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During our first meeting, we discussed how sports programs, healthcare access, voting, bias, and more contribute to racism.  We also discussed issues of race at our place of work, Dunstan MS, in the following ways: the N-word, a Black students feeling he was not heard, tools for teachers to speak up, opportunities to teach kids about taboos and micro-aggressions, evaluating and changing our curriculum, and teaching norms more explicitly and with modeling and examples so that we are embracing cultural differences and not just having a bias towards white students with norms.  Involving students in the process of creating norms was also discussed. We ended the discussion by touching on privilege and intersectionality.

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We’re so glad yo’ve decided to join us as we read So You Want to Talk About Race.  Over the next few weeks, we will learn and discuss together so that we can grow as educators and increase our understanding of the omnipresent problem of racism in America.  Our collective goal: to become anti-racists and advocates for our students of color.

Please post your thinking in each of the columns with a GREEN instructions post (columns 1, 2, & 3), shown to the right.  You will want to do this when you first receive your copy of your book, BEFORE you start reading.  Take a look at the example post at the top of each column, as needed, but also feel free to comment on each others’ posts.  The rating feature is active, and can be used to indicate your level of agreement/urgency on posts you see.

Check back and continue to add your thinking,  comments and questions to this Padlet throughout our time as a book group.  AT VERY LEAST, be sure to check back on this Padlet the day before we are set to meet.  There may be post that speaks to you—-a gem of a question or an idea you’d like to elevate in our discussion, perhaps.

Zoom links will be posted on this Padlet 30 minutes before the meeting is set to begin.  Also, return to this Padlet for announcements and options on how to hold your thinking as you read and prepare for our meetings.  This will be important to receive credit hours towards recertification.

We look forward to our time together as we read, learn, and grow—-see you soon!

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Talk to us and share your thinking on why you want to read this book and explore this topic.  Be sure to also introduce yourself (sad as it may seem, we don’t all know each other that well...YET).

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1. Make sure you’re logged in—check up at the three dots in the very tippy-top of the Padlet, and select log in.  Hat way, every post you make is attributed to you!

2. Play with it!  Please make a video, find a picture to share, share a link, and more to enhance your posts!  (And as you do, think: how might I use Padlet as a tool for learning with my students?).

3. In order to make a post under a column, click on the plus sign button ( + ) and then title it, and write your post under the title.  Then, to add enhancements of video, links, pictures, etc, look at the menu of tools provided towards the bottom of the post—-use the three little dots to see a plethora of amazing options!

4.  Questions about Padlet?  Feel free to contact Cindy (cshapiro@jeffco...) and we’ll figure it out together.

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How should this group function?  What are some norms that are important to you?  Please list your ideas below.

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How should this group function?  What are some norms that are important to you?  Please list your ideas below.

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Please share your thinking on norms and expectations here.  What do you think we all need to adhere to, in order to make this an exercise in learning and keep our focus on our purpose/goals?  What are some norms that are important to you, to make this group worth your time & energy?  No need for explanation—-no judgment, no hate.

Someone already shared your idea?  Rate/grade it, according to your level of agreement.  Give it 1-5, 1 being nah, I don’t like this one, and 5 being YES,  YES, YES!, and please say why in a comment.

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Keep the focus on the text, not on personal talk unrelated to this topic

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Keep the focus on the text, not on personal talk unrelated to this topic

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What are YOUR goals/reasons for reading?  What do you hope to gain?  How might you carry your learning forward into the classroom?

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What are YOUR goals/reasons for reading?  What do you hope to gain?  How might you carry your learning forward into the classroom?

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If you can, try to attach a picture that relates to your goal.

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What can I do in my classroom to ensure that I am teaching Black history, and the histories of indigenous and other POC, in my class in a balanced way that doesn’t focus on victimization but on empowerment, activism, achievement, resilience, and more?

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What can I do in my classroom to ensure that I am teaching Black history, and the histories of indigenous and other POC, in my class in a balanced way that doesn’t focus on victimization but on empowerment, activism, achievement, resilience, and more?

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Antiracism involves considering ideas that may initially feel uncomfortable to you or challenge assumptions you previously held about race/racism.

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Did you know that Padlet recently added a few new templates?  Plotting points on a map now exists, plus there is now a timeline template.  Did you know Padlets can be read-only?  Did you know students can make their own to share?  How do/might you use Padlet as a tool to enhance instruction?

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I love having discussions in my classroom, and I am a frequent user of Socratic seminar, in a variety of formats.  In the past, we have tackled some difficult, challenging, and controversial topics, but I want to learn more about how to have hard conversations about race in America to help students come together and truly understand why racism IS a big problem in America (and always has been).

Specifically, I’m looking for some ways to steer hard conversations about race so that the conversations are productive and help students grow.

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They view the success of black students as central to the success of their own teaching.

Editor's Note: In 1988, a teacher most commonly had 15 years of experience. In recent years, that number is closer to just three years leading a classroom. The "On Teaching" series focuses on the wisdom of veteran teachers.
Ask black students who their favorite teacher is, and they will joyfully tell you. Ask them what it is about their favorite teacher, and most will say some version of this: They know how to work with me. So much is in that statement. It means that these students want to work, that they see their teachers as partners in the learning process, and that they know the teacher-student relationship is one in which they both have power. In other words, black students know that they bring intellect to the classroom, and they know when they are seen-and not seen.

As the principal of San Francisco's Mission High School and an anti-racist educator for more than 30 years, I have witnessed countless black students thrive in classrooms where teachers see them accurately and show that they are happy to have them there. In these classes, students choose to sit in the front of the class, take careful notes, shoot their hands up in discussions, and ask unexpected questions that cause the teacher and other classmates to stop and think. Given the chance, they email, text, and call the teachers who believe in them. In short, these students are everything their families and community members have raised and supported them to be.

I have seen some of these very same students walk into another teacher's classroom, go to the last row of desks, and put their head down. I have seen them sit frozen in their seat, staring at an assignment-when earlier I had heard them make jokes, talk excitedly about the content of their history class, celebrate solving a vexing algebra equation, or shake a test tube with authority, waiting for a result. Their report cards often reveal this disparity in classroom experiences: A's and B's in classes where they feel valued and C's, D's, or even F's in classes where they don't.

When black students' academic strengths are overlooked, black students are marginalized. They are kept out of advanced courses, given bad grades, and sent to the dean's office. Over the years, the power that they initially bring to school is siphoned off by educators at every level of the educational system who do not respect, and in some cases do not wish to respect, the intellectual contributions of black students.

Anti-racist teachers take black students seriously. They create a curriculum with black students in mind, and they carefully read students' work to understand what they are expressing. This might sound fairly standard, but making black students feel valued goes beyond general "good teaching." It requires educators to view the success of black students as central to the success of their own teaching. This is a paradigm shift: Instead of only asking black students who are not doing well in class to start identifying with school, we also ask teachers whose black students are not doing well in their classes to start identifying with those students.

I spent the majority of my career in the classroom, and I loved it because-to do it well-it required that I call on all aspects of my humanity. Standing in front of my black students, I knew that it was my responsibility to invite them into the classroom and then to see, push, and protect them once they were there. Over the years, collaborating with other anti-racist educators, I co-developed an approach that was successful-and it showed in the students' attendance, grades, and quality of work.

We read articles and books, and we attend workshops centered around black pedagogy. That helps us examine cultural differences in discourse styles, so we can better understand black students' analytical approaches in essays. We learn how to integrate oral language into our curriculum, such as adding a debate unit or a poetry-recitation assignment, and to provide ample opportunities for students to work together. And we learn that nothing goes without saying and that praise and direction should be plentiful. In essence, we do what works for black students, which also works for all students.

Educators who are committed to black students use evidence in their own classrooms to find ways to improve. They analyze the assignments handed in, identifying ways in which their teaching reached-and didn't reach-all of their students. They recognize the brilliance of a black student's contribution to a class discussion and seize on it. They disaggregate data such as grades and attendance by ethnicity, look for patterns, and problematize their own practice-rather than assume that their students weren't motivated or sufficiently prepared to engage with challenging material. They ask themselves: Why did Taylor get a C on the final when he earned an A or a B on all of his other assignments, many of them equally demanding? Why is Vince silent in his group? What inspired Hile to write multiple drafts of her essay, each time asking for more detailed feedback? They seek support from colleagues who are effective teachers for all of their students, including black students, because they know that the changes they make to their teaching practice will have an impact on their students' achievement. All of this makes them better educators.

Teachers who do not value black students will shift the discussion away from their own practice when they see that black students are not succeeding in their classes. They will create bonds that eventually turn into factions with fellow educators who are also unwilling to change their approach.

To fight against systemic racism means to buck norms. Educators at every level must be willing to be uncomfortable in their struggle for black students, recognizing students' power and feeding it by honoring their many contributions to our schools. Teachers need to insist on using their own power to consistently reveal and examine their practice, and seek input from black stakeholders; they must invite black parents to the table, listen to their concerns and ideas, and act on them. Principals must clearly and consistently communicate the anti-racist vision for their school, create professional-development opportunities for staff, recognize teachers who successfully teach all of their students, and intervene when they see problems. District-level administrators must more firmly root their anti-racist messaging in black students' school experiences, making expectations for educators clear. And school-board members need to listen to educators who have shown efficacy in educating black students. They must enact policies that hold us all accountable to our black families. We must make demands of ourselves and work together in our communities.

The only measure of our anti-racist teaching will be the academic success of all of our students, including our black students.
This article is part of our project "On Teaching," which is supported by grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Panta Rhea Foundation.

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What Anti-racist Teachers Do Differently

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They view the success of black students as central to the success of their own teaching. Editor's Note: In 1988, a teacher most commonly had 15 years of experience. In recent years, that number is closer to just three years leading a classroom. The "On Teaching" series focuses on the wisdom of veteran teachers.

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1. Stay engaged- Checking out during conversations about race because it's uncomfortable is a form of privilege protection. Stay present and on topic!
2. Speak your truth- Use "I" statements instead of "We".
3. Experience discomfort
4. Take risks
5. Listen to understand- example: gender oppression is not the same as racial oppression. Try to understand their point of view, don't listen to respond.
6. Expect and Accept Non-Closure- These are conversations around process. It is on-going work and a lot about changing ourselves first.

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As a nonblack POC I am engaging in this work to gain understanding around breaking systems that protect the racist structures in our schools and society.

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Respect different perspectives and assume positive intent.

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My classroom is where I have the most influence and ability to make an impact. My goal is to better understand the construction of systemic racism in our society and our schools, the role I play in this, and to be a better advocate for deconstructing these systems. I also have the goal of being a better resource and support for my Black students, specifically in the context of teaching social studies/history.

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Hi! I'm Starkey and I teach computer science, robotics, and broadcasting. I want to learn more from other people's points of view on racism. Being a white kid from the burbs there's very little I know. I know what I believe is wrong in this world but I want to see more from others. Also, being in charge of PTV gives me a tremendous advantage to help others as well.

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I would like ample head's up on meeting times, meeting length and links. Just to make sure I can give my family a head's up.

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My biggest goal is to learn more from other points of view. I love to see the world in as many ways as possible.

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My goal is to not only be an ally to our Black and Brown students, but to also be anti-racist and to be a better teacher.

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I am Mallory Kincaid and I teach Art at Dunstan as well as host GSA and Art Club after school.
I am so happy to be a part of this antiracism book group for many reasons. I have so much to learn about antiracism for personal growth, but also as an educator. I want to be an ally for all people of color and I want to do better for our Black and Brown students at Dunstan. I have personally witnessed so many hateful and hurtful situations in our school regarding race. As a primarily white institution, we have to do better for our students of color. I am looking forward to learning and growing with you all.

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I agree with all of these norms!

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Hi everyone! I am Mary Tuttle and I will be teaching 7th and 8th grade Language Arts this upcoming school year. When I got the email about this book club, I was eager to be a part of the conversation at Dunstan. I think it is important that we navigate these conversations as educators so that we can also feel prepared to tackle these conversations within our classrooms.

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1. Start and end on time
2. Assume positive intent
3. Recognize that individuals process in different ways

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As a Language Arts teacher, I view the power of stories. I think it's important for everyone (students included) to find characters that resonate with them and also characters who are very different from them. I want to expose my students to a variety of authors, storytellers, and characters through literature. Several books that are offered to students as choice texts tackle the topic of race and discrimination. I see this book study as a tool to navigate these conversations with students in the fall. My goal is to provide a classroom environment for my students that can foster difficult conversations as well as ensure that our student voices are heard and amplified.

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Hi, I'm Janna Golgart and I teach Computer Science, Video Game Design & Computer Graphics to 7th & 8th graders.  I love learning and being part of group activities. I'm excited to expand my awareness of racial discrimination. 

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Hi, I'm Janna Golgart and I teach Computer Science, Video Game Design & Computer Graphics to 7th & 8th graders.  I love learning and being part of group activities. I'm excited to expand my awareness of racial discrimination. 

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Hi! I am Liz Line and I teach 6th grade math at Dunstan. I have had the opportunity to teach at four different middle schools in different regions of the US and have seen how large of a role race plays in our society and schools. I want to be better equipt to be part of the solution instead of the problem. I want to have the tools to help myself, family, and community in growth and change rather than a fixed mindset. I'm excited to get started!

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I agree with everything stated already

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My goal is to gain new perspective. I want to learn and grow from others perspective and life experiences. I believe this will lend a hand into how I teach and build relationships with students.

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Hi! I am Dana Higginbotham (though most students call me Ms. Cazan) and I teach 7th Grade ELA and Student Council at Dunstan. I wanted to join the book club because I believe it is one of many avenues we can use to begin to elevate the need for change and solutions at Dunstan/within the GMHS community. I am eager to learn more and work together to consider the ways in which we elevate student voice in this conversation.

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Everything stated sounds great. I want to echo the idea of assuming positive intent. Right now so many are navigating what can be uncomfortable or messy conversations, and I think it is important to recognize the mental shifts and changes happening on a daily basis as we all are learning more or exposed to new information.

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I have similar goals to what other have said. In addition to considering the reach in my classroom, I also want to think about the ways we can broaden these discussions and bring forth for families in the GM/JEFFCO community. As an ELA teacher, I have been challenged by the members of community on using in-class texts in the past that confront racism or systematic failures. I want to feel better equipped to handle these conversations with parents while also giving tools, texts, films, etc. to students so they have the resources to help advocate for themselves.

Most importantly, I think middle-school is such an impressionable age and it is a time for students to establish their own voice in the conversation.  I want to ensure my classroom teaching and our school culture cultivates a sense of empowerment for our black and brown students, as well as their allies. I want students to be able to have the confidence to constructively speak up and express their points of views when they are confronted with racism or injustices in their daily lives.

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I found this helpful. They are also releasing resources for educators. Just thought I would share!

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PBS to Address Race and Racism in America Through Broadcast and Streaming Content | PBS About

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AMERICA IN BLACK AND BLUE 2020 Premieres Monday, June 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET
Films with Historical Context by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Including RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, BLACK AMERICA SINCE MLK: AND STILL I RISE and THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS; and From Stanley Nelson and Independent Lens THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION, and More Will Rebroadcast and/or Stream Across PBS Stations and Platforms

PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia Provide Resources to Support Families and Educators

PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT Invites Americans to Share Their Stories About Racism and Its Impact, Past and Present

Arlington, VA - June 3, 2020 - PBS announced today that it will broadcast a series of films and new specials focused on race in America following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, and the ensuing protests that erupted across the country. In addition to re-broadcasting films focused on African American history by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Stanley Nelson, PBS will also curate a playlist of programs from FRONTLINE, POV, INDEPENDENT LENS and other iconic series that explore the impact of racism on Black Americans and the larger country.

"As a media system that serves every person in America, we stand with the Black community, and we stand against racism and hate," said Paula Kerger, President & CEO of PBS. "In the coming days and weeks, we will use our national reach and community presence to deepen understanding, foster conversation and enable meaningful change. And we will continue to stand behind our courageous journalists, whose unwavering commitment to speak truth to power is essential to the strength of our democracy."

PBS will rebroadcast THE TALK - RACE IN AMERICA on Thursday, June 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The documentary, which first aired in 2017, tells six stories of struggle between people of color and law enforcement in America. It chronicles how families of color attempt to protect their children with "The Talk" - about what to do and how to react if they are stopped by police.

On Friday, June 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET, PBS and member stations will air a new special, RACE MATTERS: AMERICA IN CRISIS: A PBS NEWSHOUR SPECIAL. The one-hour program will be anchored by managing editor Judy Woodruff with contributions from senior national correspondent Amna Nawaz, correspondent Yamiche Alcindor and special correspondent Charlayne Hunter-Gault. RACE MATTERS: AMERICA IN CRISIS will focus on the frustration pouring out onto American streets, outrage about police brutality, and America's deep systemic racial disparities in the economy, education, criminal justice system and health care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will also include grassroots voices from around the country and roundtable conversations with thought leaders and other newsmakers.

Also on Friday, June 5, PBS will rebroadcast FRONTLINE "Policing the Police," in which writer and historian Jelani Cobb examines allegations of abuses within the Newark Police Department and the challenge of fixing its broken relationship with the community. "Policing the Police" will air at 10:00 p.m. ET.

GREAT PERFORMANCES "Twilight: Los Angeles" encores Monday, June 8 at 10:00 p.m. ET. Anna Deavere Smith's powerful one-woman theater piece gives a riveting account of the violent aftermath of the 1992 Rodney King verdict and the lasting impact of the Los Angeles riots on America's conscience. Award-winning director Marc Levin weaves Smith's stage performance with news footage and interviews to create a portrait of rage, sorrow, loss and battered hope.

AMERICA IN BLACK AND BLUE 2020, which broadcasts on PBS stations Monday, June 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET, will report from across the country, and include interviews with key leaders and participants in the struggle for racial justice, accountability and equity, as well as voices from law enforcement. As the latest crisis of police violence on black citizens - and outraged protests and ensuing violence - engulf the nation, this PBS special will bring context and insight. It will update reporting from the original AMERICA IN BLACK AND BLUE, which first aired in 2016, as well as THE TALK - RACE IN AMERICA. Correspondents will report from Minneapolis, Georgia, New York and elsewhere, and interviews from PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND, AMANPOUR AND COMPANY, and other PBS national and local programming will be included. More details are forthcoming.

PBS and member stations will this week begin rebroadcasting and/or streaming a full slate of films about the history of injustices within the African American community. Films from Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. include THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS, a chronicle of African American history, from the origins of slavery on the African continent through more than four centuries of remarkable events; RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, a four-part series that explores the transformative years when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss and African Americans forged a new, more equal place in American social and political life, only to face the backlash of segregation and institutionalized disempowerment whose legacy persists today; and BLACK AMERICA SINCE MLK: AND STILL I RISE, a detailed exploration of how the civil rights movement impacted the country, including successes and failures related to political and economic equality.

PBS will also provide Stanley Nelson's award-winning Independent Lens film THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION, a riveting look at an earlier era of conflict and how the Black Panthers provided community services while advocating for more radical national change.

All films will also be available for streaming on station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. PBS station members will be available to view all episodes via Passport (contact your local PBS station for details).

In addition to the broadcasts, films from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Stanley Nelson will be included as part of a special curated collection streaming free on PBS.org. The filmmakers will offer their insights into the events currently gripping the country and historical origins for greater context. The programs below will also be included as part of the curated collection, with titles provided in association with Black Public Media.

INDEPENDENT LENS "Always in Season"
A grieving mother embarks on a quest for racial justice after her teenage son's suspicious death.

INDEPENDENT LENS "Charm City"
Get to know the people on the front lines of three years of unparalleled violence in Baltimore.

INDEPENDENT LENS "The First Rainbow Coalition"
Notable community groups in 1960s Chicago bridge race and ethnicity to form a surprising alliance.

INDEPENDENT LENS "I Am Not Your Negro"
Explore James Baldwin's unfinished book about race in America in this Oscar-nominated documentary.

JOHN LEWIS - GET IN THE WAY
Follow the courageous journey of John Lewis, from his youth in the segregated South, through his leadership within the Civil Rights movement, to his current role as a powerful voice in Congress.

POV "Whose Streets?"
Take an unflinching look at the Ferguson uprising, told by the activists leading the movement.

PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT, the signature programming and engagement initiative of the network's 50 th anniversary, invites people across the country to share their stories about race and current events with a new prompt, "Now is the time..." Stories can be uploaded to AMERICAN PORTRAIT at pbs.org/americanportrait and may be included in a featured collection of personal stories from Americans grappling with racism and its impact, past and present. PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT will air two new specials this fall and a four-part docuseries in January 2021 that spotlight American stories, including how the far-reaching impact of the events of 2020 have affected our everyday lives.

PBS KIDS will offer families resources to discuss race, racism, civil rights, current events and more with young children, including a virtual event on YouTube on Tuesday, June 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET with parents, teachers and child development experts.

PBS LEARNINGMEDIA will offer materials to help educators talk with students about race in America and current events, including classroom-ready resources for a variety of grade levels aligned to state and national standards. Professional learning materials for educators will also be available later this month.

In the spirit of providing resources and information on topics exploring race in America, PBS DIGITAL STUDIOS will curate a themed playlist featuring wide-ranging content from some of its most popular series, including SAY IT LOUD, ABOVE THE NOISE, ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING and CRASH COURSE. Programs explore " The Origin of Race in the USA," " Should We Police Our Police," " The Reason #BlackTwitter Exists (And Is Totally Awesome)," " What Does Resistance Look Like " and many more.

About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS' premier children's media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV - including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

Contacts:

Michae Godwin, PBS
mmgodwin@pbs.org
Joe DePlasco, DKC
joe_deplasco@dkcnews.com

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PBS to Address Race and Racism in America Through Broadcast and Streaming Content | PBS About

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AMERICA IN BLACK AND BLUE 2020 Premieres Monday, June 15 at 9:00 p.m.

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I'm Lauren Elder, I teach 6th and 7th Social Studies

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A) write to think on questions 1 & 2 (found on page 254) on a Google doc OR write your responses directly in your post.
B) Make a copy of the CASH-In organizer (linked below) to capture your thinking before the discussion and link it here
C) Reflective journal: pick three quotes from the section and explain how they were impactful on your thinking

PLEASE NOTE: Be sure to check your sharing settings so that your link says “anyone with link can view”

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A) write to think on questions 3 & 4 (found on pages 254-255) on a Google doc OR write your responses directly in your post.

B) Make a copy of the CASH-In organizer (linked below) to capture your thinking before the discussion and link it here

C) Reflective journal: pick three quotes from the section and explain how they were impactful on your thinking

PLEASE NOTE: Be sure to check your sharing settings so that your link says “anyone with link can view”

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A) Write to think on questions 5-7 (found on page 255) on a Google doc OR write your responses directly in your post.

B) Make a copy of the CASH-In organizer (linked below) to capture your thinking before the discussion and link it here

C) Reflective journal: pick three quotes from the section and explain how they were impactful on your thinking

PLEASE NOTE: Be sure to check your sharing settings so that your link says “anyone with link can view”

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I'm Mr.Kenney your friendly neighborhood 6th and 7th grade computer science Teacher. I decided to join the book study to be able to discuss and learn with colleagues how best to teach and support this topic.

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I'm Mr.Kenney your friendly neighborhood 6th and 7th grade computer science Teacher. I decided to join the book study to be able to discuss and learn with colleagues how best to teach and support this topic.

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Hello~ I'm Josh Roberts and teach 7th grade Spanish. I decided to join this book club because, #1 I love to read and have not read this book #2 Race is a societal issue that can no longer be ignored in our country and around the world, or pushed aside as " not my problem." # 3 I would like to grow in empathy and understanding as a school community!

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Hello~ I'm Josh Roberts and teach 7th grade Spanish. I decided to join this book club because, #1 I love to read and have not read this book #2 Race is a societal issue that can no longer be ignored in our country and around the world, or pushed aside as " not my problem." # 3 I would like to grow in empathy and understanding as a school community!

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1.) Be Real-Even if you know others may not agree.
2.) Be open to change. Don't be stubborn in any opinion or view, even when you "know" you're right.
3.) Allow everyone their place to share-Don't cut off other people.

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With any reading, I hope to gain different perspective through the writer's experience. One classroom goal is  always to display love. I want my views on all people transparent, so that students see I treat everyone with kindness and respect. Young people learn through example, I always want to be a good example, so as Dana said, students start to have these conversations at a young age and at this crucial point in history. We don't want to continue to have the same societal inequalities that our parents and grandparents lived in.

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With any reading, I hope to gain different perspective through the writer's experience. One classroom goal is  always to display love. I want my views on all people transparent, so that students see I treat everyone with kindness and respect. Young people learn through example, I always want to be a good example, so as Dana said, students start to have these conversations at a young age and at this crucial point in history. We don't want to continue to have the same societal inequalities that our parents and grandparents lived in.

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Good read as a sports fan. Written by Kyle Korver, a well known white player in the NBA, which is over 80% people of color.

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MELISSA MAJCHRZAK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES

When the police break your teammate's leg, you'd think it would wake you up a little.

When they arrest him on a New York street, throw him in jail for the night, and leave him with a season-ending injury, you'd think it would sink in. You'd think you'd know there was more to the story.

You'd think.

But nope.

I still remember my reaction when I first heard what happened to Thabo. It was 2015, late in the season. Thabo and I were teammates on the Hawks, and we'd flown into New York late after a game in Atlanta. When I woke up the next morning, our team group text was going nuts. Details were still hazy, but guys were saying, Thabo hurt his leg? During an arrest ? Wait - he spent the night in jail?! Everyone was pretty upset and confused.

Well, almost everyone. My response was..... different. I'm embarrassed to admit it.

Which is why I want to share it today.

Before I tell the rest of this story, let me just say real quick - Thabo wasn't some random teammate of mine, or some guy in the league who I knew a little bit. We'd become legitimate friends that year in our downtime. He was my go-to teammate to talk with about stuff beyond the basketball world. Politics, religion, culture, you name it - Thabo brought a perspective that wasn't typical of an NBA player. And it's easy to see why: Before we were teammates in Atlanta, the guy had played professional ball in France, Turkey and Italy. He spoke three languages! Thabo's mother was from Switzerland, and his father was from South Africa. They lived together in South Africa before Thabo was born, then left because of apartheid.

It didn't take long for me to figure out that Thabo was one of the most interesting people I'd ever been around. We respected each other. We were cool, you know? We had each other's backs.

Anyway - on the morning I found out that Thabo had been arrested, want to know what my first thought was? About my friend and teammate? My first thought was: What was Thabo doing out at a club on a back-to-back??

Yeah. Not, How's he doing? Not, What happened during the arrest?? Not, Something seems off with this story. Nothing like that. Before I knew the full story, and before I'd even had the chance to talk to Thabo..... I sort of blamed Thabo.

I thought, Well, if I'd been in Thabo's shoes, out at a club late at night, the police wouldn't have arrested me. Not unless I was doing something wrong.

Cringe.

It's not like it was a conscious thought. It was pure reflex - the first thing to pop into my head.

And I was worried about him, no doubt.

But still. Cringe.

A few months later, a jury found Thabo not guilty on all charges. He settled with the city over the NYPD's use of force against him. And then the story just sort of..... disappeared. It fell away from the news. Thabo had surgery and went through rehab. Pretty soon, another NBA season began - and we were back on the court again.

Life went on.

But I still couldn't shake my discomfort.

I mean, I hadn't been involved in the incident. I hadn't even been there. So why did I feel like I'd let my friend down?

Why did I feel like I'd let myself down?

A few weeks ago, something happened at a Jazz home game that brought back many of those old questions.

Maybe you saw it: We were playing against the Thunder, and Russell Westbrook and a fan in the crowd exchanged words during the game. I didn't actually see or hear what happened, and if you were following on TV or on Twitter, maybe you had a similar initial viewing of it. Then, after the game, one of our reporters asked me for my response to what had gone down between Russ and the fan. I told him I hadn't seen it - and added something like, But you know Russ. He gets into it with the crowd a lot.

Of course, the full story came out later that night. What actually happened was that a fan had said some really ugly things at close range to Russ. Russ had then responded. After the game, he'd said he felt the comments were racially charged.

The incident struck a nerve with our team.

In a closed-door meeting with the president of the Jazz the next day, my teammates shared stories of similar experiences they'd had - of feeling degraded in ways that went beyond acceptable heckling. One teammate talked about how his mom had called him right after the game, concerned for his safety in SLC. One teammate said the night felt like being "in a zoo." One of the guys in the meeting was Thabo - he's my teammate in Utah now. I looked over at him, and remembered his night in NYC.

Everyone was upset. I was upset - and embarrassed, too. But there was another emotion in the room that day, one that was harder to put a finger on. It was almost like..... disappointment, mixed with exhaustion. Guys were just sick and tired of it all.

This wasn't the first time they'd taken part in conversations about race in their NBA careers, and it wasn't the first time they'd had to address the hateful actions of others. And one big thing that got brought up a lot in the meeting was how incidents like this - they weren't only about the people directly involved. This wasn't only about Russ and some heckler. It was about more than that.

It was about what it means just to exist right now - as a person of color in a mostly white space.

It was about racism in America.

Before the meeting ended, I joined the team's demand for a swift response and a promise from the Jazz organization that it would address the concerns we had. I think my teammates and I all felt it was a step in the right direction.

But I don't think anyone felt satisfied.

There's an elephant in the room that I've been thinking about a lot over these last few weeks. It's the fact that, demographically, if we're being honest: I have more in common with the fans in the crowd at your average NBA game than I have with the players on the court.

And after the events in Salt Lake City last month, and as we've been discussing them since, I've really started to recognize the role those demographics play in my privilege. It's like - I may be Thabo's friend, or Ekpe's teammate, or Russ's colleague; I may work with those guys. And I absolutely 100% stand with them.

But I look like the other guy.

And whether I like it or not? I'm beginning to understand how that means something.

What I'm realizing is, no matter how passionately I commit to being an ally, and no matter how unwavering my support is for NBA and WNBA players of color..... I'm still in this conversation from the privileged perspective of opting in to it. Which of course means that on the flip side, I could just as easily opt out of it. Every day, I'm given that choice - I'm granted that privilege - based on the color of my skin.

In other words, I can say every right thing in the world: I can voice my solidarity with Russ after what happened in Utah. I can evolve my position on what happened to Thabo in New York. I can be that weird dude in Get Out bragging about how he'd have voted for Obama a third term. I can condemn every racist heckler I've ever known.

But I can also fade into the crowd, and my face can blend in with the faces of those hecklers, any time I want.

I realize that now. And maybe in years past, just realizing something would've felt like progress. But it's NOT years past - it's today. And I know I have to do better. So I'm trying to push myself further.

I'm trying to ask myself what I should actually do.

How can I - as a white man, part of this systemic problem - become part of the solution when it comes to racism in my workplace? In my community? In this country?

These are the questions that I've been asking myself lately.

And I don't think I have all the answers yet - but here are the ones that are starting to ring the most true:

I have to continue to educate myself on the history of racism in America.

I have to listen. I'll say it again, because it's that important. I have to listen.

I have to support leaders who see racial justice as fundamental - as something that's at the heart of nearly every major issue in our country today. And I have to support policies that do the same.

I have to do my best to recognize when to get out of the way - in order to amplify the voices of marginalized groups that so often get lost.

But maybe more than anything?

I know that, as a white man, I have to hold my fellow white men accountable.

We all have to hold each other accountable.

And we all have to be accountable - period. Not just for our own actions, but also for the ways that our inaction can create a "safe" space for toxic behavior.

And I think the standard that we have to hold ourselves to, in this crucial moment..... it's higher than it's ever been. We have to be active. We have to be actively supporting the causes of those who've been marginalized - precisely because they've been marginalized.

Two concepts that I've been thinking about a lot lately are guilt and responsibility.

When it comes to racism in America, I think that guilt and responsibility tend to be seen as more or less the same thing. But I'm beginning to understand how there's a real difference.

As white people, are we guilty of the sins of our forefathers? No, I don't think so.

But are we responsible for them? Yes, I believe we are.

And I guess I've come to realize that when we talk about solutions to systemic racism - police reform, workplace diversity, affirmative action, better access to healthcare, even reparations? It's not about guilt. It's not about pointing fingers, or passing blame.

It's about responsibility. It's about understanding that when we've said the word "equality," for generations, what we've really meant is equality for a certain group of people. It's about understanding that when we've said the word "inequality," for generations, what we've really meant is slavery, and its aftermath - which is still being felt to this day. It's about understanding on a fundamental level that black people and white people, they still have it different in America. And that those differences come from an ugly history..... not some random divide.

And it's about understanding that Black Lives Matter, and movements like it, matter, because - well, let's face it: I probably would've been safe on the street that one night in New York. And Thabo wasn't. And I was safe on the court that one night in Utah. And Russell wasn't.

But as disgraceful as it is that we have to deal with racist hecklers in NBA arenas in 2019? The truth is, you could argue that that kind of racism is "easier" to deal with.

Because at least in those cases, the racism is loud and clear. There's no ambiguity - not in the act itself, and thankfully not in the response: we throw the guy out of the building, and then we ban him for life.

But in many ways the more dangerous form of racism isn't that loud and stupid kind. It isn't the kind that announces itself when it walks into the arena. It's the quiet and subtle kind. The kind that almost hides itself in plain view. It's the person who does and says all the "right" things in public: They're perfectly friendly when they meet a person of color. They're very polite. But in private? Well..... they sort of wish that everyone would stop making everything "about race" all the time.

It's the kind of racism that can seem almost invisible - which is one of the main reasons why it's allowed to persist.

And so, again, banning a guy like Russ's heckler? To me, that's the "easy" part. But if we're really going to make a difference as a league, as a community, and as a country on this issue..... it's like I said - I just think we need to push ourselves another step further.

First, by identifying that less visible, less obvious behavior as what it is: racism.

And then second, by denouncing that racism - actively, and at every level.

That's the bare minimum of where we have to get to, I think, if we're going to consider the NBA - or any workplace - as anything close to part of the solution in 2019.

I'll wrap this up in a minute - but first I have one last thought.

The NBA is over 75% players of color.

Seventy-five percent.

People of color, they built this league. They've grown this league. People of color have made this league into what it is today. And I guess I just wanted to say that if you can't find it in your heart to support them - now? And I mean actively support them?

If the best that you can do for their cause is to passively "tolerate" it? If that's the standard we're going to hold ourselves to - to blend in, and opt out?

Well, that's not good enough. It's not even close.

I know I'm in a strange position, as one of the more recognized white players in the NBA. It's a position that comes with a lot of..... interesting undertones. And it's a position that makes me a symbol for a lot of things, for a lot of people - often people who don't know anything about me. Usually, I just ignore them. But this doesn't feel like a "usually" moment.

This feels like a moment to draw a line in the sand.

I believe that what's happening to people of color in this country - right now, in 2019 - is wrong.

The fact that black Americans are more than five times as likely to be incarcerated as white Americans is wrong. The fact that black Americans are more than twice as likely to live in poverty as white Americans is wrong. The fact that black unemployment rates nationally are double that of overall unemployment rates is wrong. The fact that black imprisonment rates for drug charges are almost six times higher nationally than white imprisonment rates for drug charges is wrong. The fact that black Americans own approximately one-tenth of the wealth that white Americans own is wrong.

The fact that inequality is built so deeply into so many of our most trusted institutions is wrong.

And I believe it's the responsibility of anyone on the privileged end of those inequalities to help make things right.

So if you don't want to know anything about me, outside of basketball, then listen - I get it. But if you do want to know something? Know I believe that.

Know that about me.

If you're wearing my jersey at a game? Know that about me. If you're planning to buy my jersey for someone else...... know that about me. If you're following me on social media..... know that about me. If you're coming to Jazz games and rooting for me..... know that about me.

And if you're claiming my name, or likeness, for your own cause, in any way..... know that about me. Know that I believe this matters.

Thanks for reading.

Time for me to shut up and listen.

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MELISSA MAJCHRZAK/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES When the police break your teammate's leg, you'd think it would wake you up a little. When they arrest him on a New York street, throw him in jail for the night, and leave him with a season-ending injury, you'd think it would sink in.

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Hello! I am Bri Garcia and I am the Social Emotional Learning Specialist. I was incredibly excited to hear about this book study because I am very passionate about these topics and I also know that I will forever have more to learn about them. I am excited to learn and grow with you all. 

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Hello! I am Bri Garcia and I am the Social Emotional Learning Specialist. I was incredibly excited to hear about this book study because I am very passionate about these topics and I also know that I will forever have more to learn about them. I am excited to learn and grow with you all. 

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I love the norm "be okay with being uncomfortable"
A few others:
- start and end on time
- allow everyone to share as much or as little as they want
- showing respect even through difficult conversations when you might not agree with others

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As a trained counselor, it is my responsibility to never stop educating myself on issues that are affect groups of people who have faced racism, oppression, marginalization, and generational trauma. As a non-Black person of color, I hope to gain more understanding and empathy towards what our Black community faces in our country. I believe that as educators, we are in a position to create change in our youth. We hold a tremendous responsibility to fight against systemic racism starting in our school buildings. I hope to gain insight on how I can be more effective in my position as a SELS for our students who face racism in our building BUT ALSO for our students who don't have to face these issues to become allies.

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I'm Christine Stang Ahmed and I am an assistant principal at Dunstan--this is my second year at DMS and my second year as an AP--I worked the two years before that as an instructional coach in Adams 12 and the 15 years before that as a secondary ELA teacher in Adams 12, Denver Public Schools, and Minneapolis Public Schools. I also work a second job training schools/districts around Colorado in Restorative Practice. My entire career is fueled by a desire to close opportunity gaps--it's why I started teaching and it's why I left teaching--to really truly and actually figure out how to ensure equal access for all. I joined this book club because for that to happen--we ALL need to figure out how to have tough conversations about (among other potentially uncomfortable topics) race.

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I don't have anything new to offer on this but want to elevate: presume positive intent. I get that this sounds easy considering we're all here doing the good and right work AND we represent a faction of educators volunteering for extra work over the summer, but, if/when conversations get tough--this is especially important to remember. We ARE all here because we see something that needs to change and we see ourselves/each other/our profession as agents of change.

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Professional goals aside (see #1) I'm also looking for some facilitation-y kinds of ideas on how to support faculties/professionals/organizations with this type of heavy lifting.  Being able to learn and also learn about this specific learning--you could say.

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Professional goals aside (see #1) I'm also looking for some facilitation-y kinds of ideas on how to support faculties/professionals/organizations with this type of heavy lifting.  Being able to learn and also learn about this specific learning--you could say.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R1Ita-LnIs8VNZeui2TfY3n5g7UOplaD/view

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All suggestions listed before me look like they're reasonable. I will do my best to keep my kids entertained but please be patient and understanding if I must step away briefly.

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1. Gain insight
2. Broaden my knowledge on the topic of race
3. Be part of the solution

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1. Wonder if we'll be able to find ways to honor the experiences and history of all cultures in a balanced and respectful way without causing even more conflict and angst.

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I am Karli and I teach intro to language and culture. I think this is a very important issue that needs to be addressed in our community and we need to be having these tough discussions. Also, my class celebrates other cultures and I thought this book club would help me better understand other's perspectives.

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Be open to feeling uncomfortable.
Assume positive intent.

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1. Gain insight
2. Feel more comfortable discussing racism
3. Take the necessary first steps to help make a change.

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I actually really like this template and I think I will be incorporating them into my class through warm ups or exit tickets (assuming we do return to school!) I like that you can see other student's responses and build upon other's ideas.

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I am one of the PE teachers at DMS. I have taught for 27 years in many different socio-economic situations: Beth Jacob HS, Montebello HS, Mandalay MS, O'Connell MS, DMS and at ACC as a high school principal for summer school. My family is mixed race and I want to know how to have productive, intelligent conversations to keep them safe emotionally and physically. I'd like to believe I have been sensitive to the needs of all of my students but there's always room for improvement.

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Be willing to include us who will not make it to the live session.

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My goal is to be a better human.

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How do I make it better for my students, co-workers, friends, family, society?

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If we continue with distance learning, I will incorporate Padlet into some of my lessons.

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1. "We have to be able to look racism in the eye whenever we encounter it." If I am in public and I hear something, I want to be able to respond appropriately and shut it down.
2. "It is about race if a person of color thinks it's about race." This goes back to harassment and bullying. If a person feels harassed/bullied, then their feelings need to be validated and addressed.
3. "Intersectionality helps ensure that fewer people are left behind and that our efforts to do better for some do not make things far worse for others." It is my nature to make things as fair and equitable for all as possible.

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All 8th graders read Frederick Douglass’ Narrative as part of a collection of slave narratives to learn about slavery from those who lived it.  I cam across this video this morning of FD’s descendants reading his famous speech about the 4th of July, and how it is NOT a day of celebration for Black people in this country.  It still resonates today, as equality has not been truly achieved.

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‘What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?’: Descendants Read Frederick Douglass' Speech  | NPR

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A teacher made a comment that was deemed controversial and was placed on leave.  She was later reinstated.

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Sixth-grade English teacher Zakia Jarrett was briefly placed on administrative paid leave for telling students that "many cops are racist" during a class discussion on race and racism.

Jarrett, a Black teacher at Pierce Middle School in Milton, Massachusetts, was placed on leave on June 5 after a recording of the remote learning session reached the school principal. But later that night, the school district reversed the decision after the Milton Educators Association complained.

The Milton School District said in a statement to Here & Now that the school superintendent apologized to Jarrett verbally and in writing.

"The manner in which these events unfolded caused pain to an employee of the Milton Public Schools and negatively impacted students," the statement said. "This incident has caused the District to deeply reflect on our processes and practices as we consider academic freedom and the many complex facets of remote learning."

The teachers' union said that Jarrett was "wrongly accused of presenting inaccurate or inappropriate material about racial prejudice." Recording a remote session is also in violation of the district's remote learning policy, the union said.

During the lesson in question, Jarrett says she presented students with Nikki Giovanni's poem "Allowables" about the killing of a spider. With Giovanni's words, "I don't think I'm allowed to kill something because I am afraid," Jarrett says she was trying to teach students about systemic racism and unconscious bias.

"I said that I thought it was about how as people, we often respond to others based on our own beliefs and not necessarily based on what the other person has done," she says. "And then I took it a little farther and said, sometimes when people are angry or afraid, they lash out, even though the person who's receiving their aggression did nothing."

Citing the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, Jarrett told her students that his killers "were responding to their own interpretation of his Black skin, not because of something that Ahmaud Arbery did."

"I said, in addition to the men who killed Arbery being racist, that there are many police officers who are racist as well. And using that as an excuse for killing someone is not a good enough excuse," she says she told her students.

When the school principal told Jarrett that she was being suspended because of an alleged comment, Jarrett says she couldn't remember exactly what she said and that she was "honestly terrified."

Jarrett's colleagues voiced their support for her in a letter to the district, arguing that her statements were "100% true," she says, and expressed their concerns about her being punished for an unauthorized recording of her lesson.

"There are many police officers who are racist," Jarrett says. "I wasn't saying most or all, just many."

Jarrett is now calling for a more robust anti-racism education curriculum. And parents are supporting her too, with more than 400 signing a petition accusing the Milton School District of not prioritizing teaching students about race and racism.

Jarrett says an anti-racism curriculum must touch every class from English to math.

"It's not just let's do one class that talks about racism and we move on," she says. "It's intertwined in everything we do."

In her own classes, Jarrett says she focuses on exposing students to authors of different races and creating a place where they can have conversations about race.

"For many of my sixth graders, when they enter my class, I'm the first person who has let them know it's OK to notice that race exists, to say that I am a Black teacher," she says, "because for so many of them, it's been taught that it's taboo to notice that people have different races."

It's also important to have these conversations with kids without placing blame, Jarrett says.

"I spend a lot of time saying to my students, especially to my white students, that I know that when we talk about racism, white people, white children often feel guilty and feel responsible for it," she says. "And I made it very clear to them that systemic institutional racism has existed in this country since before they were born."

Jarrett also emphasizes to her students that everyone has unconscious bias, herself included, and talking about it is the only way to overcome it.

"It's this idea that systemic racism is not the same as individual racism. It's not you're calling someone the N-word," she says. "It's not necessarily because you're a bad person in quotes, but that doesn't mean that someone can't still be racist. And I think that's a very nuanced idea that children should be introduced to."
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly quoted the statement that led to Zakia Jarrett's temporary suspension. Jarrett actually said "many cops are racist." Marcelle Hutchins produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Todd Mundt. Samantha Raphelson adapted it for the web.

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Teacher Calls For Anti-Racism Curriculum After She Was Put On Leave Over Remarks On Police Violence

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Sixth-grade English teacher Zakia Jarrett was briefly placed on administrative paid leave for telling students that "many cops are racist" during a class discussion on race and racism. Jarrett, a Black teacher at Pierce Middle School in Milton, Massachusetts, was placed on leave on June 5 after a recording of the remote learning session reached the school principal.

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Here are my notes and thinking from the first section.

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Hello everyone,
I am Cara Austin and I am a Paraprofessional for the Special Education department at Dunstan. I joined this book club because I would like to better understand the topic of race and be able to have meaningful and productive conversations about race. It is important to connect with our students of color and understand how to better support them in education. I am excited to lean and grow with you all as a community.

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My goal is to deepen my understanding of the issue of race in our country. I want to be a supportive ally for our students of color.

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I agree with these norms and expectations. I think it is important to stay positive and willing to learn and try new things.

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Discussion Questions:

1. Can I think of a social or political issue that many people currently believe are not about race, but actually may be? Which of the above guidelines for understanding when it is about race fit those issues? A current social issue we’re facing is the re-opening of schools. While on the surface, this may not be about race but looking deeper, it may be. “It is about race if it fits into a broader pattern of events that disproportionately affect people of color.” Across our nation, schools are facing the difficult decision of re-opening our schools or continuing online. Parents (not teachers-but I digress) are being asked what they prefer. Parents who are unable to work from home and/or give up their job to be home with their children might disproportionately be people or families of color. They would not see in person or online as an actual choice. Students in schools that are not adequately funded (who am I kidding, none of us are adequately funded-but again, I digress) will be the most affected.

2. How do the concepts discussed in the chapter “Why Am I Always Being Told to ‘Check My Privilege’?” help deepen my understanding of intersectionality into my life? When I graduated from college and started my career as a teacher, I was incredibly naive. I did not understand when I was asking myself questions about my students: What do you mean they were not all raised like me? With two parents who were involved in my education, in a loving home, with food, shelter, clothing and access to extracurricular activities, everything I just listed is a privilege. I know better now. As a PE teacher, my goal is to level the playing field for all of the students in my class. Intersectionality is the next step in the equality vs equity conversation.

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Key Quotes & Thoughts

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Question 1: Is It Really About Race? After reading the author's explanation of these points, can you think of social or political issues that many believe are not about race, but may actually be?

Lauren's response: A current issue that is about race that many white people may not think of as related to race would be the effects of COVID-19 in the United States. Ijeoma Oluo spends significant time in this chapter elaborating on why it is essential for us to examine how situations and issues in our societies can impact people of color in ways they do not impact white people. Criteria #2: "It is about race if it disproportionately or differently affects people of color," is the standard that can be applied when examining COVID in the United States. White people and BIPOC are both impacted negatively by COVID in terms of their health and economic well being. However, according to data gathered from the CDC, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities are dying at a much higher rate from COVID-19 then white communities. In Milwaukee County alone, African Americans make up 26% of the population but comprise 70% of deaths. This shows that people of color are disproportionately impacted and that systemic racism is likely at play here. Black communities are less likely to have access to health care and it has also been shown that medical professionals are less likely to believe their Black patients (especially Black women) about their symptoms and levels of pain. It's not hard to see how this would put the lives of Black people in greater peril.

Question #2: How do the concepts discussed in the chapter "Why Am I Always Being Told to 'Check my Privilege?" help deepen your understanding of intersectionality and help implement intersectionality in your life?

Lauren's response: It's clear the author has ordered these chapters intentionally to help the reader explore and think critically about areas in their own lives where they may experience privilege and be able to acknowledge that even though they may not have privilege in one aspect of life, they may have privilege in another. The author defines privilege as "Advantages that you have that others do not." I can think of many aspects of my life where I have advantages that I have not earned, yet they grant me access, comfort, or safety that others are not similarly granted. For example, I have immense privilege as a white person. I will never experience racism (racism = prejudice + power). I have privilege as someone who grew up in an upper middle class home -- I had the financial means to attend college with minimal debt and had a safety net to fall back on in my transition form childhood to adulthood. I never experienced poverty, hunger, or homelessness. By contrast, I am a woman so I can expect to be taken less seriously by men, make less money then men, and have my private healthcare decisions policed. I am part of the LGBTQ+ community so I live with the constant concern of being "outed" in potentially inhospitable environments and have experienced harassment from others while in past relationships with womxn. In these ways, all of these combinations of privilege and non-privilege, my identity is intersectional -- it is comprised of all of the many different aspects that make me who I am. In order to combat inequity and racism, I have to view myself through an intersectional lens and I must view others this way as well. In spaces where I am the majority, where I have privledge, it is essential that I speak up for others who do not. When discussing how a problem impacts people of color, we have to be aware of how that impact might be different between Black communities vs. Asian communities, etc. Ijeoma Oluo gives great illustrative examples of how as a Black woman she must content with the forces of both racism and misogyny. For me personally, this has made me think a lot about how I need to speak up more for people of color within the LGBTQ community, especially black trans women who are murdered at immensely high rates. It has also made me think about how all the identities my students have can impact their experiences in so many unique and different ways in our educational system and it is my job to make sure I am aware of them and listening to their perspectives.

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An opportunity!  Want to “see” Ibram X. Kendi?

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An opportunity!  Want to “see” Ibram X. Kendi?

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From the CELL:

In appreciation of your support, the CELL and the Mizel Museum are extending COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS to you for this exclusive online event.

Join us for a Timely and Critical Conversation with

New York Times Bestselling Author of

How to Be an Antiracist

IBRAM X. KENDI

&

GREGORY MOORE

Former Co-Chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board

July 28 at 6:00 p.m. MST

Register at tinyurl.com/MMKendi2020

Webinar link will be sent following registration.

Limited Availability – RSVP Required

Ibram X. Kendi

Ibram X. Kendi is one of America’s foremost historians and leading antiracist voices. A New York Times bestselling author and the Founding Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, Kendi is the recipient of the W.E.B. Du Bois Book Prize and the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction. How to Be an Antiracist has been hailed by the New York Times as “the most courageous book to date on the problem of race in the Western mind.”

Questions: details@mizelmuseum.org or 303-844-4000 ext. 7

The $10 cost of this ticket has been generously underwritten by our sponsors

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Meeting #1 will take place Thursday, July 16 at 10:00 am. We will be discussing Chapters 1-5 of Ijeoma Oluo's "So You Want to Talk About Race?" Please come prepared with any discussion questions you would like to pose to the group as well as any quotes that you would like us to explore and discuss together. My plan is to begin with the author's discussion questions 1 & 2 on page 254 and open it up from there.

Here is the Google Meet link/code that you can use to access:

meet.google.com/tjx-vjgp-pdh

Join by phone(US) +1 661-543-0138 PIN: 455 585 096#

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This book has really been eye opening.  There are quite a few quotes that have been impactful to me so it's difficult to pick just three.  However, here are three I found the most interesting.
1. The whole list of defining if it's really about race (It's about race if a person of color thinks it's about race, if it disproportionately or differently affects people of color & if it fits into a broader pattern of events).  I found this really interesting because it really made the topic of race and racism on a individual level not just a mainstream, media driven level.
2. "Often, being a person of color in white-dominated society is like being in an abusive relationship with the world.  Every day is a new little hurt, a new little dehumanization."  Holy crap!  That's a powerful line.  This line (along with the rest of the explanation) really puts the emotion into this book and into racism.
3. The whole section describing the basketball players coming over to join the Facebook group's picnic. This section stood out because the author became very reflective of her own unintended pretentiousness, privilege and racism. I found it very interesting that no one on this planet (even the experts) are immune to mistakes, unintentional privilege and racism. We all make mistakes. But being able to have this conversation will hopefully make those mistakes smaller and smaller and where all of us can learn more and more.

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1.) Pg. 25-26 "...the day-to-day reminders that I'm less than, that I should just learn to get over or find a more pleasant way to confront.... It seemed far more important to him that the white people who were spreading and upholding racism be spared the effects of being called a racist, than sparing his black friend the effects of racism."

This quote comes from a conversation with a co-worker when "categorizing" racism, in its varying degrees. My first thought is privilege. Do White people have to defend "less racist- no big deal behavior towards them?" NO. My second thought is how many people let this type of attitude/behavior slide? With yourself? In your own family? Wherever?
If we are letting it slide, we're part of the problem. Until recently I accepted that some people were "just racist" like the co-worker describes his grandma. I am now looking to fight that "accepted racism" and challenge people's thinking.

2.)Pg. 34 "How often has the word cracker been used to deny your services? What measurable impact has this word had on the lives of white Americans in general?

Very true. If I am called a "cracker" by say a group of black males, the worst that can happen is maybe I feel harassed, embarrassed, or intimidated. On the other hand the slew of racism terms thrown at people of color have cost them jobs, housing, education, their lives....etc. That's not an equal playing field.

3.)Pg. 69. "Every day you are given opportunities to make the world better, by making yourself a little uncomfortable and asking. " who doesn't have the same freedom or opportunity that I'm enjoying now?"

With this mindset, great things can be achieved for all. How do we get "all" to think like this? Is that posible? I think selfish behavior plays a big role. For some, the thought of losing "said privilege" is unfathomable.
For me though this quote is super powerful, and will lead me to examine more deeply the question "Who isn't allowed this same joy? as I make decisions and try to have my voice be heard.

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My quotes for section 1 using Evernote.

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by Ijeoma Oluo Section 1: Chapters 1-5 (July 16, 2020) C) Reflective journal: pick three quotes from the section and explain how they were impactful on your thinking "It's the system, and our complace...

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1. A current issue that “disproportionally or differently affects people of color” is the economic effects of COVID. In 2018, over 62 percent of people in poverty were BIPOC and one of the factors of systemic poverty is social oppression. Many BIPOC have jobs that earn less than their white counterparts and/or earn hourly wages. Because COVID had stopped income for everyone, it hit harder for the families who were already struggling financially. It is likely that these families fell further behind on their bills and will slip further into the cycle of poverty.

2. I think it was vital that the author place the chapter on privilege before discussing intersectionality because it helped the reader understand their own privileges first. Oluo’s activity of writing down all the privileges you have is incredibly powerful and puts things in perspective. It also allowed the reader to understand how different aspects of someone’s life can come together and create multiple types of overlapping discrimination.

B. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mqpUID4HIC7arUVONmBHBjL_Rq8PHPrxtd7rfWg0QkY/edit
C. 1.“I speak quite often about how important it is to be open to those who are generous enough to tell you that you fucked up- especially around issues of race (Oluo, xiv).” I know that I will be making a bunch of mistakes and I need to keep my ego in check if someone corrects me.
2. “And what keeps an able-bodied black woman poor is not what keeps a disabled white man poor, even if the outcomes look the same (Oluo, 13).” This was powerful to me because when you discuss poverty, many people overlook the root of the issue.
3. “If I call a white person a cracker, the worst I can do is ruin their day. If A white person thinks I’m a nigger, the worst the worst they can do is get me fired, arrested, or even killed in a system that thinks the same- and has the resources to act on it (Oluo, 28).” This really highlights how derogatory and devastating this word is, especially when we hear it in the hallways EVERYDAY.

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In response to discussion question #1 on page 254, when thinking about the idea that "It is about race if a person of color thinks it's about race. It is about race if it disproportionately or differently affect people of color. It is about race if it fits into a broader pattern of events that disproportionately or differently affect people of color." one of the most prominent issues today is the abuse of police power on BIPOC. There is a lot of debate surrounding this issue and whether or not it truly is about race. I think this is a perfect example of how this section of the book can frame your thinking when approaching a conversation about this issue. People of color in this country have endured a lifetime of oppression, systemic racism, and more thank likely generational trauma. When a person of color thinks an issue is about race, it is their experiences of racism, oppression and generational trauma that shape that thinking so yes, it is about race.

In response to the second discussion question on page 254 about privilege and intersectionality. Intersectionality is a complicated concept. I thought the author had a brilliant idea placing the chapter on privilege right before the chapter on intersectionality. To understand intersectionality and how each person's identities intersect, each intersection having a different affect on their life (some benefitting from privilege and some not), you must be able to understand the concept of privilege. In the chapter on privilege, I liked how the author explained that often times, the phrase "check your privilege" gets brushed off because it's a scary thing for humans to do. It challenges our core belief that we are safe and that as long as we work hard enough, we can achieve anything. When this idea is challenged, it causes people to naturally go into defense mode. Although there is a lot of pain and struggle to recognize one's privilege, there is also incredible growth that can come from it and I thought that was highlighted beautifully in the next chapter on intersectionality.

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Our second meeting will be Thursday July 23 at 10:00am. We will be covering chapters 6-11. Please come prepared with at least one question to ask the group!

Here is the Google Meet link/code that you can use to access:

meet.google.com/kxj-ojtk-idq

Join by phone(US) +1 661-615-8197 PIN: 732 208 240#

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Attachment

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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3. The author was raised by a white mother in a majority white, liberal area, this upbringing might have influenced the way she wrote the book because she experienced some privileges other children of color may not have had. The personal event that sticks out in my mind is when her and her brother were staying with the family while their mom traveled for business. The racist attack perpetrated on her and her brother by the other children had a profound effect on them. If they had been raised by a black mother, they might have had the courage to tell the adults what had happened and how it affected them. If this book was written by a person of color of a different race, their experiences would not be the same. Their experience with racism would reflect what happened to them. For instance, if it was a Native American writing this book, they might talk about the injustices of having their land stolen from them and the blatant disrespect for their culture based on the number of mascots in schools and sports teams, minimizing their identity.
4. The author does not expect white people and people of color to read and experience this book in the same way. In a nutshell, white people will be uncomfortable and tempted to be defensive or dismissive, whereas people of color will be saying, “It’s about time.” White people need to be willing to hear the hard truths and then act in a positive way to change them and support people of color in the change. White people cannot claim “victim” status. People of color will need to continue to press forward and demand equal pay, equal treatment, etc.
QUOTES:
1. "White women still make only 82 cents for every white man's dollar, black women only earn 65 cents for every white man's dollar, and Hispanic women earn even less at 58 cents for every white man's dollar." I will admit the disparity in equal pay angers me. It is something I do not understand. It is one of the reasons I voted against the Strategic Compensation Pilot. I did not see how it would be equitable without pitting us against one another.
2. "Either you believe these disparities exist because you believe that people of color and women are less intelligent, less hard working, and less talented than white men, or you believe that there are systemic issues keeping women and people of color from being hired into jobs, promoted, paid a fair wage, and accepted into college." I absolutely believe there are systemic issues preventing equity in pay, jobs, education. How do I help make it better? Vote responsibly? Speak out? Email people who can affect change? Most likely all of these.
3. "...high-profile school shootings primarily perpetrated by white youth..." All K-12 shootings have been perpetrated by middle and upper middle class white young men (one female at the STEM school) at middle and upper middle class schools. This is not lost on me. Students in "poorer" schools are not shooting up their schools. Why? Is it because school is their safe space?

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1. "It is about race if someone of color thinks it's about race." - Learning to understand that as someone who cannot experience life in the way that anyone of color does, It is not my place to determine when something is or isn't about race. Listening to POC and respecting that it is whatever they say It is, and then moving forward from there.

2. "You are going to screw this up." - We have to risk the uncomfortable to grow. It is challenging to say and do the right things when you don't know the right things. Reading and educating ourselves is the first start but we will still get It wrong. We have to keep showing up and trying.

3. "Check your privilege." - This is something we all need to be doing, and we don't need to take offense. Checking our privilege is a tool to grow and recognize what we HAVE, not what we do not have, and how this affects other people.

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I can see multiple ways that using Padlet could be beneficial in my classroom and for online learning. This is a great way to do art crit, or share work. I will be incorporating It into my lessons.

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#3. I think growing up as explained, the author got to see a lot more of the "white world" first hand compared to people of color in communities of other similar people.

At times she was probably more shielded/protected from systemic racism because of having a white parent. She admittedly did not experience the same outward(money,housing, food,etc.) hardships that many people of color face on a daily basis.  At the same having a white parent, someone who didn't experience personal racism and can never really know what it means/ feels to be black presents different challenges. A mom can always sympathize with their child, but I think it's so much harder when you can't ever feel the same pressures/burdens that your child faces in society.

#4 For white people reading this book I think she expects the reader to be horrified at the many ways people of color are slighted, knowingly and we'll say "less knowingly".  Another goal from the author is for white readers to really try to weigh and deliberate the experiences of people of color the best we can.  One thing that has stuck out for me is that fact that I may say/do something that a person of color feels disproportionately affects people of color. I may feel what happened was not a big deal, but I can't discredit the response I get because this may be the 2000X this happened to this person. Also maybe the person is responding so "rashly" because they expect more from me as a friend/ally.
As a white reader, the author is asking for us not to be complacent, and quiet, but to demand real change. To facilitate hard conversations so that more people (white) start to open their ears and minds, and realize that yes, we have benefited from a system that places certain people at the bottom of the ladder. Yes, that is not fair, yes, this is not right, and until the people (white) who control the systems in this country really decide we can do better for All people, nothing will change. We need to be at the forefront of this change, and never justify our non-action as "their fight, their cause"

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First, I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses and feel lucky to work with such open minded people, and people who want to strive for anti-racism. 

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First, I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses and feel lucky to work with such open minded people, and people who want to strive for anti-racism. 

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Oluo's definition of racism struck me "It is about race if a person of color thinks it's about race." I am on board with this, and her definition provoked myself questioning situations I've witnessed or been involved with where someone was being called racist, and I did not believe that to be the case. For example, this year in school, I had a student in class who said almost daily "you're racist" to a variety of students in the class. It seemed to come off his tongue so easily and often. I talked with him privately and asked about the way he was feeling, the situation in class, and the use of the word "racist" - and none of his words or actions seemed to justify using racism, although he was one of the few POC in the class. Another question I have is - what if the main person acting negatively in the class is, in fact, black. I had another student that was a daily challenge for me, and although we worked hard to improve it - and although race was never brought up, I found myself uber aware of how my discipline with him might look. I was consciously thinking about how to NOT make this about race, and I found that sort of unsettling within myself. To me, it was not about race, but I didn't want to be perceived as a teacher who was racist, or make that student feel that in any way. While in many ways, hearing Oluo's definition made me check myself with regards to how I approach a racial situation, especially with my students, those two examples I gave - I'd love to discuss as a group, if possible.

"White supremacy is the Nation's oldest pyramid scheme." This made me think a lot. Oluo talked about how race is a social construct - with no bearing in science - but in money. I started to think about all the systems in place and her many examples of how racism is woven so tightly in society. I spent time thinking about how this is SUCH a huge change that would need to occur, dating back from the start of our country. I want to be a part of that change, and look forward to understanding how to take action. One of my own personal experiences with this was I was once called racist at my first teaching job for choosing a white female soloist vs. a black female. For me, I choose who I think is right for the solo, and I try to give as many opportunities as possible. The girl who got the solo competed against numerous other soloists and earned the solo fairly, in my opinion. The POC's mother was upset, and asked to meet with me and the Dean of the school. The mother accused me of being racist, and after she left, the Dean said that the mother contributes significantly to the financial well being of the school and I needed to "fix" the situation. I was 22 years old, my first year teaching. Now, in reading Oluo's book, I can see now that perhaps this was about racism, in the way that the mother wanted opportunities for her child, but doesn't every parent? If that was now, I'd have some strong words for the Dean - and know how to handle the situation better, but reading this book really made me think about the systematic way racism can be a pyramid scheme.

My other question arose in Chapter 4, when she was talking about having a fair system/competition in the work place. Specifically, how many people are geared toward the college path, and invested a ton of money into college to get a degree. Then, another degree and certificates and qualifications. I often assume that when one has a college degree, they have gained the proper education and skills to complete a job well done. Oluo made me think about her suggested system based on skill and experience (as opposed to degrees). Again, this concept of change is SO huge.

Lastly, I really enjoyed the concepts of intersectionality and checking your own privilege. These were both great exercises for me. Great book!

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#3 - I think the fact she was raised by a white mother gives her much more of an objective point of view; probably more so than a person of color raised differently.  On top of that, but her mother's persistence with her education as well as her mother's willingness to hear, understand and grow with her needs as a black woman.  All of this culminates to a perspective not many people have.

#4 - Ijeoma absolutely wants white people and people of color to interpret this book differently. She makes it clear several times when she states 'if you're white' or 'if you're a person of color' that she's asking people to hear different messages. However, simultaneously, while she's asking two groups of people to interpret different messages she also asking the other group to hear & understand the other perspective. I think Ijeoma does a great job making sure no one is isolated and no side is unheard.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Deb's notes.

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Section 2: So You Want to Talk About Race

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by Ijeoma Oluo Section 2: Chapters 6-11 (July 23, 2020) Padlet School Library Journal-Diversity Discussion Question: A) write to think on questions 3 & 4 (found on pages 254-255) on a Google doc OR w...

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My goal is to gain more knowledge around racism so I can be an ally for our minority students of color. I love learning and want to continue educating myself on issues that face our students and society. 

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My goal is to gain more knowledge around racism so I can be an ally for our minority students of color. I love learning and want to continue educating myself on issues that face our students and society. 

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Question #3

I think that the tone of the book is a reflection of the way the author grew up. Oluo describes her upbringing as being one of the few people in her community (particularly in school). She also recounts having the discussion around race/ racism with her mother and how she didn’t exactly understand how her daughter was feeling. I think the tone of this book could have been influenced by that interaction because the book is extremely informative and shys away from being emotionally expressive. Oluo does an incredible job presenting the facts to the reader about being a POC in America and also explaining what the issues look like.

Question #4

The author does not expect white people and people of color to read and experience this book in the same way. One of the ways she explains this is white people will read this book and be informed in some way of either their privilege or injustices people of color experience every day. People of color who read this book might experience some validation in how they feel from their everyday experiences.

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Pg 164 " I would be having a good day,lost in my imagination, and bam-I'd be hit with a comment that would remind me that I was not allowed to get comfortable. I couldn't walk comfortably,..." The section of the book made that awful feeling in my gut, then I felt inspired to make sure people and our students always feel comfortable. Obviously I have more power in my classroom as the leader, but also taking the same mindset into other social situations. By being observant if people feel uncomfortable, breaking down barriers, and calling people out, when they are the source of the feeling of discomfort for people of color.

Pg. 186 "...Our children are fighting the language that perpetrates oppression. Our children are fighting to be seen as human beings, without any precondition." As a white male I don't know what it's like to walk into situations where I am unsure how I'm seen and valued by my peers. One example of a micro aggression that people may make unknowingly that I've tried to bring to light to family members is this. If a black family moved into a predominantly white neighborhood, the aforementioned precondition exists. They are the black family. Until that goes away, even though it may seem like nothing, just a defining characteristic, oppression will continue.

Pg.202 "...Whereas Martin's death was as the martyrdom of a legend, Malcolm's death was no more than a natural consequence of being black and angry." During this part of the book, her comparison of how the two important civil rights leaders were viewed in mainstream America is spot on. In schools we are taught and value the movement and vision of MLK JR, at least a little bit. On the other hand, I realized I don't know anything about Malcolm X. Really nothing at all. I consider myself well-read, and this is not someone (besides music) that I've heard referenced and talked about in schools or popular culture. I know for me, Malcolm X is a figure that I will soon read about and try to learn more on. It seems he has been pushed aside in how history is taught, which is an injustice to his life.

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Our final book club meeting will be Thursday, July 30 at 10:00 am. We will be discussing Chapters 12- 17 of Ijeoma Oluo's "So You Want to Talk About Race?" Please come prepared with any discussion questions you would like to pose to the group as well as at least one action step you would like to take as an educator to continue your work around anti-racism this semester. We will be discussing questions #5 and #7 from page 255.

Here is the Google Meet link/code that you can use to access:

meet.google.com/ypg-yqhb-gkk

Join by phone(US) +1 530-395-0793 PIN: 307 522 099#

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Quote 1: "Microaggressions are small daily insults and indignities perpetrated against marginalized or oppressed people..."
While I absolutely do not compare my experiences to the awfulness experienced by people of color, I certainly get the insult and indignity every time I hear: dumb jock, ball roller and all you do is play.
Quote 2: "The cumulative effect of these constant reminders that you are 'less than' does real psychological damage." This quote downright scares me. I want to protect Kennedy, Chase, Aubrey and Presley from experiencing any and all of these things. I do not want them to be subjected to hate or mistreatment ever. I wish this was possible.
Quote 3: "If you witness racial microaggressions against someone else, you should strongly consider speaking out as well---especially if you are a white person." I will need to be careful. I have a history of stepping in it. But I will speak up every chance I get and watch my own words as well.
Questions:
5.

1. A racial microaggression I have encountered and witnessed was when I was with my nephew, Chase. We were at the Las Vegas Airport. I was walking with Chase on the concourse, he was a year old and not wearing shoes. A white man walked up to us, kneeled down and said, “Oh what a cute little island boy! How old is he?” All Chase saw was a stranger and proceeded to climb into my arms as quickly as possible. I did not bother to correct him (Chase is half back/half white). I did tell him Chase was one. He then proceeded to tell me he had a young son about the same age and was missing him as he was traveling for business. While it might have seemed harmless to him, I realized it was a microaggression against my nephew, even though I did not know what it was called at the time. I have always been curious, why he felt the need to identify Chase as an “island boy” instead of just a cute little boy.

As I read through the list of potential microaggressions, I am not sure if I have perpetrated them on others, at least I hope not. I do try to be cognizant of them.
6. In our society, people of color are denied their feelings because white people want them to discuss their oppression in a way that makes white people “comfortable.” They expect them to be respectable and “watch their tone” when having difficult conversations. Unfortunately, this is inappropriate and it diminishes the message. This has been evident with the dismissal of Colin Kaepernick from the NFL and the most recent protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer. Quiet, comfortable protests have not worked and now our country is paying the price.
7.

1. Some actions I can take in my community are supporting community leaders who are willing to have the hard conversations and actively prioritize the needs of people of color. Actions I can take in my school: are checking my privilege, not tolerating racist comments (requesting appropriate discipline when necessary) and keeping things equitable in my classroom. In my workplace, I can listen to teachers of color and respect their thoughts and concerns, I can advocate for my students of color and make sure I am being sensitive to their needs and participate in book clubs such as this one to further my education on the issue. As a conscientious voter, I can impact my local government by voting wisely.

Some local anti-racism efforts in my community that I can join or support are the organization called Together Rising. This organization supports people of color in various ways and is actively working to reunite families separated at the border and get the children out of the cages.

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#5 - The micro-aggressions I've encountered or witnessed are...
- "Wow, you speak English really well"
- "That's so ghetto"
- "Can I touch your hair", - "That fiery Latin blood"

Of those listed I've only been guilty of the first one but not directly to another person.  While reflecting I've realized I've said that one out loud after hearing an interview on the news or seeing some one in a movie/tv show.  It doesn't  excuse me by any means.  I still realize my error and I'm very sorry for what I've said.  The others I've witnessed second hand or as a teacher through colleagues.

#6 - I think the biggest burden is simply being able to say something when it needs to be said.  It seems when people of color have the opportunity to speak up, white people (for the most part) have this sudden urge to shut them using 'tone' as an excuse; probably because the truth of centuries of racism will hurt and human nature wants to avoid hurt as much as possible.  The problem is the more racism is avoided, for whatever reason, the worse it gets.  In order for change to happen and action to take place, the truth needs to be said, feelings need to be hurt and then we can move on to change.

#7 - Creating this book club, reading this book, having these discussions, carrying these conversations over into our classrooms, then helping our students understand what's happening in the world around them and what they can do to make change. These are great first steps to battle systemic racism. I also like voting & encouraging voting in local elections not just national elections. I, personally, will also be more aware of systemic racism and help when/where I can.