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The spring issue of Rethinking Schools focuses on Israel’s war on Gaza and the war on teaching about Palestine.

The editorial discusses how the attack on social justice teaching has expanded as part of the crackdown on dissent against U.S. support for Israel. Bill Bigelow draws on his Zinn Education Project “Teaching the Seeds of Violence” activity to argue that anti-Zionism is not automatically antisemitism. Jesse Hagopian traces connections between the war on history, education, and children in both countries. Oakland educators detail the story of what happened when they organized a teach-in for Palestine. A Palestinian student shares her experiences in the aftermath of Oct. 7, and the issue includes Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem, “Before I Was a Gazan.”

This issue also includes Cierra Kaler-Jones’ reflections on how to replace a pedagogy of control in teaching dance with one that encourages creativity and liberation. A Chicago educator discusses a new curriculum on the Young Lords. And more. Subscribe to Rethinking Schools.

Each year the Zinn Education Project hosts Teaching for Black Lives study groups across the United States. Using the Rethinking Schools book Teaching for Black Lives, educators explore how to teach about racism, resistance, and joy in free, teacher-led professional learning communities.

The study groups can be in a school, district, or state. Each participant receives a copy Teaching for Black Lives, a subscription to Rethinking Schools magazine, curriculum workshops, and access to a national network of social justice educators. The coordinator receives a study group facilitation guide and support. If you are interested in forming a study group next year, learn more and apply.

On April 8, Julius B. Fleming Jr. will introduce the role of Black theater in the Black Freedom Struggle and the concept of “Black patience.”

In conversation with educator Jessica Rucker, he will discuss his book Black Patience: Performance, Civil Rights, and the Unfinished Project of Emancipation.

This is a Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online class from our monthly series. The classes are free, participants can receive a professional development certificate, and ASL interpretation is provided.

Join us on Saturday, June 8, to defend the freedom to learn.

In this election year, we need to tell everyone about the chilling effect of anti-history education laws and how they threaten an informed and engaged democracy.

We will provide you with banned books and other materials for an information table at a library, bookstore, farmers market, or other public spaces.

Defend the right to #TeachTruth (including about Palestine), fight book bans, and defend LGBTQ+ rights on June 8, 2024.

Reflecting on the first year of the fellowship, Heather noted her key takeaway was “a reframing of what it means to be an activist and what it means to be an organizer.” Obstacles to improving schools can be daunting, but she found encouragement and strategies in fellowship meetings where “we talked about organizing as building relationships” to imagine and build a better world.

We are lucky to teach, learn, and organize alongside Heather and all the Prentiss Charney Fellows. Please donate to continue and expand the fellowship in honor of lifelong education activists C. J. Prentiss and Michael Charney.

Check out events hosted by the Zinn Education Project and our colleagues, including the Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online series (on theater, Reparations and climate change, and the Civil Rights Movement in the North), SNCC and Grassroots Organizing Discussion Series, Bob Moses Conference, the 4th annual Teach Truth Day of Action, and more.

Teachers are under attack for teaching truthfully about U.S. history. Please donate so that we can continue to offer free people’s history lessons and resources, and defend teachers’ right to use them.

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PO BOX 73038, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20056 

202-588-7205 | zinnedproject.org