And just like that, the problem is gone! Well, maybe.

[rdchino]

Today is Grading Final Exams Day.  One of the exam questions asked about the significance of the Civil Rights Movement, and I received generally fine descriptions of the movement's activities and tactics although the significance part is more tricky, as always.  This batch has a new twist, though, because of last month's presidential election result.  Many students are using Barack Obama's election as an epilogue to demonstrate the progress America has made since the Civil War.  While I am thrilled that my students are making connections between the past and the present, their analyses are a bit idealistic:  "Blacks have integrated within society and have an equal opportunity to attain the American dream, including becoming President of the United States, which just occurred this past national election" and "it not only made things better for blacks it helped bring equality to different groups throughout America."  A couple students took pains to state that this in itself does not signify the end of racial problems, though.  Thankfully.

Another observation: the problem of race may or may not be resolved by Obama's election, but students still seem to have trouble finding staplers.  Perhaps that issue is just too intractable...

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