Teach About Blackface and Other Racist Halloween Choices

Eleven people are dead after an anti-Semitic gunman opened fire at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. While moments of hatred and violence may feel all-too-common these days, we urge you to use the resources in this edition of The Moment to talk to your students about how hate takes hold and what they can do to fight it.
August 12 marks the second anniversary of the deadly Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. As we mourn last week’s attacks along with communities in California, Texas and Ohio—and across the United States—we hold all survivors in our hearts. In this edition of The Moment, we share three stories from Charlottesville—stories of a mother, a student and a district that responded to hate with not only love but with a commitment to justice.
Every year, we hear of students and educators whose Halloween costumes reinforce stereotypes, bolster systems of oppression or even make light of hate. In these cases, a simple conversation might have prevented a lot of harm. We hope you'll take the time to talk with your students about their Halloween costume choices this year—and think carefully about your own. Here's a place to start.