What Is “Too Political,” Anyway? There has always been a political line in the classroom, though its definition is becoming increasingly obscure. In 2008, I remember asking my teacher who they voted for, and they demurred, saying it wasn’t their place to say. That’s what I thought teachers were supposed to do. And in some [...]
“I hope I can show The Outsiders movie virtually through zoom this year!” Teacher A remarked at the meeting. “I know, that is the highlight of our kids' year; they absolutely love reading this book and watching the movie,'' Teacher B replied. My two colleagues (white females) discussed a book read by our middle [...]
“How do we teach kids about this tomorrow?” This seems to be the question every American social studies teacher is asking themselves this evening, clutching the notion of the American republic in their hands like a broken teacup. As America continues to be ripped in two from its seams to its soul, we have, over [...]
Guest Writer: Archie R. Wortham, Ph.D., Professor of Speech “Equity doesn’t mean equality.” I am the product of a segregated school. I saw people sprayed with fire hoses; removed from lunch counter sit-ins. I used second or third handed textbooks. I was black, back then a Negro, but my ‘negro’ cousins and I went to [...]
Last week, The New York Times published a piece examining the whiteness in the publishing industry. (Thank you to Pod Save the People for bringing it to my attention in your underreported news section. I learn something new from you every week!) In the five major publications, they analyzed, from 1950-2018, 95% of their authors [...]