Educating for Equity
March 2021, Vol. 1. No. 2
Talking about Race in the Classroom
Who We Are
Educating for Equity (E4E) is a team of BTCS employees committed to creating a culture of equality, inclusion, and belonging across the district. The E4E team is working to dismantle discrimination and inequities that exist in education by researching and raising awareness about equity issues in our district and community. We seek to provide educational opportunities for all staff to learn and grow in their knowledge of issues surrounding diversity in order to transform our culture and instructional practices to be more responsive to injustices. We are dedicated to creating an environment that is welcoming, accessible, and affirming of all identities and experiences where all students can succeed.
E4E BOOK STUDY: HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST BY IBRAM X. KENDI
E4E Book Study
"Antiracism is a transformative concept that reorients and reenergizes the conversation about racism—and, even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. At its core, racism is a powerful system that creates false hierarchies of human value; its warped logic extends beyond race, from the way we regard people of different ethnicities or skin colors to the way we treat people of different sexes, gender identities, and body types. Racism intersects with class and culture and geography and even changes the way we see and value ourselves. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities—that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.
Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society."
-Amazon
2021 MLK ART SHOW
Students Place in This Year's MLK Art Show
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Art Show. Honorable mentions went to Triston Haskins, Morgan Garrett, Isabella Stiltner, and Mattie Tipton. Julia Slagle placed 3rd and took home a $25 prize. Stephanie Vencill placed 2nd and received a $50 prize. Sophia Detrick placed 1st and took home the $75 prize.
To see a Flipbook of the artwork submitted, please click the link below!
“Why Empathy Is The Most Important Factor In Race Discussions”
Excerpt from “Why Empathy Is The Most Important Factor In Race Discussions” by Gordon D’Mello
…But why are race conversations so difficult? They are challenging discussions for many because it often threatens your own belief system, values and ideologies — much like my former media colleague noted. No one likes the accusation of being called a racist, let alone accepting that you might have unconscious — or not so unconscious — traits of ingrained racism flowing through your mind.
But rather than feel threatened by ideas and concepts that might challenge our internal monologues, how can we be constructive? How can we collect ourselves, take a step back and let go of an outdated ideology or thought process that might not be entirely accurate?
Personally, I find that empathy is key to a lot of genuine conversations we need to have around marginalized communities. Whether it be the treatment of LGBTQI people, feminist discussions, victims of domestic violence — the list is vast. We need to lower our voice to listen to these depreciated stories, at the absolute minimum.
You may not always initially agree with certain people, or even understand why their pain exists. But by showing compassion from the start, you again allow them to tell their story without the fear of being brought down. This sense of understanding, to me, allows a space for the conversations we need to be having right now. Ones that are rationale, respectful — and ultimately, insightful.
To read the entire article, visit https://medium.com/@gdm_ello/why-empathy-is-the-most-important-factor-in-race-discussions-35e9045202c5
E4E IN THE CLASSROOM
Coming soon to Tennessee High School...
MUSIC CLASS AT HAYNESFIELD ELEMENTARY
"In my elementary general music class, I like to amplify the voices of artists that are underrepresented and/or under-appreciated. In February, we celebrated Black Music History month. We learned more about some of our favorite black artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Trombone Shorty, and Louis Armstrong. We also did a musical lesson on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. where we listened to emotional music from movies such as Selma and Hairspray."
"This month we are focused on Women’s Music History Month. So far, the most memorable ones are Big Mama Thornton, the original singer of the well-known Elvis tune “Hound Dog,” and the wartime sweethearts the Andrews Sisters who sang “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Try saying that five times fast!"
"I want my students to be exposed to all different kinds of music, but more importantly, I want them to take the lessons found from these rich stories and apply them to their everyday lives. For example, as a closer for Women’s Music History Month we have been writing thank letters to the strong women in our lives and I had a first grade student write a letter that said, 'Dear Kamala Harris, You really inspired me to fight for women’s rights. I like that you never gave up. Thank you.'"
"My students really inspire me, and I know we are doing the right thing by teaching them to treat everyone with kindness and equity."
DIZZY GILLESPIE
SELMA
BIG MAMA THORNTON
TEACHING RESOURCES
Let's Talk
PBS Utah online series about talking to kids about race, racism, and cultural differences. The earlier we start to talk to children about racism, the better we can overcome racism and unconscious biases.
Anti-Racism Resources
This Padlet is a compilation of anti-racist resources put together by Dr. Nicole A. Cooke from the University of South Carolina.
Discussing Race & Racism with Students
This resource from Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) is a guide intended to help educators facilitate difficult discussions about race and racism.
BOOK CORNER
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that’s been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing.
Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father’s actions.
HIGH SCHOOL
Rashad and Quinn—one black, one white, both American—face the unspeakable truth that racism and prejudice didn’t die after the civil rights movement. There’s a future at stake, a future where no one else will have to be absent because of police brutality. They just have to risk everything to change the world.