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How much better could our communities and schools be if we designed our spaces and curricula with diverse needs and abilities in mind? How can we support the learning and well-being of children from immigrant families? And how can educators recognize the signs of trauma and take steps to establish social and emotional safety for all children? 

During this back-to-school season, let’s commit to ending school pushout and keeping children in the classroom. Effective classroom facilitation is critical to supporting student learning and lessening behavior concerns. We offer this classroom facilitation model with practices to help educators respond to student behavior with the goal of ensuring well-being and keeping learning on track rather than maintaining absolute control. It focuses on children’s development instead of punishment and offers proactive and inclusive practices to create affirming learning spaces.

A truly just society is one in which all people have the resources to lead secure and fulfilling lives and the histories, cultures and experiences of diverse groups — especially those who have been historically marginalized — are respected.

The goal of social justice, therefore, is to ensure democracy in practice: “To create a society in which everyone has access to the resources and opportunities to develop their full capacities, and everyone is welcome to participate democratically with others to mutually shape social policies and institutions that govern civic life.”

This back-to-school season, educators, parents and caregivers can commit to partnering to support all young people. A nurturing school culture that prioritizes well-being along with learning is essential for keeping children in school and ending pushout — a critical step in dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. Building and sustaining relationships in nurturing ways can help to create the sense of safety and support young people need for learning. The effectiveness of these practices increases when combined with strong family, school and community partnerships.

The 60th anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA) reminds us that we need to not only preserve the protections of the VRA — and reinstate those that have been removed or diluted — but also to strengthen voting rights to achieve a thriving democracy in the United States. The VRA is more than a legacy of the Civil Rights Movement; it remains essential for ensuring equal access to the ballot.