Black, Latino, Indigenous and low-income communities have been hit especially hard by COVID -19, laying bare a host of longstanding structural and institutional inequities. But physical distancing and other COVID-related restrictions are not stopping local groups allied with educators from organizing and improvising in their communities.
While it might not seem like it, COVID-19 shall pass. What remains constant, however, is the need for learning and community resources related to social and racial justice, a statement made all the more relevant in light of the inequities laid bare by the pandemic. Here are some resources for your students, your community and … Continued
NEA member Leslie Crow lives in South Dakota and is Ihanktonwan/Hunkpati/Sicangu Sioux. Photo by Moses Mitchell. The virus has already hit the Navajo Nation especially hard, with more than 830 cases and 30 deaths as of April 21. As the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise across the United States, the pandemic … Continued
During the COVID-19 quarantine, educators across the country are learning how to continue to provide a safe and affirming experience for LGBTQ students via distance learning. Recent data supports the need for educator action and focus: According to HRC’s 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report: 67% of LGBTQ students hear their families make negative comments about LGBTQ … Continued
Every significant immigration issue that might affect students or educators, from DACA renewals to federal support of immigrant workers and their families, is impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, more than 200,000 DACA recipients – including nearly 15,000 educators and 29,000 health care workers – are working to protect our health … Continued
Photo by Joe Brusky, used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020, anti-Chinese and anti-Asian rhetoric flowed from the highest elected officials in the United States. Madeline Leung Coleman, a senior editor at The Nation, wrote at the time in a March 25, … Continued
By Félix Pérez Native American students in Washington who want to wear tribal regalia at their graduation ceremonies should be heartened by two recent actions, one by the state legislature and the other by the state superintendent of public instruction. The state House of Representatives, on a 95-1 vote, passed a bill Feb. 12 that “expressly acknowledges that students … Continued
By Félix Pérez, photo above of Alaska Native teacher Kristi McEwen with Native dance paraphernalia. Information about Native Americans is either completely absent from public schools or relegated to brief mentions, inaccurate portrayals or negative stereotypes, concludes a groundbreaking analysis of state efforts to deliver high quality, contemporary and tribally specific educational content about Native … Continued
Black Lives Matter at School is a national movement that calls on all of us to have honest conversations about racist policies and practices that affect our students and schools. prompt take action. As educators, students, parents, and community leaders across the country lead a charge for justice as part of Black Lives Matter at … Continued
By Félix Pérez Speaking on the marble steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, Karina Alvarez bore down against the on-again, off-again snow and rain on a raw November morning. It was as if the San Antonio, Texas, elementary school teacher, using a firm and measured delivery, wanted the nine justices hearing arguments inside the court … Continued