Lies Our Students Tell Themselves

I read Lies Our Students Tell Themselves which appeared in the Spring 2009 issue of "Teaching for Tolerance". This article begins with a comment made by a student, "I'm too poor and too black." I am assuming the author of the article is a teacher and she seems to hear comments like this far too often from students that she works with. These students attend school in Selma, Alabama and this particular area is known as a focal point for the Civil Rights Movement. The town of Selma is still struggling with a variety of issues and is still searching for ways to make these changes. The article mentioned that as of 2008, there was a golf course in the area that was off limits to blacks.
The author goes on to say that she is not worried about the minority of people who still exhibit racist behavior, however it is the attitudes and mindsets of the students she works with that is of utmost concern. Some of the students she works with seem to believe that they are "inferior" and that choices in life do not amount to anything. In other words, they do not believe in their own hopes and dreams. Such statements like the one addressed at the beginning of the article are made by students. She then addresses other lies that students may tell themselves. Lies dealing with "sexism, economic power, religious bigotry, or intolerance toward anyone or anything different."
In her work, the author noticed a change in attitude with her students. What changed her students? "Information about their own history,and information that led to a greater understanding of those who are different from themselves." This information helped students sort truths from lies.
What caught my attention in the article is that students changed because it was information that students could relate to. It was information about social justice and real things. The author made the statement, "If you aren't teaching social justice and tolerance, you aren't really teaching at all." What are your thoughts and beliefs about this statement?
Educating ourselves and that of others can change those lies into truths. After reading this article, I continue to see the need to expose our students to themes and ideas of social justice.
Instead of having a class gift exchange, my students are donating food items and winter hats to bring to our local food shelf. When I mentioned the idea to them, many were excited and I heard statements like "that seems like a great idea!" Even though the students I work with aren't necessarily exposed to racial problems, I can expose social justice ideas and themes with my students through children's literature in which we can then discuss.
How else can we teach kids about ideas of social justice? How can we expose them to ideas they are unaware of? What else can we do in our class to help students sort lies from the truth?
I continually am reminded of the skit/presentation that we viewed at our Nov. UW-L master's conference as well as the Danger of a single story.