Jan. 18, 2017 -- Sounds of rebellion were brewing recently at Canterbury Elementary School. Sixty 4th graders were gathered into one classroom and they were not happy.
“What?!” “This is an outrage!” and “But you can’t do that,” were just a few of the statements they uttered. No, shouted. That is what they were shouting at their teachers.
But, let’s back up a minute. In fact, let’s back up about 250 years, to the period after the colonists successfully fought on behalf of King George in the French and Indian War.
King George, ruler of England and also of the British Colonies in what is now the American northeast, began levying all kinds of exorbitant taxes on the colonists. And those colonists got pretty darn angry. Remember “no taxation without representation”? Well, three classes of fourth graders were about to experience this for themselves.
The students sat on the floor in a large circle around an entire classroom. Their teachers, all wearing tiaras, stood in the middle, along with two students (“members of Parliament”) seated at a table.
King George, better known as fourth grade teacher Judi Khalfoun, waved her sparkly wand and demanded everyone’s attention. She informed them that they’d be receiving a “cup of taxes,” which they were strictly forbidden from touching. Teachers then moved about the room, handing out plastic cups filled with Skittles, much to the students’ delight.
“Can we eat them?” one student asked. “I want some!” squealed another.
To which Khalfoun reiterated that the Skittles must not be touched, adding, “The King has spoken!” for extra emphasis. She then announced that Parliament had enacted a new law, which required the payment of an extra tax on coffee.
“Please pay the tax collectors five pieces each,” she said as her fellow teachers Stacy Kroger and Nadine Davis walked around the room collecting Skittles from grumbling students.
The teachers, with much pomp and circumstance, ceremoniously dumped the gathered Skittles into the King’s very large bowl. The Parliament then spoke again and again. A sugar tax had been enacted and all colonists were required to pay an additional tax of three pieces. Followed by a tea tax of five pieces.
More grumbling ensued, followed by some gasps as students began to realize that they might not get to eat their Skittles after all.
Ms. Khalfoun explained that the Skittles each colonist had left would need to be used to pay for their homes and their businesses and to feed themselves and their families.
As students were estimating how many Skittles remained in their cups, Parliament member Vivian Portner stepped up with yet another announcement, “You own a clothing store and need to buy indigo to dye your fabric. Please pay a new tax of six pieces.”
“Six pieces?! But I don't even have six pieces!” shouted a student.
“This is a monarchy, not a democracy,” responded teacher Kroger. “You don’t get a say.”
“This is a monarchy malarkey!” retorted Hazel Krizman from her spot on the floor.
The shouting and complaining from students got so loud that one teacher quickly moved to close the door so as not to bother those nearby classrooms that were still firmly rooted in the 21st century. The teachers went around and collected the empty cups, which only seemed to add insult to injury.
Khalfoun then held up King George’s very large and very full bowl. “Thank you, dear colonists, for these precious taxes. Half of them will be split to pay my tax collectors and members of Parliament and half of them are for me.” Jaws dropped around the room as students watched Khalfoun slowly pour the Skittles into the bowls of the lucky few.
“But, but, but . . .what about us?”
“What about you?” said Khalfoun. “Tell King George how you feel.”
Words like upset, angry, enraged, furious and hungry rose up from around the room. “You’re making me feel like I’m a nothing,” said Adriana Womack.
“So, you feel like you’re a nothing?” said Khalfoun. “But really you’re colonists. And you just fought in a war against the Indians on King George’s behalf. Some of your family members even died in that war. And what did the king leave you with?”
“Nothing,” came the unanimous reply.
Ms. Kroger stepped in now holding up a book titled, “I’ll Fight, Will You?” and announced that they would be moving into the next stage of their study of early America, as the colonists declare their independence from Britain, launching the Revolutionary War.
In accordance with Ohio’s social studies standards, fourth graders across the district “need to understand that the 13 colonies came together around a common cause of liberty and justice, uniting to fight for independence during the American Revolution and to form a new nation.”
By participating in the simulation, Canterbury’s students were better able to understand why the colonists opted for rebellion. The teachers were sure to reiterate that what they just experienced was very similar to what actually happened.
“With Skittles?” asked one incredulous student.
“No, not with Skittles,” the teachers explained. “But with something even more valuable to the colonists: their hard-earned money.”
They then explained that if the King had levied another tax against them, requiring more Skittles than they had left, the government could take over their land or home or even throw the guilty party into debtors’ prison. Conversation ensued about what we get from the taxes we pay today and that the colonists weren’t benefitting from all the taxes they paid, which were instead being used solely to enrich the already-rich king.
According to Khalfoun, “This activity has still remained with them nearly a week after. The outrage was real to them and they seemed to really FEEL what the colonists must have felt. This simulation has helped the students understand first hand the anger that led to the revolution. This could never be taught just out of reading a book.”
That very real anger was somewhat tempered when teachers shared Skittles with their students later that afternoon. Tax-exempt.