We Are Once Again Reeling From Grief and Outrage
We continue to mourn with the community of Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and 2 teachers at Robb Elementary School died in yet another school shooting in the United States. As detailed in our latest article, we are a nation once again reeling from grief and outrage. The establishment of a real sense of security is an essential part of the fabric of our society that is being undermined by ongoing gun violence, disinformation campaigns and political assaults on our rights and institutions that aim to build a more just society. These devastating acts of violence—Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and so many others—impel us as individuals and communities to work for the greater good of our nation. As we grieve with Uvalde, Texas, let’s commit to a renewed push for change.
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Teaching the Past to Improve the Future
An honest retelling of history in the United States includes the events and experiences of all people who shaped it. To challenge the traditional narrative—one steeped in white supremacy and American exceptionalism—is to challenge power. As highlighted in the latest issue of Learning for Justice magazine, despite a range of opposition, educators remain committed to teaching honest history in their classrooms—and students are eager to learn.
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SPLC Files Amicus Brief in Suit Against Florida’s Stop WOKE Act
The SPLC filed an amicus brief in a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Florida’s HB 7 (commonly called the Stop WOKE Act), signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April. The law, which takes effect July 1, aims to restrict educating children and others about the United States’ legacy of racism in schools and workplaces. The amicus brief filed in late May on behalf of Learning for Justice and the Florida Freedom to Read Project documents “the ways HB 7 will and has already interfered with the ability of students to obtain true and accurate information about the history of their society.”
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New Podcast: Why Hard History Matters: Addressing the Legacy of Jim Crow
Our final episode this season takes us to the U.S. House of Representatives for a conversation between Rep. Jeffries (8th district, New York) and his brother, our host, Dr. Hasan Jeffries, to discuss the lingering effects of the Jim Crow era—including voter access, prison and policing reform, and other enduring injustices—and to discuss the continued relevance of teaching “hard history” as it relates to public policy today.
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Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students
June is Pride Month! This LFJ publication remains essential and relevant to help LGBTQ youth to feel safe and to feel seen, to feel valued and capable of growth. These are simple concepts—basic pillars of student achievement and the results of good pedagogy. For many queer students these rights remain out of reach. But LGBTQ students who go to school in a fully inclusive environment—where both curriculum and schoolwide policies value their identities—experience more positive outcomes. They also experience less harassment, feel more valued by school staff and face fewer barriers to success.
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Applications for the Learning for Justice Teaching Hard History Fall 2022 Cohorts Are Now Live!
As participants in a Teaching Hard History Professional Learning Cohort, educators will engage with the Learning for Justice Teaching Hard History: American Slavery (THH) framework and learn how to use it to enrich their K-5 or 6-12 lessons on American enslavement, build students’ civic engagement and critical thinking, and deepen their mindsets around inclusion and empathy. THH Cohorts provide educators, free of charge, the chance to deeply engage with THH, collaborate with LFJ staff and 25 other cohort members across the country, and gain insights and feedback on implementation. Submit your application today!
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Check Out What We’re Reading
“The federal government does not track school shootings, so [this publication] pieced together its numbers from news articles, open-source databases, law enforcement reports and calls to schools and police departments.” — The Washington Post
“But for survivors of gun violence, the worst has happened, making them part of an ever-growing group of young people whose lives have been irreparably altered by carnage.” — Teen Vogue
“Black and Asian communities in America today are often portrayed as in conflict with each other. But we have a long history of organizing with each other, too.” — The New York Times
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Have a comment, question or idea for Learning for Justice? Drop us a line at [email protected].
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