Who is your favorite African American contributor in history?

Guy#1 My favorite is Muhammad Ali. I mean he was the peoples champ and he stood up for what he believed in no matter the circumstance he was faced with. Ali in the ring stood for something greater than just the sport of boxing, it stood for hope.

Guy#2 I got to say Michael Jordan. I grew up watching him play for the Tarheels and the Chicago Bulls and his game had everybody in my hood wanting to be like Mike. I mean he might not have been big with civil-rights, but Jordan is Jordan.

Guy#3 He’s not really a contributor, but I always liked Denzel Washington. He stands for everything that’s good about the black community, plus he’s one of the greatest actors of all-time.

Do you prefer the term black or African-American? Why?

Guy#1 I don’t know I actually don’t mind either term. I don’t want to be called an African American until we as minorities are collectively afforded the same luxuries and respect that we deserve. So yeah, at this point I’m a black man before anything else.

Guy#2 I’m black. I’m American when I leave the country. I feel like half of the time black folks get thrown into the American conversation but don’t really get treated like everybody else. That’s just how I feel.

Guy#3 African-American. It’s disrespectful to just call somebody black. My skin is brown, I live in America, and my ancestors were African. It only makes sense.

Do uniforms and dress code policies create a better learning environment? How?

Guy#1 Yes, they definitely do. Being able to dress however you choose highlights an individual’s creativity but often times creates a distraction from the basic reasons for going to school. You go to class to learn not to floss.

Guy#2 No. Better teachers create a better learning environment. You can’t blame the clothes people wear for test scores. If I don’t study, I will fail the test whether I’m wearing a 3-piece suit or a white tee.

Guy#3 Dress codes are a dumb idea. People don’t change based on the clothes they wear. If you dumb in Levis you dumb in Khakis. Ain’t no way around it.