Resources for teaching anti-racism
Today is Juneteenth, a celebration of the official end of slavery in the U.S. On this date in 1865, a Union general in Galveston, Texas read federal orders announcing that all previously enslaved peoples in the United States were free. This year’s Juneteenth celebrations come at a particularly important time in our country, as we continue to fight against systemic racism in our major institutions.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, we offered a list of resources for parents thrust into home learning. Following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and multiple other Black men and women, principals, teachers, and parents are talking with their kids and students about racism and race relations. At the PRiME Center, we provide resources, ideas, and commentary on topics affecting education and the lives of Missouri’s students. We also strive to listen, better understand, and continually improve our own work. With that in mind, we are providing a list of some resources that have been shared with us. We hope they can be helpful.
Resources
Schools and educators have an especially important role in shaping an anti-racist society. Faculty members in K-12 schools and here at SLU are deeply engaged in this work to teach students about racism, social unrest, and why it is important to stand up to injustice, model how to be anti-racist, and create more equitable systems.
In a recent essay, Northwestern University Professor of English Dr. Lauren Michelle Jackson very bluntly reminds us that most of these resources--especially the well-known books--have been available for a while. It’s up to us to use them and do the work.
Talking About Race from the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Coming Together: Standing Up To Racism - A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall For Kids and Families
NAEYC - Equity Resources: Living the Statement
Free Reader’s Guide – White Fragility
Teaching Now -15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing, and Protest
NEA edjustice: BLACK LIVES MATTER AT SCHOOL – RESOURCES
NYT Teaching and Learning Network: Teaching Ideas and Resources to Help Students Make Sense of the George Floyd Protests
NPR - Q&A: How To Talk To Kids About Black Lives And Police Violence
UC Berkeley - The Greater Good Science Center: Anti-Racist Resources from Greater Good
Teach for America: Resources to Help Teachers Heal, Learn, and Listen
PBS - How to Talk to Your Kids About Anti-Racism: A List of Resources
Raising Equity: Dr. Kira Hudson Banks’ training and workshops on helping understand equity
EyeSeeMe Bookstore: Local bookstore providing children’s books and teacher books on anti-racism and Black representation in literature
We Stories: dedicated to engaging White families on racial equity in St. Louis
Teaching Tolerance: free resources for teaching equity and being an active participant in democracy
Integrated Schools: resources for parents who actively seek out integrated educational options
EmbraceRace: resources from parents for parents on engaging in conversations aroun race
You can also find an ever-growing list of resources organized by subject and category here.
If you are looking for a place to start the conversation, you can find more information courtesy of #ShutDownSTEM
Our list here is far from exhaustive and we’ll continue to update as more information becomes available. In the meantime, we want to help ensure that parents, students, and teachers can find the resources they need to promote equity and justice. You can stay up-to-date with new information on our Twitter account (@SLU_PRIME) and on Facebook (@sluprimecenter).