Jury Room Briefing Handout Jury Room Briefing
Case Study: 12 Angry Men — Differentiating Prejudice
Name:
Date:
1. Operational Definitions
Racial Prejudice
Preconceived opinions or hostility directed against someone based on their race or ethnic group . This often involves the belief that certain physical traits or ancestral backgrounds determine character and ability.
Key focus: Ancestry & Identity
Class Prejudice
Prejudiced attitudes toward individuals based on their socioeconomic status , income, neighborhood, or education. Often called "Classism."
Key focus: Economic & Social Status
2. Comparison Matrix
Feature Racial Prejudice Class Prejudice The Core Assumption Bias is tied to biological or ethnic traits. Bias is tied to wealth, job, or neighborhood. Language Used "They aren't like us," "It's in their blood," "Those people." "The slums," "Trash," "No breeding," "Dirty neighborhoods." The Dehumanization Views the person as a fundamentally different race of human. Views the person as belonging to a lower level of society.
3. Jury Room Evidence Analysis
Determine which type of bias is most present in each quote. Check the box and explain your reasoning in the space provided.
"You saw it! The kid's a dangerous killer. You could see it! ... You know how these people lie. It's born in them! ... They don't need any big reason to kill someone, either."
— Juror 10 (Act III)
Racial
Class
Both
Reasoning & Evidence:
Context: In response to Juror 4's claim that children from the slums are "potential menaces to society."
"I’ve lived in a slum all my life... I used to play in a backyard that was filled with garbage. Maybe it still smells on me."
— Juror 5 (Act I)
Racial
Class
Both
Reasoning & Evidence:
4. The Overlap
In the jury room, these biases often bleed together. Use the Venn diagram below to identify features unique to each bias and the commonalities they share.
Racial Bias Only
Class Bias Only
Shared Traits Jury Room Answer Key Teacher Answer Key
Jury Room Briefing: Differentiating Prejudice
Confidential
Instructional Goals
Help students see that while race and class often intersect, the language of the bias reveals its source.
Identify how Juror 10's bias is biological/ethnic (Racial) vs. Juror 4's bias which is environmental/economic (Class).
Key Distinctions
Racial: Focuses on who the person is (ancestry).
Class: Focuses on where the person comes from (slums, poverty).
3. Analysis Guide
Juror 10 Analysis
"It's born in them! ... You know how these people lie."
Primary Bias
Racial (or Both)
Teaching Point
The phrase "born in them" is the key. It suggests a biological trait rather than a result of their upbringing or environment. Even though he targets "people from the slums," his language is coded with racial dehumanization.
Juror 5/4 Analysis
"I’ve lived in a slum all my life... maybe it still smells on me."
Primary Bias
Class
Teaching Point
This is a direct response to Juror 4's classist remark that kids from slums are "potential menaces." Juror 5 is defending his socioeconomic background . The focus is on the "garbage" and "smell" of poverty, not race.
4. Venn Diagram Solutions
Racial (Unique Traits)
Xenophobia (fear of foreignness)
Belief in biological superiority
Focus on physical features
Language: "Those people," "Their blood"
Commonalities (Shared)
Generalization (Stereotyping)
Dehumanization ("Them")
Confirmation Bias
The "Othering" effect
Assumption of guilt
Class (Unique Traits)
Economic elitism
Environmental bias (neighborhoods)
Focus on education/breeding
Language: "Slums," "Trash," "Dirty"
Critical Discussion Prompts
Q1: Why does Juror 8 focus on the facts while Jurors 3, 4, and 10 focus on the defendant's background?
Verdict Check Exit Ticket Exhibit A
Verdict Check
Exit Ticket: Racial vs. Class Prejudice
Name:
Date:
1. Analyze this statement from Juror 4:
"The children who come out of these places [the slums] are potential menaces to society."
Identify the primary type of prejudice and explain one specific word that proves your choice.
2. Self-Assessment:
How confident are you in telling the difference between racial and class bias?
Still Confused
Getting There
I've Got It
Exhibit A
Verdict Check
Exit Ticket: Racial vs. Class Prejudice
Name:
Date:
1. Analyze this statement from Juror 4:
"The children who come out of these places [the slums] are potential menaces to society."
Identify the primary type of prejudice and explain one specific word that proves your choice.
2. Self-Assessment:
How confident are you in telling the difference between racial and class bias?
Still Confused
Getting There
I've Got It
