This week, police body camera video was released showing a 6-year-old pulled from her classroom and arrested. In September, when this event occurred, we shared resources about ending traumatic practices that hurt students of color. With this back in the news, we’re focusing on systems that disproportionately harm students of color and offering resources to help disrupt those systems. We hope you’ll read, share and do the same.
Over the weekend, white supremacists burned Black Lives Matter flags that belonged to two Black churches in Washington, D.C. during a pro-Trump rally. Earlier this month, Casey Goodson Jr., a Black man, was shot and killed by police while walking into his Columbus, Ohio, home. It’s essential that teachers counter the insidiousness of anti-Blackness and white supremacy with students and affirm that Black lives do matter. These resources can help.
This weekend, thousands of people from across the country will assemble on the National Mall to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The event is a rededication of the 1960s movement while also capturing the urgency of today’s commitment to fight for Black lives amidst a global pandemic and a year marked by police violence. Use these resources to help students draw connections between the marches for justice—and the vital roles of young people—then and now.
So far this year, more than 80 anti-transgender bills have been proposed at the state level, and much of this legislation targets trans children and youth. As anti-LGBTQ groups and lawmakers attack trans rights, schools must ensure trans students and educators are supported. Use these resources to build policy and help create a safer space for all students who could be harmed by policies that rigidly define and police gender norms.
Current events may be hard to grapple with as multiple historically Black colleges and universities faced bomb threats, Minneapolis police fatally shot Amir Locke, and many states and districts continue to ban teaching inclusive books and talking about race. Amidst these aggressions, we want to remind Black educators to practice self-care—and all educators to elevate the importance of Black students’ experiences and their mental health. These resources can help.
The news—and disturbing footage—of police officers assaulting an unarmed black teenager in Florida last week shines yet another spotlight on the dangers black youth face every day. Your students have likely seen the video and conversation surrounding #JusticeForLucca. These resources will help you understand how this violent footage can affect students, how to discuss this news with them and how you can bring #BlackLivesMatter into your classroom.
