University of Wisconsin - Extension

Rational people know that all followers of Islam are not terrorists -- just as we know that all Christians are not like those who drank poison at Jonestown.

So, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 tragedy, many parents and teachers are searching for ideas and information to help themselves and their children avoid letting anger and fear turn into stereotyping.

"It is normal and natural to be outraged by what happened," said Patricia Day, a 4-H youth development specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. "What is important is what we do with that anger. Lashing out at others who are different from us because we assume they are similar to those who hurt us is not a healthy response."

Day believes that one way to head off negative stereotyping based on race, religion or place of origin is by trying to becoming better informed. "I think now is the time to inform ourselves and our children about the history and culture of Arabic peoples, as well as to learn about the Islamic religion. It's a good opportunity to find out about others who live in places that are far away and very different from the United States."

For information and ideas about how to talk about these issues with children, Day and members of the "Relating to Others" 4-H work team recommend the following websites:

-- The Anti-Defamation League's website contains handouts and other information and tips for teaching about stereotyping. http://www.adl.org/main_education.asp"> http://www.adl.org/main_education.asp

-- The Institute of Islamic Information and Education site, "Introducing Islam to non-Muslims" is an easy-to-read summary of the history and beliefs of Islam. http://islam.org/mosque/Intro_Islam.htm"> http://islam.org/mosque/Intro_Islam.htm

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance websites feature a variety of resources for teachers and educators: http://www.tolerance.org/teach_tol/i -- http://www.tolerance.org/ .

The Second Step Curriculum, developed by the Committee For Children is a long-term curriculum that includes a focus on empathy training. It also offers helpful suggestions for parents and educators about dealing with the Sept. 11 disaster. http://www.cfchildren.org/

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