A warning on the extent of anti-Semitism and other prejudices among children was made here today by Mary E. Goodman, coordinator of conference studies for the 1960 White House Conference on Childhood and Youth.
Mrs. Goodman, an educator, said children cannot avoid becoming prejudiced unless they are taught healthy attitudes towards religious and racial differences. According to Mrs. Goodman’s study, children are aware of group differences regardless of whether they have been exposed to racial or religious groups. She said children 5 to 8 years old might offer such flat objections as “we don’t want Jews on our street.”
Mrs. Goodman said she feels prejudice has become part of the American culture. “Children learn prejudice just like they learn how to eat with a knife and fork,” she declared. She has prepared a pamphlet explaining how parents can educate children against prejudice.
The 1960 Conference on Childhood and Youth, sponsored by the White House, may consider a number of aspects of the rise in racial and religious tension* as they affect children.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
