profiling

• Arts and Humanities
  Language Arts
• Educational Technology
  
• Social Studies
  Civics, Current Events, Government, History, U.S. History, Sociology

Grades

Brief Description

Objectives

Students

• explore the issue of racial profiling.
• write brief essays about their conclusions.
• submit their essays to a youth message board.

Keywords

African Americans, Arab Americans, crime, profile, profiling, racial, safety, terrorism

Materials Needed

computers with Internet access and print and online resources about racial profiling, such as

• Racial Profiling: Should It Be Used for Aviation Security?
• A Resource Guide on Racial Profiling Data Collection Systems (optional: This is a .pdf file; Acrobat Reader is required for download)
• Profiling Distinctions
• Yahoo! News Database: Racial Profiling
• Racial Profiling: Prejudice or Protocol?

Lesson Plan

Explain to students that racial profiling is the practice of targeting a person for criminal investigation based on his or her racial characteristics. Point out that profiling can also be based on other characteristics, such as age or gender.

• Ask students: Have you ever been stopped by police and questioned because of specific characteristics, such as race, age, or gender ? How would you feel if you were stopped by police and questioned because of such characteristics? What evidence of a crime do police have when they detain and question a person based on profiling? What rights of profiled suspects are violated? What are some reasons people give to support profiling? What are some reasons people give against profiling? What are the benefits of profiling? What are the dangers of profiling?
• Ask students to explore print and online resources about racial profiling.
• Invite students to Spot the Fake Incident.
• Ask: Should racial profiling of Arab Americans be allowed in view of recent terrorist activities? Why or why not?
• Have students write brief essays about their views on profiling Arab Americans.

Assessment

Evaluate students on the factual content and literary characteristics of their essays.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Linda Starr

National Standards

LANGUAGE ARTS: English

• GRADES K - 12
  NL-ENG.K-12.1 Reading for Perspective
  NL-ENG.K-12.2 Reading for Understanding
  NL-ENG.K-12.3 Evaluation Strategies
  NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills
  NL-ENG.K-12.5 Communication Strategies
  NL-ENG.K-12.6 Applying Knowledge
  NL-ENG.K-12.7 Evaluating Data
  NL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research Skills
  NL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural Understanding
  NL-ENG.K-12.11 Participating in Society
  NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills