#BlackLivesMatter #FergusonSyllabus

Posted by Rethinking Schools on December 15, 2014

Widespread protests have swept the country under the rallying cry “Black Lives Matter” after the failure of the grand juries to indict the police officers responsible for the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in Staten Island. Even mainstream media are starting to describe the continuing protests as a movement rather than a moment. Organizers are committed to resistance until substantive change occurs.

How do we relate to these current events as educators who face classrooms of young people searching for answers? Rethinking Schools asks teachers to take the time and space needed to help our students learn, heal, and grow during this time. Encouraging dialogue about these and other deaths at the hands of police, the grand jury decisions, and the Black Lives Matter movement; placing the protests in the context of freedom movements throughout our history; and supporting our students as they process their thoughts and feelings are critical at this challenging time.

From our Upcoming Issue:

Happening Yesterday, Happened Tomorrow
By Renée Watson

http://rethinkingschools.org/static/archive/29_02/RS29_02_watson.pdf

This article will appear in the winter 2014-15 issue of Rethinking Schools, but is especially urgent given the decision of the grand jury not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, and the national protests in response.
From our Archives:

Dear White Teacher…
By Chrysanthius Lathan

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/29_01/29_01_lathan.shtml

An African American middle school teacher calls on white teachers to think before they routinely send black children to black teachers when there is a problem.
Trayvon Martin and My Students
By Linda Christensen

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/28_02/28_02_christensen.shtml

President Obama’s speech about the Zimmerman acquittal in Trayvon Martin’s murder-and Cornel West’s response-are rich sources for students learning how to analyze, evaluate, and critique.
A Message from a Black Mom to Her Son
By Dyan Watson

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/26_03/26_03_watson.shtml

An African American mother and teacher educator uses examples from her own childhood to describe how she hopes her child will be treated by teachers, and what she fears.
From our Blog:

This Is a Test: Educating to End the School-to-Grave Pipeline in Ferguson and Beyond
By Jesse Hagopian

http://rethinkingschoolsblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/this-is-a-test-educating-to-end-the-school-to-grave-pipeline-in-ferguson-and-beyond/

Teach About Mike Brown. But Don’t Stop There.
By Renée Watson

http://rethinkingschoolsblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/teach-about-mike-brown-but-dont-stop-there/

You can also continue the conversation with us and your peers on Twitter @RethinkSchools or on our Facebook page where we will post links to additional materials and conversations about these issues. Feel free to also share materials that you have used.