What do you think? GM leveled a community, Poletown, to "improve" the Detroit economy, and that failed. Look what they did to Flint!
Now they want a helping hand as they fly down in their private jets. Seems to me GM has taken advantage of our government over and over that only benefits a few?
Should we bail them out?
Poletown in the Classroom
Poletown is a true story. The year was 1981. Unemployment in Detroit, Michigan had reached 15 percent. The United States was in a recession. There was pressure to do something to turn things around economically. Through the use of Eminent Domain Mayor Coleman of Detroit announced that a local borough known then as Poletown, in reference to its Polish heritage, would be leveled. Comprised of 1500 homes, 16 churches, 144 businesses, 2 schools and a hospital, the entire community would be torn down. This was necessary to make way for a new GM plant that would provide 6000 jobs and help boost the economy. What followed were powerful lessons for both citizens, private corporations, and the government that are still valuable today and should never be forgotten.
This thematic unit provides a unique way to experience the Poletown situation. Through music, pictures and video students learn first hand what the issues were and the controversial outcome. Poletown reaches across many educational strands including government, political science, english, and economics intertwined with controversy that challenges the U.S. Constitution. The culminating activity will ask students to identify a current issue and choose some type of multi-media to convey their issue and solution.
This thematic unit provides a unique way to experience the Poletown situation. Through music, pictures and video students learn first hand what the issues were and the controversial outcome. Poletown reaches across many educational strands including government, political science, english, and economics intertwined with controversy that challenges the U.S. Constitution. The culminating activity will ask students to identify a current issue and choose some type of multi-media to convey their issue and solution.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
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