"The Freedom Writers Diary" Their story. Their words.

1. What activist or writer would you like to invite to your school?

I would like to invite Miep Gies or Zinedine Zidane. Miep Gies is a nice person because she helped Anne Frank's family during WWII. Anne Frank was a young girl who has wrote a diary of her feelings about the sad war. Zinedine Zidane is a footballeur who helps associations for poor childrens. I love these generous people. I would like to learn Anne Frank's life and say thank you because Miep Gies is a wonderful person.


2. The writer of Diary 36 (in "Freedom writers") asks, "Why should I read books about people that don't look like me?..." How would you answer this student's question if you were her teacher?

They learn English from reading Anne Frank's diary because it's a sad story and they have a sad story too. It's important to learn about different people, culture... We must open our minds to other "worlds". We should love other people before to love ourselves. This is my answer.

3. What are the dangers of stereotypes? What can people do to break free from stereotypes? Why is this important?

Stereotypes are bad because people have difficulty breaking free from them.

4. What ethnicities are the freedom writers?

There are Asians, Latinos, African Americans... There are all ethnicities but many Asians, Latinos, African Americans and a white.

5. How is the "hood" described by the freedom writers?

The hood is bad. There are gangsters, drug dealers, racial tensions, victims of people who kill them and tagging. It's a dangerous zone. "Hood" is the neighborhood.

6. What role do the students' parents play in their lives?

It's depends. "In Diary 5", a mom "percina" her child with the sign of the cross and it's good but in "Diary 16", parents don't understand the love and they are cruel with the girl.


7. Some of the students have been to juvenile homes; give a few examples concerning their experience.

In "Diary 3", a Mexican girl was in a juvenile home. Now she is out but she is controlled. It's very difficult for youngsters.

8. The writer says: "We began to understand the true meaning of not judging a book by its cover", what does he refer to and how would you translate that into French?

Nous commençons à comprendre la vraie façon de ne pas juger un livre sur sa couverture, (sur son titre). He refer to at "Durango Street".

9. What are the main problems the freedom writers face?

The problems are: racial tensions, students don't know hoy to read (there is a dyslexic), drugs, death and the division of the society!

10. (In diary 6) "A couple of days ago, one of my friend was laid to rest." What do you learn about his/her experience? How did you feel reading it?

It's very sad. His friend was in the wrong place at the wrong time and it's not just. The student is shocked. We learn in "Diary 5" that a gun is 25$, so it's normal that there are many people dead! The death of his student is inacceptable and not just.

11. A student talks about her/his teacher Mrs Gruwell, she/he says: "Why is she fucking questioning everything? She always tries to corner you into accepting that there is another side, when there really isn't". What does she/he learn from her/his teacher?

Mrs Gruwell is cool, a nice teacher very understanding and compassionate. She helps her students.