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These student activists knew their community’s issues were relevant worldwide—so they made their voices heard globally.

The Texas State Board of Education approved standards for U.S. history and other social studies courses Friday. That is national news because of Texas’ huge role in shaping textbooks across the country. Given that conservative Christians dominate the board, the result was predictable.

Thirty years ago, I heard the news that John Lennon had been shot. Every year since, the morning news on NPR reminds me again of that day. I was a young, second-year teacher then, with four sections of grade nine “World Cultures” and one section of A.P. United States history. Mine was a Catholic school, and we’d had Monday, December 8 off because it was a holy day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Thinking ahead to next school year? Incorporate these suggestions into your planning.

Charles Person, the youngest of the original Freedom Riders of 1961, reminds us that collective civic action is essential and so is being one of the good people out there.

The names of Confederate and segregationist leaders label the landscape of the South. What are the consequences when these names belong to schools?

School activities surrounding Christmas can have unintentional negative consequences like reinforcing commercialism, focusing on "good" and "bad" behavior and isolating students who don't celebrate the holiday.

Elementary students learn a lesson in the language of respect.