社区黑料

After a summer in which to protest racial injustice after the killing of George Floyd, students and teachers across the country this week took to their classrooms 鈥� whether virtual or in-person 鈥� to affirm that Black lives matter in school.

The national , now in its fifth year, coincides with the first week of Black History Month. Organized by a national coalition of educators, the movement, according to its website, encourages teachers, students, parents, unions, and community organizations to engage in activities that address structural racism and affirm the identities of Black students.

鈥淚t is necessary to discuss, celebrate and center Black youth, always but now more than ever,鈥� said Shalisa Gladney, coordinator of the Afro-American Cultural Center at the University of Iowa, in a press release published by Black Lives Matter at School-Iowa. 鈥淭he Week of Action is a start.鈥�

The national coalition shares an extensive archive of lesson plans and poster art for public use. Teachers can peruse an open-access Google Drive folder for math problems examining , history lessons , or art projects creating like 鈥淲akanda鈥� from the Black Panther movie.

After modest beginnings as an effort by Seattle educators to raise awareness of racial justice issues, the movement has gone national. This year, after the Black Lives Matter movement saw , events, actions and and lessons took place all across the country, even as many educators were forced to get creative within the constraints of online learning.

Iowa

Gladney鈥檚 local chapter of the BLM at School movement organized their own slate of virtual gatherings. Conversations ranged from Black mental health to a community discussion of young people鈥檚 most pressing needs, according to the organization鈥檚 schedule.

In the evening of Feb. 4, participants logged into a remote career day, and shared, via Zoom chat, their reasons for joining the session. Some had come for tips on the professional world. Others were there simply for the community.

Panelists included the co-founder of the , the owner of a local , and a at the University of Nevada. As the conversation got underway, one student asked what factors the speakers took into consideration when they applied to college.

鈥淕o away 鈥� wherever you are,鈥� said Professor Valerie Taylor, who vouched for historically Black institutions like her alma mater, Howard University, but also advised students to consider far away options like Bates College in Maine. Those schools鈥� need for geographic diversity might give Iowa students an advantage when it comes to scholarship offers, she said. 鈥淵ou will grow鈥�. You will meet people who are not from your world,鈥� said Taylor.

As she spoke, another panelist shot a scholarship link into the meeting chat.

Another student on the call asked panelists for tips on how to navigate predominantly white areas and retain their sense of self-image. Iowa City, where the chapter is based, is about 75 percent white. Black students have used social media sites like the 鈥溾�� (Iowa City Community School District) Instagram page to document the harassment they endure daily at school.

A local teacher recalled her experience at a majority-white college where she would look around and think 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see anybody that looks like me.鈥� She persevered, and encouraged students that they could do the same.

鈥淛ust know that it is possible,鈥� she told them.

New York City

In the nation鈥檚 largest school district, of students are Black, educators documented their planned events on social media, from 鈥溾�� to a 鈥�.鈥�

Some teachers, over Zoom, read picture books written by Black authors, such as , to their classes. Others streamed performances by Black musical artists 鈥� one class watched 鈥� on YouTube. One teacher even helped her students use a programming software to build interactive digital stories about empathy and inclusion.

https://twitter.com/curatecuriosity/status/1356660811989733377

At Middle School 35 in Brooklyn, .

鈥淲e have to come together as a community and stand up against the racial issues that are in school,鈥� said a student who signed as Holiday W.

Rhode Island 

In Providence schools, the student union set up an event schedule based on the list that the BLM at School national organization suggested. Michellet Brand, a high school senior and student union leader, appreciates that the sessions raise awareness about racial justice issues.

鈥淚t鈥檚 this really important time where we highlight Black Lives Matter,鈥� she said. For youth who may not be familiar with concepts like structural racism, the sessions can 鈥渞eally open their eyes to see this perspective and these issues so that they can be a part of the change.鈥�

In one memorable discussion on 鈥渄iversity and globalism,鈥� facilitators prompted students to reflect on the forces at play in social groupings. 鈥淲hat does diversity in school look like?鈥� they asked. 鈥淒o you mostly spend your time in segregated places?鈥�

That line of questions was enlightening for many students, said Brand, who is Hispanic.

鈥淣ot a lot of youth realize that, specifically with schools, segregation by law may be illegal, but it still happens,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s still a problem to this day.鈥�

On top of thought-provoking conversations, PSU has included other events in their programming. They hosted a Feb. 4 watch party for the movie , a 2019 film about an impoverished single Black mother whose struggle to help her son succeed in school leads her into the world of education activism, and plan to host another watch party for Beyonc茅鈥檚 visual album Feb. 5.

The group has harnessed social media to stay in touch with students. Via Instagram story, the young organizers remind youth about the film screenings. They also spur dialogue. On Friday, their story asked followers to respond by 鈥渄escrib[ing] one or more Black women you are connected to,鈥� Brand said.

As important as all the 鈥渁ha鈥� moments may be, for Brand, the connections she makes with other students of color are the best part of the events, despite the fact that they鈥檙e on Zoom.

鈥淐oming together as a community feels really great,鈥� she Brand.

The rest of the year

Amid calls for schools serving majority-Black and Latino student populations to invest in 鈥渃ounselors not cops鈥� in light of research showing unsettling racial gaps in the way campus officers perceive threats, the Week of Action also lined up with National School Counselors Week. Some staff, such as 2019 national school counselor of the year Brian Coleman, of Jones College Prep high school in Chicago, took to social media repping both.

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, teachers across the country have mulled how to best navigate politically charged issues in the classroom. And despite the U.S. Office of Special Counsel having declared in July that , a Fox News story on the BLM in School week emphasized the website鈥檚 , who the outlet labels an 鈥淔BI most wanted terrorist.鈥� After years working in the civil rights movement, Shakur was convicted of murder in 1977 then escaped prison two years later and remains a fugitive. Many observers, including activist icon Angela Davis, believe Shakur to be innocent and .

On the Black Lives Matter at School movement鈥檚 website, the quote from Shakur reads, 鈥淲e must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.鈥� Alongside the passage, the organization emphasizes values such as 鈥渆mpathy,鈥� 鈥渄iversity,鈥� and 鈥渇ostering a queer鈥恆ffirming network鈥� in its list of for the Week of Action.

And while Saturday marks the end of 2021鈥檚 national Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, the organization makes it clear that the work does not end. 鈥淎 week of action. A year of purpose. A lifetime of practice,鈥� the website鈥檚 homepage declares as the movement鈥檚 motto.

Brand, in Providence, agrees: 鈥淏lack Lives Matter should be 24/7/365.鈥�

Did you use this article in your work?

We鈥檇 love to hear how 社区黑料鈥檚 reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.