BLM & Teaching Tolerance

Black Lives Matter 
Note two videos at the bottom of this column.
"Black Lives Matter at School." Black Lives Matter, 2020. "Black Lives Matter At School is a national coalition organizing for racial justice in education that encourage[s] all educators, students, parents, unions, and community organizations to join [their work]."

"Black Lives Matter at School: I Know My People Are Strong." YouTube, uploaded by School House Live, 2020. "...This short primer for the movement gets its subtitle from the words of high school student Israel Presley who says, 'All I ever see is us being slaves. Why don't you ever teach me about how we fought back, because I know my people are strong.'"

"Teaching Materials: Announcing the 2020 Curriculum Resource Guide." Black Lives Matter, 2020. The national Black Lives Matter At School coalition's Curriculum Committee worked this year to bring you lessons for every grade level the relate to the 13 principles of Black Lives Matter. Here is the 2020 Curriculum Resource Guide – free, downloadable lessons to challenge racism, oppression and build happy and healthy classrooms. 

Zalaznick, Matt. "Black Lives Matter Offers Teachers a Free Social Justice Curriculum." District Administration, 3 June 2020. "Lessons, created by educators, are designed for students of all ages." Use this article to let your administration know these resources are available.

"Black Lives Matter at School: I Know My People Are Strong." YouTube, uploaded by School House Live, 2020.

Kwame Alexander hosts this #KidLit4BlackLives Rally of two hours and fifteen minutes. The first almost ninety  minutes is for K-12 students; the rest is for their adults - parents, teachers, and librarians. Hear these powerful thoughts, poems and readings by important authors for youth.

General Racial Equity Resources
From Teach.com 

​These titles may appear elsewhere on the SNL Racial Equity pages.
These nonfiction books provide additional information on structural racism and strategies for creating an equitable society.
The Condemnation of Blackness, External link  by Khalil Gibran Muhammad
This book traces the roots of Black people being depicted as dangerous, and the concept’s influence on policies and urban development.
Courageous Conversations About Race External link , by Glenn E. Singleton
This book lays out a plan for achieving equitable school systems and provides tools for educators to create classrooms and curricula that promote educational equity.
From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, External link  by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor External link 
This book discusses historic and current racism, structures that perpetuate inequality, and the Black Lives Matter movement’s role in pushing for Black liberation.
How to Be an Antiracist, External link  by Ibram X. Kendi
This nonfiction book positions antiracist ideas as antidotes to racism and proposes steps toward building an equitable world.
How to Be Less Stupid About Race, External link  by Crystal M. Fleming
This book bursts racial misconceptions and stereotypes and calls for challenging white supremacy and oppression.
One Person, No Vote, External link  by Carol Anderson
This book discusses voter suppression since the Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby ruling, which allowed districts to change voting requirements without the Justice Department’s approval.
Race Matters, External link  by Cornel West
This collection of essays discusses important flashpoints in African American history, and the Black community’s struggle to break into mainstream society without losing their culture.
Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence, External link  by Derald Wing Sue
This book offers tools for having difficult conversations about race in productive, honest and open ways.
Raising White Kids: Bringing up Children in a Racially Unjust America, External link  by Jennifer Harvey
This book provides information for parents on raising anti-racist white children.
Silent Racism: How Well-Meaning White People Perpetuate the Racial Divide, External link  by Barbara Trepagnier
This book studies the attitudes of white people who claim to be “not racist” and explains how they contribute to institutional racism.
White Fragility, External link  by Robin DiAngelo
This book explains why white people have difficulty openly discussing racism.
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? External link  by Beverly Daniel Tatum
This book explores self-segregation among different racial groups and argues for the importance of discussing racial identities to promote communication between those groups.

Teaching Tolerance
The mission of Teaching Tolerance is to help teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in a diverse democracy. Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school.
Topics included below:

• Overview
• Civil Discourse
• Parenting Preschool-Teen
• Anti-Racist Education
• Affirming Black Lives without inducing Trauma
• Rights & Activism
• Racism & Police Violence

Pitts, Jamilah. "Why Teaching Black Lives Matter Matters: Part I." Teaching Tolerance, June 2017. "All educators have the civic responsibility to learn and teach the basic history and tenets of this movement for racial justice."

Pitts, Jamilah. "Bringing Black Lives Matter into the Classroom: Part II." Tolerance.org, June 2017. "Educator Jamilah Pitts introduces ways to discuss Black Lives Matter across all grade levels."

"Civil Discourse in the Classroom." Tolerance.org.
Chapter 1: Civil Discourse In The Classroom And Beyond 
Chapter 2: Building Blocks For Civil Discourse 
Chapter 3: Talk It Over 
Chapter 4: Teaching Controversy

Williams, Dana, and illustrator Vincent Nguyen. "Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent's Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice." PDF file. Organized by age: Preschool (ages 2-5), Elementary & Preteen (ages 6-12) and Teen (ages 13-17).

Schiro, Sarah. "Anti-Racist Education." Tolerance.org. "What actions can teachers take to counter white supremacy?" Grades 6-8.

"White Anti-Racist Biographies: Early Grades." Tolerance.org. Grade level K-2, 3-5. “For young white students, explorations of fair and unfair, just and unjust, can go a long way in advancing anti-racist white identity. Purposeful use of literature and basic study of white anti-racists are among the key ways educators can advance such aims.Teaching Tolerance presents four short biographies for early grades classrooms, with activity ideas.”

"Affirming Black Lives without Inducing Trauma." The Moment, Teaching Tolerance, 8 May 2020, "This week, we were disappointed to see wide circulation of the videos showing Ahmaud Arbery's and Sean Reed's shooting deaths. Educators have a responsibility to engage with students about this violence against Black men—and the white supremacist systems that allow it to continue. But they must do so
without re-traumatizing Black students and with extra care for their mental health. These resources can help."

Garayúa-Tudryn, Barbie. "Rights and Activism." Tolerance.org, "Help students understand the role of rights and resistance in shaping our history, and provide models of informed civic engagement. From women's suffrage to the civil rights movement to Standing Rock, our rights and activism resources can help inspire students to recognize and speak out against injustice."

Teaching Tolerance. Reading Diversity Toolkit. Offers Teacher Guides for a few books for various levels in K-12, as well as a free downloadable PDF guide to selecting appropriate diverse texts.
Melville, Kathleen. "Talking with Students about Ferguson and Racism." Tolerance.org, 1 Dec. 2014, "This teacher believes it's crucial for white teachers like her to seek out productive ways to talk about race and racism with students."

"Teaching about Race, Racism and Police Violence." Tolerance.org. "The[se] resources can help spur much-needed discussion around implicit bias and systemic racism, but they can also empower your students to enact the changes that will create a more just society."