Are You a Fair Person? (Take this self-evaluation and decide for yourself.) True False   I treat people the way I want to be treated.       I treat people impartially and without prejudice.       I consider the feelings of all people who will be affected by my actions.       I am open-minded and reasonable.       I play by the rules.       I never take advantage of others.       I think I am/am not a fair person because: ___________________ (If you wish to copy or use any material from this website, please click here for Terms of Use.) "The Fairness Connection" The Video In this video, Chloe, a thirteen-year-old blogger, guides us through her classroom video blog on the topic of fairness. Through a mix of hypothetical situations, documentaries, and group discussions, Chloe shows us how teens are defining fairness, practicing fairness, and dealing with the obstacles that come up around fairness.  more . . .   Click play for a sampling of "The Character Chronicles" "The Character Chronicles" The Series This award-winning six-part video series brings character education alive for upper elementary and middle school students. Presented from the point of view of a middle school video blogger, this series explores the Six Pillars of Character through the thoughts and personal experiences of young people throughout the U.S. more . . . For more information about individual videos in this series, click on the title below. If your school or organization does not have these videos, you can purchase them from Live Wire Media, or request them from your local library.       Subscribe to our almost Monthly Newsletter Get breaking news and developments in character education and helpful tips and ideas that you can use with your own character education program. View the current issue.       DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What is "fairness?" How do you know when something is unfair? Does being fair mean you always treat people equally? Explain your answer. How many people here think the world is unfair and there's nothing you can do about it? In the video one boy said kids were too young to really understand fairness. Do you think it's true that you don't really understand what "fair" is because you are too young? Do you think there is a definition of fairness everyone could agree on? If so, what might that definition be? Do you think it is fair for __________ to lose her __________ because she cheated? What do you think the school should do? One kid said that another definition of fairness is "getting what you deserve." Another kid said that Jennifer might be poor but "besides that, she is like every other person and should be treated that way." Do you agree? Should gender or class be disregarded when someone is being punished? One kid says we need to ignore everything but the deed and the rule broken. How do you feel about that? Can you think of an example where it might be fair to give someone an extra advantage? What do you think of the statement that whether you think of consequences or not, they're still there? What makes a person fair? What does being fair have to do with one's character? Do you agree that it's necessary to walk in someone's shoes before you decide what is fair? What do you think about the statement that one boy makes, "It's easy for us to define what's fair when it's not about us?" After talking about __________ situation, have any of you changed your mind about what the school should do about her? Have you ever been punished in a way you felt was unfair? What was unfair about it? Do you think the teen court at __________ was fair in its decision to keep Felicia from going on the _________ trip? If not, should it have been more or less strict? If you had a chance to serve on a teen court, do you think you would be able to make fair decisions? What if the person you were reviewing was a friend of yours? How do you hold onto strict principles of fairness? Is it possible? What are "assumptions?" How do assumptions play a role in fairness? What responsibility do we have when we see someone being treated unfairly? What does our response to unfairness to others have to do with our character? Is there nothing we can do when something is unfair? In the video, Michael Pesci said, "Come up with an idea, get people to help you out, anything is possible." Do you agree? Michael used a passion of his to make a difference. What role do you think passion plays in making changes in the world that create more fairness? What is your own personal passion that you can express by making a difference in this world? What are some little things you can do to make life more fair? What do you think __________ meant when he said, "be the change you want to see?" What do you think about _________ statement that some people say if we want life to be fair, that means each of us needs to be fair. Do you agree? Are You a Fair Person? (Take this self-evaluation and decide for yourself.) True False I treat other people the way I want to be treated. I treat people with equanimity and impartiality. I am open-minded and reasonable. I play by the rules. I don't take advantage of people. I consider the feelings of all people who will be affected by my actions and decisions. I think I am/am not a fair person because: ___________________ "It is reasonable that every one who asks justice should do justice." - Thomas Jefferson (If you wish to copy or use any material from this website, please click here for Terms of Use.) "Fairness" - The Video This program helps young people understand how to live by the golden rule, what it takes to be a fair and just person, and how much our personal actions really do matter. Learn more . . Buy This Video Click play for a sampling of "In Search of Character" "In Search of Character" The Series This award winning video series spotlights ten core virtues that help teens develop into caring, respectful, responsible people who make choices based on what's right, rather than what they can get away with. Learn more . . . Buy This Series For more information about individual videos in this series, click on the title below. • Trustworthiness • Respect • Responsibility • Fairness • Caring • Citizenship • Honesty • Courage • Diligence • Integrity If your school or organization does not have these videos, you can purchase them from Live Wire Media, or request them from your local library. Subscribe to our almost Monthly Newsletter Get breaking news and developments in character education and helpful tips and ideas that you can use with your own character education program. View this month's newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter. Send this page to a friend Do you have friends or colleagues who would like to know about this page or about this website? Click on the blue arrow to share it with them. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS If you are using the video, ask questions 1 & 2 before viewing. 1. Agree or disagree: It's an unfair world, and nothing I do is going to change that. 2. How do you know when something is unfair? 3. What does treating people fairly mean? Does fairness mean everyone gets the same amount, like an equal piece of a chocolate bar? Does fairness mean enforcing the rules for everyone, even if it means losing a game? Is it possible to treat everyone fairly? 4. In the video one kid said that fairness involves putting yourself in another person's shoes. Is this true? How is it possible to do that? What does the golden rule have to do with fairness? 5. What does it mean to be open-minded? What does it mean to be impartial? What do these things have to do with fairness? 6. Is it possible to be fair without considering everyone who will be affected by your decision? Give an example. 7. What does intolerance have to do with unfairness? 8. Most people think fairness requires us to treat people equally. What does it mean to treat people equally? Give examples of equal and unequal treatment. 9. Can you think of a situation in which it might be right to give someone a special advantage? Are there ever good reasons to give unequal consequences for the same offense? 10. What if being fair to others means sacrificing something important of your own, like time, money, or even your job? How can you determine what's fair when you have to choose between yourself and others? 11. How should you treat people who are not fair with you? 12. How did the Craig Kielburger story make you feel? What did you learn from it? 13. Do you agree with Craig that "Once we realize a problem exists, it's a call for action"? What kinds of actions did Craig take? Is it realistic to think the average teenager can take meaningful action, or is Craig just a special case? 14. Craig said every person is born with a special gift. What gift do you have that could be used to bring about more justice in the world? 15. What do you think Aristotle meant when he said, "All virtue is summed up in dealing justly"? Do you agree with him? 16. What does being fair have to do with the quality of your character? 17. What are the benefits of being a fair person? How do you benefit from the fairness of others? 18. Did the video present any ideas you disagree with? (If you wish to copy or use any material from this website, please click here for Terms of Use.) To find elementary and middle school teaching guides on Fairness and related topics, click here. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS 1. Think of a time when you've taken unfair advantage of a person or a situation, or when someone has taken unfair advantage of you. Describe it. What was unfair about it? How did it make you feel? What did you learn from the experience? 2. How is fairness related to having respect for others? How is it related to honesty? To being reliable? To being a good citizen? 3. Craig Kielburger has written a book about his experiences fighting child labor called Free the Children (Harper Collins). It is very powerful, inspiring, and beautifully written. Have your students read it and write a book report. 4. Describe an unfair situation in your community and what you think should be done about it. 5. Research and write about how the legal system in a democracy attempts to administer fairness or justice. What are the elements of the legal system that are designed to make justice work? 6. Dr. Mike said that to make a fair decision you have to consider the stakeholders - all the people affected directly or indirectly by your decision. Set up a situation in which you have to make an important decision. For instance, choosing someone for a job. Are there more stakeholders than just the two applicants? How can you tell who has a stake in your decision? How does considering the stake-holders help you make a fairer decision? (If you wish to copy or use any material from this website, please click here for Terms of Use.) Other teaching guides in this series: • Trustworthiness • Respect • Responsibility • Fairness • Caring • Citizenship • Honesty • Courage • Diligence • Integrity STUDENT ACTIVITIES 1. Have your students visit this website and click on "Opportunities for Action." There they will find opportunities to become involved in activities and issues relating to fairness and justice. For students interested in child labor and human rights, our website provides links to Free The Children and other organizations involved with these issues. 2. As a class, make the following two lists: a list of things we sometimes do in our personal lives that are unfair, and a list of things we do as a society that are unfair. What could be done to rectify these injustices so we can cross them off the list? Whose responsibility is it to correct the injustices in our society? How could you contribute to the effort? How could we do better in our personal lives? 3. Invite a judge to come and talk to your class about how he/she makes a fair decision in the courtroom. 4. Bring in articles from newspapers and magazines describing situations in which fairness and justice is an issue. Decide who is acting fairly, and who is acting unfairly in these situations. 5. One aspect of fairness is equal opportunity. Do a research study in your school to see if students feel that they have equal opportunities. Are there groups of students who don't think they do? Consider race, class, and sex in your study. Is there a group of "outcasts" in your school who feel that they're being treated unfairly? What could be done to address these complaints. Share the results of the study with the staff and other students.