by Ernest Smartt

Created on: June 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 05, 2009

Teaching about tolerance, modeling tolerance, and pointing out the value of tolerance through examples, are all currently a part of the educational process. Often when this idea of teaching tolerance is brought up, it has intentions of becoming the rule. In that very act, intolerance is created.

In most schools there are mixed races and languages represented in both the staff and student body. Just allowing that to exist is usually the greatest way of teaching and experiencing what tolerance is all about. However, tolerance is a counteraction to prejudice in many, or most cases. Teaching the harms caused by actions or behaviors produced by prejudice, has always been the most effective way to bring about tolerance. Teaching teamwork, unity, appropriate pride in the school, and appropriate social interactions will lead to actually living out tolerance far quicker than making tolerance mandatory, and teaching it as if it is the only acceptable way to get along. People learn to live with their differences, and get along well in the process.

People need each other no matter what they are like. Blacks and whites and Hispanics get along just fine when they are placed in an environment where their social interactions are encouraged by the educational and recreational activities of the schools. While there are some differences in physical sizes, and skills or talents, often associated with racial differences, it is clear that they can all learn from each other.

Ability to speak the national language is sometimes a barrier for social interaction, and sometimes causes intolerance issues. It is clear that those who want to learn and improve language skills overcome the barriers, and those who don't often make the barriers larger. Being able to speak your native language is very important, but being willing to adapt to a new language promotes social tolerance among the different nationalities.

Having different dreams and hopes for life can also lead to differences in groups of people. In some high schools where there are pre-college medical classes, there is often a natural separation of social interactions from the other students. Sometimes these medical students are just more focused on their career plans and efforts. They may have different interests which some of the other students don't have. They may be looked upon as snobbish by some students, or they may look upon some other students as lower class. Promoting a social atmosphere that causes all students to

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