Over the past couple of years, we have seen an alarming increase in incidents of violent bias, including hate crimes, harassment, identity-based bullying, vandalism and more. At the same time, we have also seen ordinary citizens take action to support and protect targets and victims—from individual bystanders acting as allies to groups of people fighting for fairness and justice in their communities.
A&E’s ‘Divided States’ documentary series explores the ways in which racial tensions and hate crimes are affecting communities in the United States and Europe. It also explores how community members are confronting and addressing this problem. ADL has partnered with A&E to provide lesson plans and parent resources to help you discuss these issues at school and at home.
The first two episodes will premiere on Monday, March 5th at 9 PM ET and 10 PM ET. The second two episodes will air on Monday, March 12th at 9 PM ET and 10 PM ET.
Part 1. HELLERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA: A fight between students at a Pennsylvania high school leads to assault charges and an investigation into a racist video posted on Snapchat.
Part 2. PORTLAND, OREGON: A man shouts racial slurs at two teens on a commuter train, prompting three passengers to intervene. In the ensuing altercation, the man stabs the three passengers, killing two of them and wounding the third.
Part 3. OLATHE, KANSAS: A Kansas gunman allegedly opens fire on two Indian people in a sports bar, killing one and wounding the other. An ex-Marine is also wounded trying to stop him.
Part 4. EUROPE: Fueled by terror politics and the refugee crisis, a surging tide of right wing nationalism spreads across Europe, the likes of which have not been seen since World War II.
Lesson Plans for Teachers
- Cyberbullying: Understanding and Addressing Online Cruelty (Elementary/MS/HS)
- Huddled Mass or Second Class: Challenging Anti-Immigrant Bias in the U.S.
- Experiences with Race and Racism (Elementary/MS)
- Anti-Muslim Bigotry and Being an Ally (MS/HS)
- Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (MS/HS)
- The Alt Right and White Supremacy (HS)
- Slurs, Offensive Jokes and How to Respond (MS/HS)
Ideas to Empower Young People
- Empowering Young People in the Aftermath of Hate
- 10 Ways Youth Can Engage in Activism
- Helping Students Make Sense of News Stories about Bias and Injustice
- Creating an Anti-Bias Learning Environment
- Race Talk: Engaging Young People in Conversations about Race and Racism
- Navigating a Digital World: Tips for Youth
Conversations for Families
- Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events
- Charlottesville and Beyond (Table Talk)
- Responding to Cyberhate (Table Talk)
- Cyber Safety Action Guide
Other Resources to Address Bullying
If you have questions or need more information about our programs or resources, please email us at education@adl.org.