Many educators profess, as a virtue, that they treat all students the same. But when a student’s specific needs and story are erased, it’s not equitable—it’s damaging.
Cultural competency—the ability to work effectively and sensitively across cultural contexts—involves learning, communicating and connecting respectfully with others regardless of differences.
Mandating Holocaust education in U.S. public schools and simultaneously banning or censoring other “hard histories” is ineffective, disingenuous and further demonstrates the importance of teaching honest history.
“Nineteen-year-old Israel Moncado spent his childhood being shuffled from one foster care setting to the next. After years of untreated gender dysphoria, and the bouts of self-harm and social isolation that often result from stigma, Israel visits his first LGBT center and discovers he’s not alone. When he finds a safe space in a transgender community, Israel begins to embrace his identity.”
Avoid polarized arguments about the federal government shutdown by emphasizing historical context, processes and the shutdown's effect on people across the United States.
Language classrooms allow students to grapple with how gender affects their understanding of the world, but they also allow teachers to engender their own classrooms as inclusive and safe places for all students.