Area students learn about King

They want to battle racism hoping it will bring love and peace to the world. They are learning about the hardships that face humanity, but they still believe goodness is possible. They are the students attending Harmony School in Bloomington and they range in age from five to 18. They are the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.\nWhile most schools have the day off and young children might be outside playing, Harmony students were gathered in the gymnasium early in the morning listening to Steve Bonchek, director of Harmony school, who everyone calls Roc, talk about how young people can step up and give meaningful contributions to society. \nBonchek, wearing a green plaid shirt and black jeans sat in the front of the gymnasium talking into the microphone. He looked out at the 200 students seated on the hard wood floor who are listening intently to the words he speaks. They don't look bored or tired. \n"Ask yourself 'how can I make a difference?'" Bonchek urged. "Think of something you'd like to do to make the world a better place."\nHe recalled a saying he heard on a radio show a couple days ago.\n"Run towards social justice and equality," Bonchek said to his students. "If you can't run, then walk. And if you can't walk, then crawl. All of us are capable of crawling."\nAfter the speech is over, students quickly and orderly disperse into their groups. A teacher doesn't have to line them up and try to get their attention. They simply know what to do. About 60 high school students remain in the gymnasium to listen to a panel discussion on civil liberties, while the elementary students go upstairs to watch documentary videos on child labor. \nThe panelists include IU professor Steve Russell, IU senior Rima Kapitan, Jeff Melton (Green Party - 9th District) and Lt. Cornell Carl Wayne Pollard. They addressed the students about King, and what they could do individually to protect civil liberties. \n"MLK's victory is incomplete," Pollard said. "If we continue to look at prominent people it will never get done. Most of you have 60 to 70 years left. You are the people."\nKapitan, who also writes for the IDS, encouraged the students to be curious and to question government.\n"The constitution doesn't work by itself -- the people have to force it," she said. \nUpstairs, elementary students are spread out on the carpeted floor of a classroom watching a documentary on child labor in India and the story of a 12-year-old boy who started an organization trying to protect the children. Several teachers are seated on the floor with the children and lead discussion. Some children sit on the couches while others lay on top of long tables. \nA young boy who is seated in the front raises his hand.\n"Is he still alive?" he asks.\n"He is," Michelle Mattoon says, one of the teachers leading the discussion.\nShe goes on to talk more about the situation of child labor.\nThe boy raises his hand one more time.\n"Are the children he freed still OK?"\n"We don't know," Mattoon replies. \nThe students continue to listen to their teacher with fear and concern in their eyes.\n"How would you guys feel working for 12 hours a day at the age of eight?" Mattoon asks.\nNo answer.\nAfter a while the teachers all get up and encourage the kids to stretch.\n"Everyone hang down," Mattoon said enthusiastically. "Stretch to the left, and stretch to the right!" Kids quickly get on their feet and all of their hands go up in stretch. \nAfter the documentary the children have a choice of either making up a dance to a rap video on social justice, or to watch another documentary.\nThe teachers try to get volunteers for the dancing.\n"Come on dancers, let's go for some moon walking and busting the moves," Scott Evans, one of the teachers, said, laughing. "I have a pair of parachute pants you can borrow."\nAfter some persuasion, several students volunteer to choreograph the dance. \nBill McCormick is the third and fourth grade teacher at Harmony, and he said the school is about giving its students choices. Many of the activities of the school focus on social action and non-violence. Throughout the year the students have been learning about King.\n"We wanted our kids to have a background on MLK," McCormick said. "Today isn't the first time they are hearing about it."\nIt's McCormick's first year with Harmony and he said it is different from most schools. For starters they don't give formal letter grades. And they address their teachers by their first names. Written evaluations are given for each child. Students also have an ample amount of opportunities for social interaction, which McCormick said brings along problems that the students learn how to solve.\n"From what I have seen it's worked very well," he said. "It's an organic approach to doing things."\nBack at the panel discussion one hour later, the high school students asked the panelists questions about civil liberties. Criminal justice professor Steven Russell was impressed by them. \n"I thought they asked excellent questions and they had strong personalities," Russell said. "Young people are our future. Right now I can be a judge if I wanted to, but I'd rather be teaching because it is more important."\nKathy Boone, the fifth and the sixth grade teacher, was excited about the day's events. She said she hoped kids will realize they can commit themselves to something even if it's one step.\n"Long walks begin with one step," she said laughing. "And the kids can conceive something concrete in their minds."\nBoone said the reactions of the students to King's message vary.\n"My students didn't realize what MLK was up against," she said. "They were shocked and horrified after watching some of the documentary videos. They were also very impressed by the power of young students in the movement and their lack of fear."\nIn the afternoon, all students split into smaller groups for discussions ranging from women's rights to Kenya to racism. Again, the students chose which event they attended.\nThe National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Monroe County chapter President Clarence W. Gilliam and his wife Frances E. Gilliam led a group of 11 students in a discussion on equality, segregation and shared their stories of their own struggle and accomplishments. They sat in front of the circle wearing suits. Clarence had a cast on one of his hands. \nThe students listened quietly to the Gilliams, but they quickly raised their hands as questions arose in their minds. \n"All people should have equal rights," Clarence said. "Once you understand your rights you are --"\nBut before he can finish a young girl with several braids in her hair interrupts.\n"Someone new is here, and her name is Amy," she said.\nThe Gilliams looks at Amy who has just entered the room. She is a very young, quiet girl. They say hello to her, and the teacher thanks the other girl for introducing Amy.\nOne of the Harmony teachers who is also in the discussion tells the children about her own schooling experience. \nA young boy named Tyler Whitehead raises his hand.\n"Did you see any black kids when you went to school?"\n"No, not many, there were very few of them," the teacher replied.\nClarence talked about how Bloomington has changed so much over the years. He looks at each child as he is speaking. \n"Bloomington has changed tremendously over the years concerning the communication between races," he said. "There is more respect for each other. Now we get along with each other. We are more alike than we are different."\nThe teacher added final words to the discussion.\n"Today we're talking about little changes we can all do," she said. She looks at the Gilliams. "They have done things in their life for students and that is why we are all here together under one school."\nWhitehead gets a curious look on his face and raises his hand one more time. \n"When is it going to be time for lunch?" he asked. \nThe teacher smiles.\n"Well we are going to be taking a break right now. But I thought you had another profound question."\nThe children laugh.\n"Well I do," Whitehead said, smiling and inching up on his seat.\n"When a black person and a white person have a kid what color is it?" he asked. \nFrances explained that it is a blend of the two colors.\nAfter the discussion, like many of the other guest speakers, the Gilliams were very impressed with the students.\n"They seem very fond of each other and they realize that they are different but the same," Frances said. "This is very good. Maybe we are doing something right. I think there is hope for the races because of young teachers and these kids. They don't have this buildup that older people have"