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Imus in the Morning
April 9, 2007





The New York Times is running an article entitled, "Imus Tries to
Explain His Remarks Again."

According to the article, "Mr. Imus last week described Rutgers
University’s women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed ho’s,” and then
days later said everyone needed to relax and should not be offended by
“some idiot comment meant to be amusing.”

As calls for Mr. Imus to resign continued, this morning he described
himself as a, "good person who said a bad thing."

Read a Related Article!!


Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

  • Ask your students why people should not say mean things about
    one another. Push them to explain, as well as they can. How
    would they feel if somebody said something mean about them?
    Why would they feel this way?
  • Rather than saying something mean about somebody else,
    encourage your students to say nice things about other
    people. Give them a chance to say something nice about
    another student in the class. Be sure that something nice is
    said about each student.

  • What do the words "I'm sorry" mean? When somebody says "I'm
    sorry" should the other person forgive him/her? Why/why not?
  • Ask students to consider if they've done something wrong
    in the last few days. Is there anybody to whom they think
    they should apologize?

  • Ask your students to identify people they know who are different
    than they are. How are these people different? If two people are
    different from one another does it mean that one person has to be
    better than the other? Why/why not?
  • Consider asking students to draw pictures in which they
    illustrate how people can be different from one another.

  • Is it possible for a good boy/girl to behave in a way that isn't so
    good? Why/why not? If someone does something bad does that
    mean that he/she is all bad? Why/why not?
  • Encourage students to think about how they are good
    people. Ask them to write down three things about
    themselves about which they are very proud. You might
    consider putting these up around the room.


Discussion-Starters for Older Students

  • Vocabulary terms to discuss: Syndicated; Climate; Malice; and,
    Homophobic.

  • Do your students think that Don Imus should be asked to resign
    because he described Rutgers University's women's basketball
    team as "nappy- headed ho's"? Why/why not? Should the fact that
    10% of the sick children on the Imus Ranch are black, influence
    whether or not Imus is asked to step down? Why/why not?
  • These questions could prompt an interesting class
    discussion.

  • Reverend Al Sharpton said, "Somewhere we must draw the line in
    what is tolerable in mainstream media." Do your students agree?
    Why/why not?
  • Ask your students to imagine that they are policymakers
    for the Federal Communications Commission. In groups,
    they should develop policy statements of no more than 100
    words explaining the rules for what can be said on the
    radio.

  • Ask your students to explain the following statement in their own
    words, "I'm not a bad person; I'm a good person, but I said a bad
    thing." What is the definition of a good person? What is the
    definition of a bad person? Is it possible for good people to do bad
    things? Why/why not? Is it possible for bad people to do good
    things? Why/why not?
  • Consider asking students to respond to this prompt in
    writing, perhaps a five point paragraph.
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