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Most students have heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. They also know of Rosa Parks’ refusal to move to the back of the bus. Unfortunately for many students, knowledge of the civil rights movement stops there.

Encouraging students to take an interest in the well-being of others is not indoctrination: It’s the right thing to do.

Latino students in East L.A. plant a tribute to Japanese Americans.

What makes 20th-century political theorist Hannah Arendt’s analysis so relevant to our times, and what might educators gain from studying her works?

Including religious diversity in academic content lessens the threat to individual belief systems and helps students be college and career ready.

Every now and again, a student will say something that leaves me speechless and desperate for the correct response. I can feel in my bones that the moment is about to become pivotal. One of these moments came while we were reading Katherine Paterson’s novel The Great Gilly Hopkins, in which the main character deals with her racism. We were in the process of analyzing her character, her motivations and her racist attitudes, and I could tell that my sixth-graders didn’t really understand the theme of racism, so I needed to step away from the novel for a moment and put the history in context for them.

Our history is sometimes painful; focusing on the “best version” of that history to make it more palatable to young readers denies them the education they deserve.

Playing digital games can help students learn about social justice issues. Explore with students the value of digital games they already play, and then work with colleagues to research additional games.