Running head: ACTION PLAN: OBSERVATION

Action Plan: Observation

Matthew Robinson

Wright State University

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The following report is a summary of my experience developing an action plan in order

to help me gain vital skills and understanding to best serve my minority students. I have chosen

observation as the basis of my action plan, specifically observing the African American student

experience. My chosen experience was to ​ watch and reflect on the film ​Accidental Courtesy, a

documentary about the work done by musician Daryl Davis to befriend members of the Ku Klux

Klan in order to understand their hatred and perhaps influence some to change their ways. At the

heart of Davis’ work lies one question: How can you hate me if you don’t even know me

(Ornstein & Ornstein, 2017)?

I thought the film was an excellent documentary overall and offered a great insight on

Davis’ thought process in befriending the Klan, as well as some of the obstacles he has faced not

only from the notorious hate group but also other African Americans who view his work as

pointless. The film also offers a look at some of the current diversity issues facing America like

the Neo Nazi movement, police violence, and even the election of President Donald Trump. I

highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Daryl Davis, the Klan, and race relations as a

whole. I chose to reflect on this film for two main reasons.

First, I would like to continue my career in my home of Alabama, a place where racial

tensions remain as ingrained in the culture as sweet tea and football. Secondly, I was intrigued by

Davis’ approach to dealing with hate. It seems so foreign to me that a black man could befriend

not just one, but several members of the KKK, with some even being active participants. My

main goal in the observation is to better understand how my African American students may

respond to direct racism. It is my hope that I can take some of Davis’ strategies and begin to

apply them on a larger scale when I am faced with volatile racial issues. Although I have many
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African American friends, some whom I consider very close, I being a half Korean, half white

man could never fully appreciate their experience. This is especially true when it comes to the

university setting as I have never experienced what it is like to go to college as an African

American.

It is very important to me that I give all of my students the support they deserve and I

seek to empathize with everyone, not just those who are like me. Two moments in particular

really resonated with me. The first was a conversation Davis had with Jeff Schoep, a leader in

the Neo Nazi National Socialist movement. What I found to be very powerful was how

respectful Davis was towards Schoep. The two men were able to have a conversation about their

views and it never came to a point of violence. Davis countered all of Schoep’s points, but

allowed Schoep to share his thoughts. This example of open communication was very powerful.

What really made this interaction stand out for me though was the location.

Davis and Schoep met in a small restaurant known as Chris’ Hot Dogs, located in the

heart of downtown Montgomery, Alabama. My hometown. I have eaten at Chris’ many times, I

probably even sat where their meeting took place. The fact that Davis, a black man, could have a

conversation with a Neo Nazi leader in a restaurant within walking distance of the state capitol

really put things into perspective for me. I tried to imagine if this conversation were to take place

50 years ago and all I could imagine was the violence that Davis would have been met with for

even trying to speak to a white man, let alone have a meal with him.

The second moment in the film that I found very impactful was the interaction Davis had

in Baltimore with members of the Black Lives Matter movement in the city. Initially, Davis was

speaking with two younger members of the group and then with a much older man in the
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movement. While the interaction began with mutual sharing of ideas, it quickly became hostile

as the young men began to question Davis’ actions of the last few decades. Instead of celebrating

his interactions, they criticized him for wasting his life on people who could never change.

Things became very heated and soon personal insults were thrown. The two younger men left

and the older man expressed his feeling towards Davis without giving him a chance to speak.

The feeling overall was very hostile and to be honest it was very uncomfortable to watch.

There was disrespect on both sides. Davis called the younger men ignorant, even bringing

up the fact that one was a college dropout, and compared some of their ideals to the KKK. The

younger were very disrespectful towards Davis’ lifework and the older man was even more

aggressive in his displeasure of Davis. I feel that this was a good example of what happens when

communication breaks down. I was shocked at how quickly things devolved, but I also learned

how important it is to always keep in mind that not matter how much you disagree with

someone, you must always respect their right to speak.

In the beginning of the film, Davis says, “When two enemies are talking, they are not

fighting.” This phrase really stuck with me throughout the film and I feel my chosen moments

really exemplify this. In one conversation we see that even though Davis opposed Schoep, the

two men never came to physical blows. In the other conversation we see how things can turn

violent when two opposing sides do not engage in a respectful discourse. ​Accidental Courtesy

showed that communication is key when facing racism and some of the articles we have read

support this.

For example, in an article written for the Chronicle of Higher Education, Sarah Brown

detailed how three different university presidents addressed racial tensions on their campuses.
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Each president was faced with outraged students who all presented demands for change on their

campuses. While each president handled their students in a different way, all three centered

around one thing: communication. By giving the students a chance to voice their concerns and

solutions, compromises were made to the demands and work was being started to improve the

racial climates of each campus (Brown, 2016).

Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh wrote another article for the C​hronicle detailing ways that

campuses could support their students in times of crisis. The very first suggestion was

communication. Specifically, listening to what students have to say. From there we can begin to

empathize with our students and begin to understand why exactly they are distressed. The article

then touches on us doing what universities doing best, educating. By engaging in these

conversations, we can help them hone their skills of critical thinking and civil discourse

(Alex-Assensoh, 2016).

Overall, I believe that the strategy that Davis employs in engaging members of the KKK

gives us a good template for approaching racism on campus. Through civil discourse we can

begin to create a campus that is multicultural and ready to challenge any hatred being presented

with calm, clear heads. A campus that can speak to each other can begin to understand each

other.

In terms of my original goal of learning how my African American students may respond

to racism, I have seen two possible responses. The first being Davis’ approach of discussion. The

second being to reciprocate the hatred that is being heaped upon them. It is my hope that I can

better empathize with my students and encourage them to follow the path open communication

that Davis exemplifies, not to fight violence with more violence.

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Works Cited

Alex-Assensoh, Y. M. (2016, December 04). In Tumultuous Times, Colleges Can Do What They

Do Best. Retrieved March 15, 2017, from

http://www.chronicle.com/article/In-Tumultuous-Times-Colleges/238562

Brown, S. (2016, August 17). How 3 College Presidents Are Trying to Move Their Campuses

Past

Racial Tensions. Retrieved March 15, 2017, from

http://www.chronicle.com/article/How-3-College-Presidents-Are/237479

Ornstein, N. (Producer) & Ornstein, M. (Director). (2017). Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis,

Race & America. [Motion picture]. United States of America: Sound&Vision