They say we’re disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we’re disturbing the war. — Howard Zinn | |
Students Defend Human Rights | |
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Calls for “campus safety” fill the corporate media airwaves as students around the country speak out against the unfolding genocide in Gaza. Yes, safety at school is important — for everyone. But here it is twisted into a cudgel to cancel speeches, enact police violence, and otherwise suppress the voices of students and educators of conscience.
These same forces that claim concern for Jewish students also lead the charge to arrest and censor Jewish students who advocate for collective liberation. What’s more, these flurried discussions of “campus safety” omit the fact that there are no safe campuses left in Gaza. None.
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Chicago students organized “peace talks” at high schools across the city in the wake of a walkout protest demanding a ceasefire to the war in Gaza in January 2024. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times) | |
People’s History of Student Activism | |
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Throughout U.S. history, young people have protested to demand justice in the United States and around the world.
We share stories of K–12 and college activism from Denver, Colorado (in photo); Los Angeles, California; Orangeburg, South Carolina; Jackson and McComb, Mississippi; Prince Edward County, Virginia; New York City; and many more cities.
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Without exception, activists faced violence from police and vilification by the corporate media. Ask students to examine photos from each of these protests. What common threads do they notice in terms of demands, strategies, and the response by the authorities? Why do they think that is the response? | |
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Share Your Teaching Story
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Black Freedom Struggle Classes | |
Why the demand is “freedom now!” | |
In our April class, Julius B. Fleming juxtaposed how during the Eisenhower administration there was a race to speed up everything — rockets to outer space, trains, finance, cars. . . Everything except human rights. Black people were told to slow down their demands. To “be patient and to wait.” Listen to the audiogram below and the full recording. | |
Reparations and Climate Justice | |
The possibility of keeping justice alive in our time hinges on our response to the reality of a warming planet. We are going to have to become firefighters. — Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò | | |
Art by Amelia Bates / Grist | |
On Monday, May 6, philosophy professor Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò will discuss his book Reconsidering Reparations, which takes on reparations and distributive justice with wide implications for views of justice, racism, the legacy of colonialism, and climate change policy. | |
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ASL interpretation provided.
Professional development credit certificate provided upon request.
90-minute class starts at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET | Free | Open to all.
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Add Your City to the Map
Teach Truth Day of Action
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People in more than 60 cities have signed up to host Teach Truth / Freedom to Learn events on June 8, 2024, to speak out against anti-history education bills, book bans, and anti-LGBTQ+ attacks.
Co-sponsors for this 4th-annual event include the Abolitionist Teaching Network, African American Policy Forum, American Library Association, GLSEN, HEAL Together / Race Forward, Institute for Common Power, Learning for Justice, Monument Lab, National Education Association (NEA), The New Republic, Red Wine & Blue, TeachRock, Who We Are Project, and 50+ more organizations.
Plan an activity of any size — from 1 to 100+. Or host an information table, and we’ll send you display materials. Add your city to the map.
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Teachers are under attack for teaching truthfully about U.S. history and the climate crisis. Please donate so that we can continue to offer free lessons and resources, and defend teachers’ right to use them. | | |
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PO BOX 73038, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20056
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