Teachers Are Taking Fresh Approaches to Make Gym More Fun for Everyone

The N-Word Teacher Bullies We j arT! Too tough to teach? Spot them. Stop them. Help them. And it’s not an extra

teactwentieth a nniversaryhi ingssue totolerance.org lerrananceissue 40 | fall 2011

the new physical education Game ChanGers

Teachers are taking fresh approaches to make gym more fun for everyone A ClAssiC Film, DigitAlly RestoReD AnD with new lessons, is AgAin AvAilAble FoR AmeRiCA’s ClAssRooms • ACADemy AwARD® WINNER foR SHoRT DoCUMENTARY, 1994 fREE To TEACHERS gRADES 6-12

TEACHINg TolERANCE PRESENTS A Time for Justice america’s civil rights movement

“It wasn’t no Civil War. Wasn’t no world war. Just people in the same country, fighting each other.” A ClAssiC Film, DigitAlly RestoReD AnD with new lessons, is AgAin AvAilAble FoR AmeRiCA’s ClAssRooms • ACADemy AwARD® WINNER foR SHoRT DoCUMENTARY, 1994

In A Time for Justice, four-time Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim captured the spirit of the civil rights movement through historical footage and the voices of those who participated in the struggle. Narrated by Julian Bond and featuring Rep. John Lewis, the 38-minute film allows today’s generation of students to witness firsthand the movement’s most dramatic moments—the bus boycott in Montgomery, the school crisis in Little Rock, the violence in Birmingham and the triumphant 1965 march for voting rights. “This concise, dramatic history captures for today’s students the idealist courage that KIT INClUDES sustained the civil • 38-minute film on DVD rights movement …” Taylor Branch, • New teacher’s guide with standards- Pulitzer Prize-winning aligned classroom activities on CD author of Parting the Waters: America • Classroom poster, “Civil Rights in the King Years, Movement Timeline,” with bonus lesson 1954-63

order A Time for Justice Today! To receive a fREE film kit for your middle or high school, order online at tolerance.org/justice teaching tolerance issue 40 | fall 2011 TwenTieTh anniversary

departments 7 letters to the editor 9 ask Teaching Tolerance 11 why i Teach Toni giarnese found inspiration in her job thanks to a disabled boy who looked a lot like a knight in 11 29 shining armor. 13 Down the hall Administrator William Joslyn says modeling tolerance is key for school leaders. “if we don’t walk the walk, we can’t expect others to.” 15 essentials 16 activity exchange 64 staff Picks 66 story Corner Susie King Taylor’s illegal education as an enslaved child turned her into a teenage teacher and nurse during the civil War. 68 One world 46 49

on the cover Teaching Tolerance focuses on the ways educators are making physical education more inclusive.

illuSTrATion by joe mckendry

2 TeAcHing TolerA nce AcTiviTy ExchAngE challenge your students with these lessons on diversity. (see page 16)

36 29 features 22 Getting the Civil war right 46 straight Talk about the n-word Did America’s most divisive war start Arizona State university Professor neal over slavery or states’ rights? James A. lester has twice taught courses on the W. loewen, author of Lies My Teacher n-word—and found there’s plenty to talk about. Told Me, says that too many people— including educators—get it wrong. 49 Taking Mix it up to the next level c elebrate Mix it up’s 10th anniversary this 29 we j art! fall by making your school’s big event better Arts programs battle budget cuts and than ever. perceptions that they’re “extra” classes. but they’re the main reason many 52 against the Current struggling students stay focused on school. Alternative certification gives educators a different route to the classroom. Does it make 32 The unaffiliated unite them fish out of water once they get there? Secular students are forming clubs for mutual support—they’ll need teacher-allies. 56 fighting for human rights Speak Truth To Power uses personal 36 Game Changers stories that urge high school students to 49 58 n ew concepts of Pe and sports take action. programs are making it more fun for everyone to play. 58 Bully at the Blackboard e very adult in the building needs to act 42 Two Decades of Teaching Tolerance when the bully is a teacher. Here are important turning points from the last 20 years. 62 Teaching the Movement Teaching Tolerance’s new study shows that 44 Our history in Covers most states fail when it comes to educating These 40 issues of Teaching Tolerance students about the civil rights movement. To highlight the 20 years of our history. help schools, we’ve re-released the powerful documentary A Time for Justice on DVD.

All ArTicleSAre AVAilAble for eDucATionAl uSe AT TolerAnce.org/MAgAzine/ArcHiVeS. fAll 2011 3 Valuable new lessons from Teaching Tolerance director Maureen B. Costello

now available online design director Russell Estes managing editor Sean Price associate editor Lisa Ann Williamson

administrative assistant Victoria Williams curriculum design manager Thom Ronk professional development manager Michelle Marsh Garcia

desigN designers Valerie Downes, Michelle Leland, Scott Phillips administrative assistant Sunny Paulk

ProducTioN new media director Ryan King new media content manager Annah Kelley press production manager Regina Collins web technical lead Brian Youngblood

coNTriBuTors Erin Carrock, Dalina Castellanos, Roslyn Hester Daniels, Andrew DeGraff, Nina Frenkel, Toni Giarnese, Christy Goldfinch, Marcia Gregorio, Eleanor Grosch, Lowell Handler, Anne S. Henry, Stanislawa iNJusTice Kodman, Darlene Koenig, Susan Estelle Kwas, Victoria Lim, James W. Loewen, Sean McCollum, Mark McGinnis, Joe McKendry, Jason Millstein, Bao Ong, John Perritano, Richard Raney, Liz Ransom, Cara oN our PlaTes Rene, Marissa Rex, Ruth Rowland, Juliet Schiller, Helen Goren Shafton, Jill E. Thomas, Daniel Zalkus Immigrant Women in souTherN PoverTy laW ceNTer co-founders Morris Dees, Joseph J. Levin, Jr. the u.S. Food Industry president & ceo J. Richard Cohen chief operating officer Michael Toohey Based on a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center sPlc Board of direcTors Howard Mandell, Chair Lloyd V. Hackley, Vice Chair Teach empathy Julian Bond Andrew Fredman Alan B. Howard Get students past the Marsha Levick bumper-sticker slogans James McElroy on immigration Vanzetta Penn McPherson James Rucker Ellen Sudow lessons on law, economics David Wang

and public policy ediTorial office 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104 ideal for high school editorial fax 334/956-8484 order department fax 334/956-8486 social studies subscriptions 334/956-8200

Teaching Tolerance is mailed twice a year at no charge to educators. It is published by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit legal and education organization. free online For permission to reprint articles, email us at [email protected]. tolerance.org/ ISSN 1066-2847 © 2011 SOuTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER injustice-our-plates E RECY AS C E L L E P

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go online to sign up today tolerance.org/signup fAll 2011 5 ACADeMY AWArD® WINNer FOr DOCUMeNTArY SHOrT SUBJeCT A POWERFUL LESSON FOR TODAY’S YOUTH ABOUT THE DANGERS OF HATE AND EXTREMISM

In the winter of 1945, on the day of her liberation from six years of Nazi rule, Gerda Weissmann clung to life at the end of a 350-mile death march. She weighed 68 pounds, her hair had turned white and she had not had a bath in three years.

The next day, she would turn 21.

FREE Teaching Tolerance and the Gerda and Kurt Klein Foundation Present TO TEAcHERS

GRADES 8-12 One Survivor Remembers

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r e K a m m il f h it w e • Primary documents with artifacts from the Holocaust c n a r ea pp THe FIlM apa ’s’s inin fo le l . KlK lo rsrs wi m ng des the clu film am in • learning materials including a Holocaust ’s credits this progr timeline on cD-rOm

TeACHer’S gUIDe AND reSOUrCeSeS Order One Survivor Remembers Today!

6 TeForAcH a ingFree Toler copyA nce of One Survivor Remembers visit tolerance.org/osr L e TTe RS T o T he eDITo R 7 ASK T e ACh I n G T o L e RAn C e 9 f R ee STuff 10 W h Y I T e ACh 11 B e ST of T he BLo G 10 & 12 first bell D o W n T he hALL 13 L e SSonS L e ARneD 14 e SSenTIALS 15

reader exchange This online exchange was sparked by the Spring 2011 story “your Students love Social Media . . . and So can you.”

10 MYTHS ABOUT IMMIGRATION Most social media is inaccessible to persons with disabilities or using assistive technology (speech recogni- TEACHING tion software, screen readers, etc.). Please don’t encour- TEACHING age further expansion of the digital divide between those who have disabilities and those who don’t (yet). Keep people with disabilities in mind from the start, TTOWWW.TOLERANCE.ORGOLERRANANCESPRING not as an afterthought, and have to then come up with excuses for their not being able to participate. If it’s important to use social media, then it should be important enough for everyone to have access to it. —Submitted by Gary M. Morin

STEM CLASSES Please remember there are two sides to every coin and TURNING Diverse topics, diverse students an edge. Social media is fantastic for the deaf and hard SOCIAL MEDIA TO SOCIAL HUMAN of hearing within our schools and communities. It TRAFFICKING JUSTICE Teaching about gives them an easier path to participation. Perhaps we modern slavery need to work to have voice recognition software work BULLYING with these sites just as much as we need to work to Help your students rethink their roles have more TV, movies and online audio-visual content

SPRING TEACHING TOLERANCE I captioned for the hearing impaired. —Submitted by Andrea

Teaching Tolerance 39.indd 1 1/6/11 4:36 PM

Last issue’s cover stories about social media drew The GOlDen rule teaching and learning are year ago on civil rights, I an enthusiastic response. aT a hiGher level about—finding something was pleased with the DVD They also started a lively I love this magazine. It new and thought-provoking selection and have since conversation on our is “do unto others” in no matter what the subject, shared it with other home- website about how to use sophisticated form, and it and retaining both respect schooling parents in my social media to promote is wonderful. and a profound sense of area. But as I continued social justice. Cathee Cate Romley guidance vis-à-vis your stu- to receive the Teaching ViA fAcebooK dents. And these seem to be Tolerance magazine, I was life lessons as well. disturbed about the contin- hOOkeD On Beth Lamont ual agenda that this maga- yOur BlOG Berkeley, Calif. zine promotes. I started by reading the ViA THe TeAcHing TolerAnce blog I do believe we should Teaching Tolerance blog teach tolerance in respect- very sporadically and CanCel My ing other people and show- casually, but I’ve become suBsCriPTiOn ing them love and kindness. hooked. Your eloquent When I first ordered a But that does not mean posts seem to embody what teaching packet about a that we have to agree with

@Tolerance_org fAll 2011 7 first bell a person’s life- students, which style or mindset. KidslearnfromMe is why I watched We can agree to @Tolerance_org i shared your the Teaching christine Sagert disagree—while amazing website, full of free lessons, Tolerance Teaching Tolerance is showing kind- at a conference for at-risk students. movie Bullied: A the best resource for ness, self-con- it’s been helpful for my classes! Student, a School teachers looking for trol and respect #teachingtolerance and a Case That tried and true lessons for that per- Made History. about acceptance of son. Teaching It brought me all others. ... i cannot Tolerance does not have to keep it alive. As a u.S. cit- to tears. When young Jamie rave enough about promote right-wing or left- izen, I speak American nabozny considered sui- this association. wing policy or thinking. We english to provide me with cide, and then during the can discuss bullying homo- a common bond to my fel- trial when older Jamie was Sara caine Kornfeld sexuals and how to prevent low citizens. And I find it so choked up about hav- Taught about Special it but not promote homo- offensive when someone ing his mother hear what he olympics as an entrée sexuality in the process for suggests that immigration had gone through, it really to teaching about bul- those who disagree with is not a problem. I have rel- made me sad that anyone— lying and this year that lifestyle. We can pro- atives who immigrated especially someone who am also going to mote tolerance and kind- from several non-english- was around my age—had to employ the Pearls ness to immigrants and speaking nations, and they go through this. I will defi- Project to embellish illegal immigrants with- all spoke english as part of nitely mention this video to my anti-bullying cur- out stating how to handle getting work and using gov- be presented. riculum, as well as immigration. ernment services. I wanted to also say some new ideas from Your magazine oversteps I don’t blame immi- thank you for making this Teaching Tolerance. the boundaries of teach- grants for crime. Many video. I know that peo- ing tolerance and tries to anti-immigrant groups cre- ple get bullied. even I have brande barrett The sway people to believe in ate far more crime than the been the victim of bully- best part of being a an agenda. It is too bad, as immigrants themselves. I ing. But I still can’t imag- teacher is the chance it could be a quality maga- do blame immigrants for ine when it gets so bad that to reflect on prac- zine that does good in soci- the decay in the social fab- a young boy, barely a teen- tice over the sum- ety. Please cancel my free ric of our great nation. ager, would consider run- mer and trouble- subscription. As far as I am concerned, ning away or commit- shoot. Sometimes Christina Brown Welcome to America—now ting suicide. This was an there is a quick or easy ViA eMAMAilil speak english or go home! extremely powerful video, solution, but in oth- Rob utzig and I just wanted to tell you ers we just keep try- ViA TeAcHing TolerAnce guys how much it affected ing to engage kids long MAgAzine online me. Thank you. enough to make them Marina Affo grab the reins of their Thank yOu Lewiston, Maine own education, work fOfOr ‘BullieD’ ViA eMAil hard, be tolerant and My name is Marina Affo leave this world a bet- and I am a sophomore ter place for their hav- at Lewiston high School ing been here. in Lewiston, Maine. My sPeak enGlish school is having some Tell us whaT yOu Think! rachel Hockett have an opinion about something Or GO hOMe issues with bullying and Teaching Tolerance, you see in Teaching Tolerance you rock! In response to “The human I am a part of a Student magazine or on our website? face of Immigration,” Leadership Program that is email us at editor@tolerance. Spring 2011: trying to help reduce bul- org. Please put “letter to the As a native American, lying here at LhS. We are editor” in the subject line. Or mail I am trying to learn my thinking of putting together a letter to 400 washington ave., ancestral language to help a presentation to our Montgomery, al 36104.

8 TeAcHing TolerA nce Ask Teaching Tolerance respond to these taunts with clever remarks. Instead, encourage them to develop friendships with people who appreciate them and share their values and goals. help them to brainstorm ways to find common ground with all their peers.

how can teachers nab “teachable” moments when overhearing students make intolerant remarks approx 5" x 3.75" without appearing to be like the police? Good teaching is about building relationships. establish positive rapport early on, model respectful behavior, and you’ll be ready to grab those moments with compas- sion and kindness. Respond right away by talking with Some of my world history students have taken to drawing your students on their level. Try to find out what Confederate battle flags on their homework assignments. motivated the remark, What should I do? what they think it means, Q: and help them understand how others hear it. Most of You need to let your stu- a hostile environment is at work—that black stu- all, you can avoid looking dents know right away for students of color on dents unite because of “who like the bad cop by being that it’s not oK to submit your campus. we’re not.” Students who open to the discussion and the Confederate battle flag “act white” are betraying the avoiding words and tones along with their essays on i’ve heard it over and group. It’s like asking, “Aren’t that sound judgmental and napoleon or ancient Rome. over again—“don’t act so we good enough for you?” scolding. And remember— Is it a good idea to share its white.” i see that these The good news is that not addressing it, especially history of racism and oppres- attitudes make it harder studies show high achiev- if students know you over- sion with them? You bet. for my black students to ing students of color are heard the remark, sends the They should also know strive for good grades. fairly good at resisting the message that you agree. how symbols like swastikas, what can i do? message—if their achieve- nooses and Confederate This trash talk raises two ment provides offsetting battle flags can offend and concerns for educators: social benefits. Also, those ask TeaChinG TOleranCe! anger other students. They worry that students who are more aware of how need the kind of advice and Please share what you’ve will either avoid excellence racial barriers work are also expertise that only Teaching seen with an administra- or give up their identity. more resistant. Tolerance can provide? tor. This behavior could be Some social scientists Don’t coach your high- email us at [email protected] an indication that there’s say that “fictive kinship” achieving students to with “ask TT” in the subject line.

did you know? did you know? More than 2 million students in 7,300 schools had no access to calculus courses. — 2009 u.S. Department of education Civil Rights Data Collection

illuSTrATion by andrew degraff fAll 2011 9 first bell

blog // a labama’s i mmigration l a w

The new Jim Crow . . . and readers replied: Alabama’s new law—with provisions “How can anyone in good conscience against hiring, harboring or transport- compare the injustice against African Americans brought here as slaves to people ing undocumented immigrants—is bad who came here willingly and illegally?” enough for adults. But it is

TeaChinG potentially disastrous TOleranCe “i agree that today’s desperately poor for kids. Best Best undocumented immigrants are not in the Of The BlOG By requiring schools same situation as the black American have to determine the immi- citizens who were denied rights under you seen gration status of every stu- Jim crow. What can be compared, how- our blog dent at enrollment, the law ever, is the attitude of those in power lately? makes it hard to tell the difference who are passing the law, and the familiar check out some between educators and immigration tools they’ve chosen to use against a vili- of the most fied group.” officials. It already has immigrant par- talked-about blog posts. go to ents asking, “Should we keep our chil- g et the full discussion here tolerance.org dren out of school in September?” tolerance.org/newjimcrow and search for on the surface, Alabama’s h.B. 56 these headlines. appears to be fashioned after Arizona’s q infamous S.B. 1070 law. But the real did you know? The Boys in model wasn’t so far away. Take a good look. did you know? This law was inspired by something a lot My study hall closer to home: Jim Crow. More than half of children under age 2 q — Maureen Costello are children of color. —2010 u.S. Census atheist students Come Out of the Closet

Case of the Black Barbie Doll

Meet Mike hucksterbee

the library of congress stopbullying.gov collects partners against hate native words, native offers classroom materi- information from vari- is a collaborative project warriors is the compan- FREE STUFF! als and professional devel- ous government agencies of the Anti-Defamation ion website for a travel- opment to help teach- on how kids, teens, young league, the leadership ing Smithsonian exhibition These web resources offer ers effectively use primary adults, parents, educators conference education honoring American indian diversity-rich information sources from the library’s and others can prevent or fund and the center for code talkers of World War and materials for teachers. vast digital collections. stop bullying. Preventing Hate. its web- ii. it was created by the Many of their offerings are stopbullying.gov site for educators offers national Museum of the tied to diversity topics such valuable resources for American indian. as immigration, civil rights combating bias and hate. nmai.si.edu/education/ and Dust bowl migration. partnersagainsthate.org/ codetalkers loc.gov/teachers educators

10 TeAcHing TolerA nce illuSTrATionS by daniel zalkus Why I Teach The Knight and the Cellist

The Boy aPProaches the microphone with a dignified stride. he nods to the cellist seated at center stage and then turns to address the audience that fills the art deco theater. “hello, everybody! I’m Darren. how ya doin’ this mornin’?” Darren grins, a smile too big for his face. The focus of 1,000 pairs of eyes, this second-grader relishes the spotlight. he recites his poem flawlessly, accompanied by the inventive impro- visations of the cellist. When he fin- ishes, Darren bows like a seasoned thespian and extends his hand toward the musician. With a wave to the crowd, he makes his way back to a semicircle of folding chairs, where his fellow poets hoot and holler. All this good feeling takes place late in the 2003-2004 school year at Vogel- Wetmore elementary in Torrington, Conn. Darren (not his real name) finds joy in this community of fiercely curi- Toni giarnese, now a freelance ous children who love to read and writer, was a connecticut write. But this moment is rare for a educator for 30 years. boy like him—a boy who finds himself in the unlikeliest of circumstances, buoyed by the energy of the crowd in the theater. Darren, who has a learning disabil- concepts of science and social studies and greets his classmates with enthu- ity and physical challenges, is seldom by listening and participating in hands- siasm. Darren is not just a part of the in the spotlight. he can write a few on activities. landscape. he is a dynamic and power- letters and recognize some numbers. Much of Darren’s life journey is ful force in the classroom. his place in space is still a mystery to a struggle. for the school literacy celebration, him. often an awkward movement or Darren has a genuine curiosity, Darren dictated his poem, illustrated it unsteady step sends him careening and there is no end to his comments in his writer’s notebook and presented into others. Part of his day is spent in and questions. The bends and turns it to the class. his poem, Sir Darren, has the resource room. Most of it is in the of his mind are bewildering at times. all the elements that intrigue: a knight, regular classroom, where he learns the Yet he sports a smile each morning a dragon and a princess in distress. And

Share Your Story What motivates you to get up each morning and serve the children in our nation’s schools? We want to hear from you. Send your submission for the “Why i Teach” column to [email protected].

PHoTogrAPHy by lowell handler fAll 2011 11 first bell

Darren’s love for language questions. every disability blog // what teachers should know makes for a passionate and presents its own problems. dramatic delivery. During each student has a unique a classroom visit, profes- set of needs, sometimes com- exploring sional musician eugene pounded by a lack of fam- friesen (Cello Man) plays ily support. the Power of dark rhapsodies and puls- everyone in education ing rhythms while Darren has the same goal: to protect the n-word* recites his poem. There is the sanctity of the classroom no doubt that the words and so that all students can learn “Ms. Craven, we can put nigga?” music mesh seamlessly. every day. There is reason to for Carrie Craven, that unusual question kicked on stage, Darren stands be wary of inclusion because off a profound classroom conversation. As she front and center, basking in it can alter the way instruc- wrote in her Teaching Tolerance blog the applause. The experience tion is delivered to the regu- post, her students were compil- takes him to another place— lar education students. It can TeaChinG TOleranCe ing teenage dictionaries. Craven a horizon farther than he sap an enormous amount Best Best allowed them to use slang and text- can see, a healing place with- of the teacher’s energy and Of The BlOG out boundaries. This is a his- consume mountains of time. speak, but not cursing and offen- toric moment made pos- And yet, inclusion also has sive language. That’s when one of sible by a principal named moments of glorious joy and her students popped the uncomfort- William Joslyn (see Down unfettered exuberance. The able question. the Hall, p. 13). he’s a gentle opportunities present in a “I got into this project knowing these things man whose personal expe- classroom of eager learners would come up,” Craven wrote. “I decided I was rience led him to promote are infinite. every student okay with that. My real, true, not-in-the-Loui- inclusion for special needs has personal challenges, some siana-Comprehensive-Curriculum goal for this students before mandates greater than others. But in a project was to involve my students in a discus- spewed from the legislature. room full of banter and chat- sion about the power of words. And here we were. he conscientiously helped ter, children gleefully provoke his staff walk through the and inspire each other. Discussion begun.” minefield of obstacles, rec- Lucky Darren. Today is ognizing the frustration and his day. A principal with con- confusion that can accom- viction sits in the front row, pany children challenged by admiring the grace and style . . . and readers replied: simple routines. of this glorious theater and a “Mrs. craven, if you could see me now, i am offering even ordinary school days boy named Darren. Another you a standing ovation and roaring applause for your can begin with complex prob- knight in shining armor, who courage to push the envelope. lems. The “inclusion model” just happens to play the cello, “our black ancestors would be turning in their can quickly twist and morph joins Darren on stage. Cello graves if they knew all they had fought for and suf- into a classroom’s worst Man’s swinging pizzicato and fered through was reduced to an argument about enemy. A group of special soulful melodies slay the fire- whether or not people should use the n-word.” needs students in one room breathing dragon. can compromise the qual- for Darren, being a part g et the full discussion here ity of instruction. even with of a community of learn- tolerance.org/blog/exploring-power-n-word capable instructional assis- ers makes a difference in his tants, disruptions occur— life. It delivers the unimag- outbursts, movements, con- inable: a very happily-ever- stant low-level conversa- after ending. *also see… tions, admonitions and —Toni Giarnese “STrAigHT TAlK AbouT THe n-WorD” on P. 46

did you know? Only 22 percent of education facilities operated pre-K programs accessible to did you know? children from low-income families. —2009 u.S. Department of education Civil Rights Data Collection

12 TeAcHing TolerA nce illuSTrATion by daniel zalkus Down the Hall a special thrill in sparking an interest in others and watching them run with it. When I finally got the chance to actually teach, there was no thrill quite like when students were interested, engaged and learning in my classroom.

what is the single largest challenge in your district? The largest challenge is and always has been meeting the needs of all students, whose needs sometimes are basic human requirements. full stomachs, a sense of secu- rity and a sense that they are loved are three basics that my staff and I would never turn our backs on.

how would you describe your district’s diversity efforts? When I arrived, I had so much to learn. We used to laugh about ours being the “i always believed it was my role Liberty Island of schools. to remove obstacles to allow very Give us your tired, your poor, capable people to do what they do your huddled masses ... Will best,” says William Joslyn. you host a district bilingual class? Sure. Will you host a classroom to transition emotionally challenged stu- “It is not about one thing you do, dents? Sure. Will you host a district autistic program? Why not. The staff thought I it is about everything you do...” was crazy but never said no.

We firsT heard aBouT William JoslyN from teacher Toni why did you become if money were no object, Giarnese (see Why I Teach, p. 11). She said that Joslyn, an an educator? what would be the three administrator at Torrington Public Schools in Connecticut, from a young age, I was most important tools never forgot what it’s like to be a teacher. So we decided to drawn to teaching and you’d need to do your job? find out more. remember “teaching” neigh- Teachers, teachers, teachers. Joslyn is currently director of human resources for borhood children. I have Torrington, a district serving about 4,600 students. But he memories of long summer why would parents want began his career in 1979 as an elementary school teacher. days of drawing diagrams to send their children to he’s since served as an assistant principal, principal and in the dirt, “experimenting” your district’s schools? director of special education—among other jobs. with household items, observ- Parents see [school person- ing insects and collecting nel] demonstrating that we We interview your favorite administrators in each issue of Teaching Tolerance. specimens. There was always care about each and every

PHoTogrAPHy by lowell handler fAll 2011 13 first bell

“The school culture over time would not tolerate Lessons Learned children bullying or We post new classroom lessons to harassing one another. our website each week. Activities The students became are grade-specific, address a broad range of issues and align to stan- our allies because they dards. here are five of the most- all knew the importance visited lessons this past school of treating one another year. find them at tolerance.org/ with respect and dignity.” activities. 1. developing empathy (All Grades) Students gain a better understanding of what it means to be empa- child. Sometimes it is just being in front importance of treating one another thetic and identify behaviors that of the school at the beginning and end with respect and dignity. show empathy toward others. of each day and chatting personally about their children. It might be a staff what book influenced your vision 2. using photographs member drying the tears of a child. It for the schools you’ve helped run? to teach social justice: exposing racism might be a phone call to a parent during I’ll date myself, but I have always been a (Middle & High School) dinnertime just to say hi and say that big fan of William Glasser. When I read Students analyze a photograph to their child had a great day at school. It his book Reality Therapy it was a life gain a greater understanding of is not about one thing you do, it is about changer. … If we want people to be moti- history while exploring issues of everything you do. vated, we have to learn what drives them racism, stereotypes and bias. This and make sure the outcome we desire lesson belongs to a 12-part series how do you help students and meets their needs. Thanks, Dr. Glasser! designed to explore social justice staff be more understanding and themes using photos. respectful of differences? what’s on your ipod? 3. a bullying survey Modeling tolerance is key for school Talk about diversity. If I hit shuffle, you (Early Grades) leaders. If we don’t walk the walk, we will hear Johnny Cash followed by Pink Students evaluate group practices can’t expect others to. floyd followed by Porcupine Tree fol- and propose measures to improve lowed by the Temptations—and you the classroom climate. how do you ensure that each child might even hear a little Snoop Dogg. in your school is safe from bullying 4. a bullying Quiz and harassment? what’s the biggest compliment (Middle & High School) Listen and react. We don’t tolerate bul- someone can pay you? This lesson helps students explore lying. My staff, from the custodian to This is it. having the opportunity to how evidence about behavioral the bus drivers to the principal, all share my beliefs about children and patterns might challenge personal were charged to be the eyes and ears education. Again, it’s those simple beliefs about social behavior. and react swiftly and clearly to any act words that are so often forgotten— that would send a message that you “Thank you, Bill, you make a differ- 5. anti-racism activity: the sneetches are not safe here. We rarely missed ence”—that get me every time. (Early Grades) the opportunity to demonstrate our Students learn about unfair distain for such behavior. The school DOwn The hall practices in a simulation exercise culture over time would not toler- know an excellent administrator, librarian and then create plans to stand up ate children bullying or harassing or counselor we should interview? against discrimination. one another. The students became email us at [email protected] and put our allies because they all knew the “Down the hall” in the subject line.

did you know? Schools serving mostly African-American students are twice as likely as schools did you know? serving white students to have teachers with only one or two years of experience. —2009 u.S. Department of education Civil Rights Data Collection

14 TeAcHing TolerA nce “They always say that time changes things, but Essentials you actually have to change them yourself.” — andy warhol, artist

a look at our cover will tell you that this is Issue 40 of Teaching Tolerance magazine. It’s published twice yearly, so that round landscape. We’ve made changes along the way, too, by putting more in this number neatly marks the end of our first magazine. You’ll see more connections 20 years. The first issue, in January 1992, between what we have in print and helped teachers and students fight stereo- what’s online. for almost every article, types and learn to appreciate diversity. readers can find an online portfolio with links and ways to apply the article That first magazine set the standard, in school. You’ll also notice that we’ve introducing “Activity exchange,” “Teaching given up those order cards—you can Tools” and “one World” and presented them now order kits or subscribe to the with lush art and elegant design. It also magazine and our e-newsletter online at tolerance.org. included this message from founding editor Sara Bullard: “Teaching Despite all these changes, the impor- Tolerance is not a new endeavor—every teacher with more than one stu- tance of teaching tolerance remains. As dent strives for harmony in the classroom. Certainly this task becomes Bullard wrote about teachers, “What more complicated as the nation and the classroom grow more diverse.” they share is a belief that tolerance is at the core of good citizenship.” When Bullard wrote those words, the desktops are nearly obsolete. There were Today, we remain committed to the impact of immigration reform was being no web browsers in 1992—netscape founding ideas enunciated 20 years ago: seen across America. A law passed in and Internet explorer came later, as Tolerance can be taught. 1965 removed preferences for western did social media, Google, facebook and It belongs everywhere in europeans and welcomed in more peo- smart phones. We’ve hardly had time to the curriculum. ple from the Western hemisphere. As figure out how this explosion of technol- It is the responsibility of educators a result, immigration doubled between ogy affects the way children think and themselves to learn tolerance. 1965 and 1970, doubled again between relate to each other. —Maureen Costello 1970 and 1990, and continued to surge So, 20 years on, although we con- through 2008. Consider: in 1970, less tinue to publish this magazine, teach- than 5 percent of the population was ers no longer have to wait for its arrival PS—Issue no. 1 included a piece by foreign-born; in 1990, it was 8 percent. to be a part of the Teaching Tolerance Luke Lambert, historian of the national By 2010, the percentage had grown to community. Instead, by the thousands, Parks Service. he wrote about the 1965 12 percent—still lower than in any of the they visit us online, where a lively blog, Selma-to-Montgomery March, then 60 years from 1860 to 1920, but higher fresh weekly lessons and a suite of pro- being studied for possible historic des- than most Americans had ever seen. The fessional development tools await. ignation. We invited readers to send diversity is most evident today in schools, Meanwhile, schools have changed, their ideas about the March to the nPS where 1 in every 4 school children has an too. Multiculturalism was gaining and provided a blank letter. We also ran immigrant parent. steam in the early ’90s. But before it an ad for our first film kit, “America’s “But the basic goal,” Bullard contin- could be seriously embedded into cur- Civil Rights Movement,” complete with ued, “remains the same: to care about riculum, other forces—standards, high- a videocassette of A Time for Justice. all of our children and to help them care stakes testing, data and the thousand Issue no. 40 has an ad for the same film, about each other.” flowers of school reform—crashed into now digitally restored on DVD. And that’s still true. Yet the world education like a tidal wave. no reader And the route of the Selma- in which our children grow up and go of that first issue had ever heard of AYP, to-Montgomery March, from the to school has changed—immensely. In RTI or nCLB. edmund Pettus Bridge to the steps of 1992, personal computers were expen- Demographics, technology and the Alabama Capitol, is now a national sive, slow and rare. Today, those clunky reforms have altered the educational historic Trail.

#TEAchingToLErAncE fAll 2011 15 ActivitY ExchAngE hAVe You CReATeD A CLASSRooM ACTIVITY TIeD To A SoCIAL JuSTICe ToPIC? ThInK IT WouLD Be PeRfeCT foR TeAChInG ToLeRAnCe? We’LL PAY $250 foR ACTIVITY exChAnGe ITeMS We PuBLISh. To See SuBMISSIon GuIDeLIneS, Go To ToLeRAnCe.oRG/BLoG/TeACh-SoCIAL-JuSTICe.

g rades pre-k to 3 A Healthy Way to Show Feelings

individuals of all ages and writing paper. can find it difficult to Students look at identify and express their their “animals” feelings in a positive way. and decide At the elementary level, how they many students need a are feeling springboard for discus- and why. i sion. This can help make write these students more open about ideas down their feelings. on the i begin my lesson by board to discussing basic feel- aid stu- ings. With a partner, students dents brainstorm words in their that express feelings—for smaller example, mad, sad, happy, group conversations. scared or surprised. We also once students com- discuss how these words plete this task, they form can be grouped into cat- small groups and intro- the wall with an outline of identify and express feel- egories. Then i give each duce their animals to a person on each piece of ings in a helpful manner. in student a stuffed animal each other. everyone in paper. Above each per- fact, students are encour- the group is responsi- son is a feeling word, such aged to add other ideas as ble for figuring out how to as mad, sad, happy, scared they think of them. be responsive to the ani- or surprised. The class then Students love this les- Send submissions to [email protected] mals’ feelings. for exam- brainstorms ways to help son, especially when they with the subject line ple, if one animal is sad, others with these feel- have their own stuffed ani- “Activity exchange what can the other ani- ings. i ask some questions: mals. There is a sense of submission.” or mail mals do to help? if another How can we identify our ownership in this activ- your activity to: animal is happy, how can it own feelings? How can we ity. it gets students excited teaching tolerance use that positive feeling to express them in positive, about participating and Activity exchange benefit others? healthy ways? How can we makes the group discussion 400 Washington Ave. After this small-group help those around us with stand out in their minds. Montgomery, Al 36104 work, we re-form as a class. their feelings? each idea Marissa rex, M.Ed. i help the students reflect appears on the chart paper. HiAWATHA eleMenTAry We only reply to ToleDo, oHio submissions selected on what our “animals” This list of ideas for publication. accomplished and how we remains in the hallway or can follow their lead. i hang classroom after the lesson. four chart paper sheets on it reminds students how to

16 TeAcHing TolerA nce greAT AnTi-biAS iDeAS AnD AcTiViTieS froM TeAcHerS eVeryWHere! g rades 1–5 Trading Cards That Honor True Greatness

each year in my students use the elementary art classroom, photos or draw- students learn about a ings to create diverse group of black their own full- men and women in honor color portrait of black History Month on the front of (this activity, though, is a blank index relevant throughout the card. They use year). We create trad- the biographi- ing cards to honor people cal information who inspire us with their to add perti- accomplishments. nent facts, such before we begin the as the person’s project, we discuss what name, date of birth kinds of accomplishments or death and their are commendable. This accomplishments. The helps students understand back of the card is dec- the difference between orated with images and a celebrity and someone symbols that relate to who has made a mean- those accomplishments. ingful contribution to our When the students country. The students have finished their cards, select someone from a they answer two ques- collection of over 100 men tions: What did you like and women. These people about making your trad- and usually make more races and ethnicities who have done great things in ing cards? And why did cards than required. They have contributed to our the fields of science, liter- you pick this person? are building a collec- nation in some way. ature, sports, music, gov- My favorite comment— tion to treasure for years helen goren Shafton ernment, art, civil rights, among many—came from to come. it’s been such a PArK VieW eleMenTAry & WeSTfielD eleMenTAry entertainment, commu- a third-grader: “i liked hit that i plan to expand glen ellyn, ill. nity service and more. learning about what these this project beyond black in advance of this unit, amazing people did to History Month. it will i created folders for each help America, whether include people from all honoree, which includes they helped stop slav- a brief, kid-friendly biog- ery or whether they were raphy and a black-and- inventors.” check out samples of student trading cards online at white photograph or line My students look for- tolerance.org/trading-cards-samples. drawing of the person. The ward to this art project

A coMPreHenSiVe liST of curriculum standards AligneD WiTH eAcH AcTiViTy excHAnge cAn be founD AT TolerAnce.org/AcTiViTy-excHAnge-40/STAnDArDS. fAll 2011 17 ActivitY ExchAngE

g rades 3–5 What Makes a Family?

there are many class- next, i read aloud that represents their fam- students to explore their room activities in which My Family by Kathleen ily. in the third box, i ask classmates’ family iden- students explore family Kennedy Townsend. This students to design a fam- tities. The coats of arms roots. This can be tricky for book goes into detail about ily flag, consisting of colors can then be displayed—a students who do not have diversity in faith, housing, and shapes they choose to reminder that their fam- information on their fam- food, celebrations and edu- represent their family. in ily identities are respected ily’s background. i wanted cation. but it also beauti- the fourth box, i ask stu- and valued. to develop an activity fully highlights the things dents to draw a picture of Anne S. henry, M.Ed. that would tie into guid- families have in common. i something that their fam- J.W. AlVey eleMenTAry ScHool ance objectives on diver- ask students to notice the ily likes to do together. HAyMArKeT, VA. sity and still allow kids to ways in which families are At the end of the define their own identity as similar and different. activity, i encourage it relates to family. At this point, i teach i start by reviewing the the students how to terms diversity and iden- translate their ideas tity with students. i then about their own fami- ask students to definefam - lies into a coat of arms. i ily. i write these ideas down talk about the significance on the board. They usually of coats of arms for fami- have great ideas that pro- lies in the past. i then hand duce discussion. for exam- out a template with a four- ple, family can be a group portioned coat of arms. i of people who love each tell them that today they other or a group of people will get the chance to who are related, etc. show the world the i tell the kids that each identity of their fam- person might have a dif- ily. i model a coat of ferent definition for fam- arms that i created ily. We discuss how, just for my own family. like every individual has an in the first box, identity, each family has its i ask students to own identity. i share that write the first letter each family has its own of their last name in way of speaking, hobbies, “fancy” handwriting. number of members and in the second box, i ask place to live. them to draw an animal

there are many templates for coats of arms online. check out some samples at karenswhimsy.com/coat-of-arms-template.shtm.

18 TeAcHing TolerA nce HAVe Any gooD iDeAS? DroP uSA line AT [email protected]. g rades 6–8 & 9–12 Bullying and LGBT Students

the purpose of this speaker does not take the your advantage, whether in you think it was like for this activity is to discuss the full minute, students are school or outside of school. person? bullying of lgbT stu- to remain silent until time dents. it uses the Mexican has elapsed. 4. Describe a time when you end the Paseo. Have tradition of El Paseo to At the end of the sec- saw someone being bullied students do a quick write- begin that discussion. ond question-and- and wished you had done up about what they saw, first, students form answer, ask the stu- something but did not. heard and felt during the two concentric circles. dents to thank their cur- process. open up a dis- The members of the outer rent partner and say 5. Describe a time when you cussion about how lgbT circle face inward, while goodbye. Then have the saw someone being bullied students might feel at members of the inner cir- inner-outer circles shift and said or did something to school and what each stu- cle face outward. The stu- to the left and right. stop it. dent’s responsibility is dents then choose a part- repeat this process for when it comes to bullying. ner from the other circle every question. 6. Describe a time when you Juliet Schiller for their discussion. thought someone couldn’t eDucATion, excellence AnD equiTy (e3) Tell students that you I ask these questions: talk about some aspect of SAn rAfAel, cAlif. will ask them to think 1. Describe how you see themselves safely (religious about and respond to a yourself. Why do you see beliefs, political beliefs, sex- series of questions, one yourself this way? ual identity, etc.). What do at a time. They will have 30 seconds to think of a 2. Describe how you think response and one min- others see you. how do you want to learn more cooperative learning strategies ute to answer after feel about this? like the inside-outside circle strategy? visit facing each question. history and ourselves for a comprehensive list of Then one student in 3. Describe a time when student-centered teaching strategies. each pair responds with- one of the aspects of your facinghistory.org/resources/strategies out interruption. if the identity seemed to work to

illuSTrATionS by susan estelle kwas fAll 2011 19 ActivitY ExchAngE

g rades 6–8 & 9–12 Debating Corporal Punishment

in 2011, 20 states with in our state. After would probably be paddled turnaround, although he permitted corporal pun- explaining what corpo- over and over. still feels conflicted about ishment in public schools. ral punishment is, i put up using the paddle. Many students who live 10 to 15 statements about if a teacher or principal After reading both arti- outside those states find it it on the overhead, one at paddled me, i would cles, i have students answer hard to believe that corpo- a time. As each statement probably hate him or her. questions (both multiple ral punishment still exists. is put up, i have each stu- choice and short answer). This lesson allows student stand under the sign Paddling might be an The questions force them dents to debate a complex that best reflects his or her effective punishment in to make inferences about certain cases. each article, including inferences about the authors’ next, we read two arti- biases. Then students must cles together. The first complete a graphic orga- article, located at cnn.com nizer that asks them to find (bit.ly/nH8ebV), arguments in the articles includes a map that that both support and dis- shows where corpo- courage the use of corporal punishment is still ral punishment. finally, they legal, which is a good apply the topic to real life by visual for the kids. writing a letter to an elected The article points official about the subject. out that students of My students were com- color and students with pletely engaged in this disabilities are pad- topic, and they were able dled at a much higher to express their opinions rate than other stu- and debate in a thought- dents. The other article, ful, respectful manner. located at newsweek.com Erin carrock (bit.ly/oc1aeu), is about cenTenniAl MiDDle ScHool PorTlAnD, ore. issue while at the same opinion. After they do this, a school in South carolina time working on inferen- the students take turns that brought back paddling. tial comprehension. stating the reasons for The principal there believes To begin the lesson, i their opinions. corporal punishment is put signs on the four walls responsible for the school’s of the classroom that say sample statements: Agree, Sort of Agree, Sort Punishments at our school of Disagree and Disagree. i don’t seem to stop kids from Civil Discourse in the Classroom can help students tell students that we are misbehaving. turn unsubstantiated opinions into reasoned going to be talking about arguments. students can also learn how to effec- an issue that we, fortu- if paddling were allowed at tively challenge opposing arguments. nately, do not have to deal our school, certain students tolerance.org/discourse

20 TeAcHing TolerA nce g rades 6–8 & 9–12 Los Héroes y las Heroínas

through songs, stories and heroes and hero- paintings, students explore ines in the latino how and why communities community. With tell stories about heroes each story we ask: and heroines. This helps What motivated or the students develop a inspired this person? greater understanding of What actions did they actions that lead to social take? What challenges change. Students also did they overcome? Did develop proficiency in the they always succeed? use of the preterite and What role did they imperfect verb tenses in play in creating pos- the Spanish language. itive social change? first, we brainstorm a Does everyone list of people that the class consider this per- considers to be heroes son to be a hero and heroines. The list can or heroine? Why or include people living or why not? How and why dead, fictional or real. We does the storyteller share try to arrive at a consensus this person’s story? Who is possible sources for each name placed on the audience? there are spanish corridos (ballads) about césar our list. We discuss how, in the end, we chat chávez and dolores huerta for students to use. where, when and from about what it takes to the smithsonian institution’s website includes a whom we heard about be a hero or heroine and brief video explanation about corridos along with these people. whether any person can footage of chávez. next, students work become one. As a final corridos.org in pairs to come up with assessment, students cre- puerto rican artist yasmín hernández produced actions (verbs) that these ate and present an original a series of paintings entitled soul Rebels that can heroes and heroines did. song, poem, work of art or be found on her website (look for it under the They also create a list of children’s book in Spanish heading “projects”). adjectives to describe to tell the story of a hero yasminhernandez.com them. Students come up or heroine. other resources include excerpts from the chil- with an interesting vari- Liz ransom dren’s book Cosechando esperzanza: la Historia de ety of social justice vocab- PrinceTon DAy ScHool PrinceTon, n.J. César Chávez by kathleen krull, translated into ulary words that can eas- spanish by f. isabel campoy and alma flor ada; ily be recycled throughout any book from the series Cuando los Grandes eran the unit. Pequeños; and, in particular, Julia by georgina We then experience lázaro, a story in rhyme about puerto rican poet musical, written and julia de burgos. visual storytelling about

coMPileD by thom ronk fAll 2011 21 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

DiD AmericA’s most Divisive wAr stArt over slAvery or stAtes’ rights? how consistent wAs the south in its support of stAtes’ rights? wAs the institution of slAvery on its wAy out? DiD enslAveD men fight for the confeDerAcy? how importAnt were tAriffs AnD tAxes to the Decision to seceDe? coulD the north hAve let the south go? wAs lincoln An Abolitionist? how much Does white supremAcy hAve to Do with the populArity of the “lost cAuse”?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

22 TeAcHing TolerA nce mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

GettinG the Civil War riGht Too many people—including Teachers—geT iT wrong.

by JAmes w. loewen o mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

fAll 2011 23 main cause of the Civil War. fewer, 38 percent, attributed the war to slavery, while 9 percent said it was a mixture of both. These results are alarming because they are essentially wrong. States’ rights was not the main cause of the Civil War—slavery was. The issue is critically important for teachers to see clearly. understanding why the Civil War began informs virtually all the attitudes about race that we wrestle with today. The distorted emphasis on states’ rights separates us from the role of slavery and allows us to deny the notions of white supremacy that William Faulkner famously wrote, fostered secession. “The past is never dead. It’s not even In short, this issue is a perfect past.” he would not be surprised to example of what faulkner meant learn that Americans, 150 years after when he said the past is not dead—it’s the Civil War began, are still getting not even past. it wrong . During the last five years, I’ve The lost Cause wasked several thousand teachers for Confederate sympathizers have long the main reason the South seceded. understood the importance of get- They always come up with four alter- ting the Civil War wrong. In 1866, a natives: states’ rights, slavery, tariffs year after the war ended, an ex- and taxes or the election of Lincoln. Confederate named edward A. When I ask them to vote, the Pollard published the first pro- results—and resulting discussions— southern history, called The Lost convince me that no part of our his- Cause: A New Southern History of the tory gets more mythologized than the War of the Confederates. Pollard’s Civil War, beginning with secession. book was followed by a torrent of My informal polls show that 55 similar propaganda. Soon, the term to 75 percent of teachers—regard- “Lost Cause” perfectly described the less of region or race—cite states’ South’s collective memory of the war. rights as the key reason southern All these works promoting the Lost states seceded. These conclusions are Cause consoled southern pride by backed up by a 2011 Pew Research echoing similar themes: The South’s Center poll, which found that a wide leaders had been noble; the South plurality of Americans—48 percent— was not out-fought but merely over- believe that states’ rights was the whelmed; Southerners were united

24 TeAcHing TolerA nce in support of the Confederate cause; why. on Christmas eve of 1860, South August in the north could bring their slavery was a benign institution over- Carolina, the first to go, adopted cooks along. By 1860, new York made seen by benevolent masters. a “Declaration of the Immediate it clear that it was a free state and any A chief tenet of the Lost Cause was Causes Which Induce and Justify slave brought there would become that secession had been forced on the the Secession of South Carolina from free. South Carolina was outraged. South to protect states’ rights. This the federal union.” It listed South Delegates were further upset at a view spread in part because racism Carolina’s grievances, including the handful of northern states for letting pervaded both north and South, and exercise of northern states’ rights: African-American men vote. Voting both ex-Confederates and ex- “We assert that fourteen of the States was a state matter at the time, so this unionists wanted to put the war have deliberately refused, for years should have fallen under the purview behind them. Beginning with past, to fulfill their constitutional obliga- of states’ rights. nevertheless, south- Mississippi’s new constitution in 1890, white southerners effectively removed mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm African Americans from citizenship and enshrined their new status in Jim CoNfedeRAte syMpAthIzeRs have long Crow laws. northerners put the war behind them by turning their backs on understood the importance of getting the Civil War blacks and letting Jim Crow happen. wrong. … their founding documents show that the from 1890 to about 1940, the Lost Cause version of events held sway south seceded over slavery, not states’ rights. But across the united States. This world- the neo-Confederates are right in a sense. slavery view influenced popular culture, such was not the only cause. the south also seceded as the racist 1915 movie The Birth of a Nation and Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 over white supremacy, something in which most bestselling paean to the old South, Gone whites—North and south—sincerely believed. With the Wind. As I point out in my mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm book Lies My Teacher Told Me, history textbooks also bought into the myth and helped promote it nationwide. tions, and we refer to their own Statutes erners were outraged. In 1960, South for the proof.” The phrase “constitu- Carolina pointed out that accord- what’s wrong about states’ rights? tional obligations” sounds vague, but ing to “the supreme law of the land, But advocates of the Lost Cause— delegates went on to quote the part of [blacks] are incapable of becoming Confederates and later neo- the Constitution that concerned them— citizens.” This was a reference to the Confederates—had a problem. The the fugitive Slave Clause. They then 1857 Dred Scott decision by the south- leaders of southern secession left noted “an increasing hostility on the part ern-dominated u.S. Supreme Court. voluminous records. The civil rights of the non-slaveholding States to the Delegates also took offense that movement of the 1950s and 1960s institution of slavery. ... In many of these northern states have “denounced prompted historians and teachers to States the fugitive is discharged from as sinful the institution of Slavery” review those records and challenge the service or labor claimed. ...” and “permitted open establishment Lost Cause. one main point they came South Carolina also attacked new among them of [abolitionist] soci- to was this: Confederate states seceded York for no longer allowing tempo- eties.” In other words, northern and against states’ rights, not for them. rary slavery. In the past, Charleston western states should not have the As states left the union, they said gentry who wanted to spend a cool right to let people assemble and speak

fAll 2011 25 myths About the civil wA r AnD slAvery

ASano. 1 u.S. forces drew near, African Americans government to approve allowing enslaved flocked to their lines—to help the war men to serve in exchange for some form of The norTh effort, to make a living and, most of all, post-war freedom. This time, the govern- wenT To war To simply to be free. Some of lincoln’s gener- ment gave in. but few blacks signed up, and end slavery als helped him see, early on, that sending soon the war was over. The South definitely went to war to pre- them back into slavery merely helped the serve slavery. but did the north go to war confederate cause. ASano. 3 to end slavery? A month after issuing his letter to the no. The north went to war initially to hold new york Tribune, lincoln combined offi- slavery was on iTs the nation together. Abolition came later. cial duty and private wish by announcing way o u T a n y way on Aug. 22, 1862, President lincoln the emancipation Proclamation, to take Slavery was hardly on its last legs in 1860. wrote a letter to Horace greeley, aboli- effect on January 1, 1863. That year, the South produced almost 75 tionist editor of the new york Tribune, that percent of all u.S. exports. Slaves were val- stated: “if i could save the union with- ASano. 2 ued as being worth more than all the man- out freeing any slave, i would do it; and if ufacturing companies and railroads in the i could save it by freeing all the slaves, i Thousands nation. no elite class in history has ever would do it; and if i could save it by free- of african given up such an immense interest volun- ing some and leaving others alone, i would americans, boTh tarily. True, several european colonies in also do that. What i do about slavery and free and slave, the caribbean had ended slavery, but that the colored race, i do because i believe it action was taken by the mother country, helps to save the union; and what i for- foughT for The not by the elite planter class. To claim that bear, i forbear because i do not believe it confederacy u.S. slavery would have ended of its own would help to save the union.” neo-confederates have been making this accord is impossible to disprove but diffi- lincoln’s own anti-slavery sentiment argument since about 1980, but the idea is cult to support. in 1860, slavery was grow- was widely known at the time, indeed, so completely false. one reason we know it’s ing more entrenched in the South. unpaid widely known that it helped prompt the false is that confederate policy flatly did not labor made for big profits, and the south- southern states to rebel. in the same letter, let blacks become soldiers until March 1865. ern elite was growing ever richer. Slavery’s lincoln wrote: “i have here stated my pur- White officers did bring slaves to the return on investment essentially crowded pose according to my view of official duty; front, where they were pressed into ser- out other economic development and left and i intend no modification of my oft- vice doing laundry and cooking. And some the South an agricultural society. freeing expressed personal wish that all men every confederate leaders tried to enlist African slaves was becoming more and more diffi- where could be free.” Americans. in January 1864, confederate cult for owners, as state after state required lincoln was concerned—rightly—that gen. Patrick cleburne proposed filling the them to transport freed slaves beyond making the war about abolition would ranks with black men. When Jefferson the state boundaries. for the foreseeable anger northern unionists, many of whom Davis heard the suggestion, he rejected future, slavery looked secure. cared little about African Americans. but the idea and ordered that the subject be by late 1862, it became clear that end- dropped and never discussed again. As we commemorate the sesquicenten- ing slavery in the rebelling states would but the idea wouldn’t die. in the war’s nial of that war, let us take pride this time— help the war effort. The war itself started closing weeks, gen. robert e. lee was des- as we did not during the centennial—that the emancipation process. Whenever perate for men. He asked the confederate secession on slavery’s behalf failed.

26 TeAcHing TolerA nce freely—not if what they say might This historic map shows how the United States was divided in 1861, as the civil War began. All of the seceding threaten slavery. southern states were heavily dependant on slavery. Keeping African Americans in bondage allowed slave owners to cheaply grow cash crops like cotton, rice and sugar cane. Thoroughly identified with slavery other seceding states echoed South that protected the institution of slav- neo-Confederates are right in a Carolina. “our position is thoroughly ery at the national level. As histo- sense. Slavery was not the only cause. identified with the institution of slav- rian William C. Davis has said, this The South also seceded over white ery—the greatest material interest of showed how little Confederates supremacy, something in which most the world,” proclaimed Mississippi. cared about states’ rights and how whites—north and South—sincerely “... [A] blow at slavery is a blow at much they cared about slavery. “To believed. White southerners came to commerce and civilization.” northern the old union they had said that the see the 4 million African Americans in abolitionists, Mississippi went on to federal power had no authority to their midst as a menace, going so far complain, have “nullified the fugitive interfere with slavery issues in a as to predict calamity, even race war, Slave Law,” “broken every compact” state,” he said. “To their new nation were slavery ever to end. This facet of and even “invested with the honors of they would declare that the state had Confederate ideology helps explain IRR FCONGRESS OF LIBRARY martyrdom” John Brown—the radical no power to interfere with a federal why many white southerners—even abolitionist who tried to lead a slave protection of slavery.” those who owned no slaves and had uprising in Virginia in 1859. Their founding documents show no prospects of owning any—mobi- once the Confederacy formed, that the South seceded over slav- lized so swiftly and effectively to pro- its leaders wrote a new constitution ery, not states’ rights. But the tect their key institution.

Find more resources and discussion tips on the civil War at tolerance.org/civil-war-right. fAll 2011 27 Tariffs, Taxes and lincoln mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm The other alleged causes of the Civil War Documents citeD can be dispensed with fairly quickly. The These are essenTial PriMary sOurCes fOr The Civil war. argument that tariffs and taxes also Secession documents from the Southern states caused secession is a part of the Lost Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address Cause line favored by modern neo-Con- federates. But this, too, is flatly wrong. Constitution of the Confederate States of America high tariffs had been the issue in Alexander Stephens’ “Cornerstone Speech” the 1831 nullification controversy, but not in 1860. About tariffs and taxes, Lincoln’s Aug. 22, 1862, letter to Horace Greeley the “Declaration of the Immediate Confederate Congress’ act to enlist African-American men, March 13, 1865 Causes” said nothing. Why would it? mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Tariffs had been steadily decreasing for a generation. The tariff of 1857, under which the nation was be so exercised that slavery in time, institution. espousing states’ rights functioning, had been written by a should be exterminated.” as the reason for secession white- Virginia slaveowner and was warmly So it all comes back to slavery. washes the Confederate cause into approved of by southern members of a “David versus Goliath” undertak- Congress. Its rates were lower than at study the writing of history ing—the states against the mighty fed- any other point in the century. none of this was secret in the 1860s. eral government. The election of Lincoln is a valid The “anything but slavery” explana- States’ rights became a rallying cry explanation for secession—not an tions gained traction only after the for southerners fighting all federal underlying cause, but clearly the trig- war, especially after 1890—at exactly guarantees of civil rights for African ger. Many southern states referred the same time that Jim Crow laws Americans. This was true both dur- to the “Black Republican Party,” to became entrenched across the South. ing Reconstruction and in the 1950s, use Alabama’s term, that had “elected Thus when people wrote about seces- when the modern civil rights move- Abraham Lincoln to the office of sion influenced what they wrote. ment gained strength. Today, the President.” As “Black Republican” And here the states’ rights argu- cause of states’ rights is still invoked implies, Alabama was upset with ment opens a door for teachers to against federal social programs and Lincoln because he held “that the explain how perceptions of the past education initiatives that are often power of the Government should change from one generation to the beneficial to people of color. next. Most students imagine history In other words, teaching the Civil mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm is something “to be learned,” so the War wrong cedes power to some of the whole idea of historiography—that most reactionary forces in the united whAt’s in A nAme? who writes history, when and for what States, letting them, rather than truth, What a war is called says a lot about the audience, affects how history is writ- dictate what we say in the classroom. beliefs of the people naming it. Ask your ten—is new to them. They need to Allowing bad history to stand liter- students to think about what these alter- know it. Knowledge of historiogra- ally makes the public stupid about the native names for the civil War reveal about the background and beliefs of the phy empowers students, helping them past—today. people who used them. become critical readers and thinkers. Concealing the role of white JAMeS W. LoeWen Civil War supremacy—on both sides of the con- is the author of several War of the Rebellion flict—makes it harder for students books, including Lies to see white supremacy today. After Across America: What Freedom War

all, if southerners were not champi- Our Historic Sites Get MAGES War Between the States oning slavery but states’ rights, then Wrong, Sundown Towns: that minimizes southern racism as a A Hidden Dimension of American War of Northern Aggression CE/GETTY I

cause of the war. And it gives implicit Racism and The Confederate and Ru War of Southern Independence support to the Lost Cause argu- Neo-Confederate Reader: The “Great NDREA B mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ment that slavery was a benevolent Truth” about the “Lost Cause.” A

28 TeAcHing TolerA nce njelica Morales looked down through her glasses at her schoolwork, counting with her hands to make sure she was getting it right. A bit frustrated, she tried again. The rest of the students in Rudy Valenzuela’s class were making noise, and it was hard for her to concentrate. But it’s the one class she looks forward to every day, so she kept on. Tapping the guitar with her palm, she felt she finally got the notes and rhythm right and nodded to Valenzuela to start the lesson. his advanced mariachi class at Roskruge Bilingual Magnet Middle School in Tucson, Ariz., dove into the middle of a popular Mexican ballad. “Si nos dejan, buscamos un rincon cerca del cielo ...” (If they let us, we’ll look for a spot near the heavens ...) other students feel the same as Morales about the mariachi class. It’s a place where they can get some peace during the

fAll 2011 29 academic day, though Valenzuela and the school’s administrators know that can all change at next year’s budget review. “When the district proposes cuts, we do look at arts first,” José olivas, Roskruge’s principal, said. “Right now we need a third social studies teacher. I hate to say it but we have to think, ‘Are academics more important than the arts?’” The students in the advanced mariachi class—mostly eighth graders—would probably say “no.” The Enrichment 102-year-old school 5 ways To inTegrATe ArT inTo draws students from THe core by leArning THrougH all over the district AnD WiTH THe ArTS to participate in the 1. Study architecture in history. highly acclaimed 2. e xplore the math of modern art music program. each and sculpture roskruge Principal José olivas (right page, blue shirt) says that arts (Mondrian, calder). teachers like rudy valenzuela (red shirt, both photos) play a vital role in student has to earn a making school more engaging for teenagers. Music students like Anjelica spot in the band. And 3. examine the physics of ballet. Morales (red shirt) and corina Switzer (black shirt) agree. as olivas points out, 4. learn vocabulary from songs. this is what many stu- 5. use paintings as writing prompts. is decades in Morales said her mom transferred dents live for at school. the making, her to Roskruge specifically for the “our role as edu- and the linger- mariachi program when she reached cators is to try to help ing effects of middle school. Though she has been students identify where their strengths the current recession have not helped. playing the guitar for only two years, are,” he says. “Some students are more The national endowment for the she strums and picks at the strings as if able in the arts—it’s the only place Arts (neA), using a 2008 u.S. Census she were born to do it. every student in they shine.” Bureau survey, found across-the-board the advanced class has to keep grades at declines in arts education. Among chil- a C level and above to perform at public Cutting the arts dren of college graduates, 27 percent events and competitions. When asked Yet art classes all over the country are said they had never taken an arts class, what her course of action would be if under siege. The passage of the no compared with 12 percent in 1982. for the district were to take away the class, Child Left Behind law in 2001, which children whose parents graduated from she paused. A look of shock flashed measures student achievement based high school, the number rose to 66 per- across her face. on english and math scores, has pres- cent from 30 percent in 1982. “I guess I would move schools,” she sured schools to cut the arts. Roskruge Principal José olivas said, after taking some time to think A 2006 survey by the Center on was lucky this year. With the school about it and re-tune her guitar. education Policy found that 44 per- at capacity at 700 K-8 students, the cent of school districts had increased Tucson unified School District told stopping the Decline time for english and math while cut- him to keep the same budget as the earlier this year, the obama admin- ting time for other subjects. And a fol- year before. That meant the middle istration released a report from the low-up study done in 2008 found that school was able to keep its art, dance, President’s Committee on the Arts and 16 percent had cut elementary school folklorico dance, mariachi, hip-hop and the humanities. In an effort to check class time for music and art. The physical education classes. (Volunteers the long decline in arts education, the declines have been sharpest in low- teach the elementary art classes after report called for more money and bet- income schools. school, so they don’t factor into finan- ter teaching strategies. It also called for But the de-cline in arts education cial planning.) a new approach that doesn’t treat arts

30 TeAcHing TolerA nce PHOTOGRAPHS BY jason millstein education as a frill that can be cut every π aTTe N daN ce maTTers π time budgets get tight. no study has proven conclusively Attend school concerts, plays and that arts education directly improves musicals with a few colleagues. Shake your student performance. But the president’s report states that decades of students’ hands after the performance. research show a link between high- quality arts education and strong edu- congratulate them in class the next day. cational outcomes. for José olivas at Roskruge, no “our art program has a couple of down so many barriers that we all have more research is needed main components. Bring in a child that built up, but children in poverty might “Without [arts classes], they might avoids any academic setting because have built up many more.” not concentrate on their other courses,” they aren’t confident in their scholastic Beyond Basics’ programs take place he says. “once they get a taste of suc- skills, and we’ll try to turn that around,” during the school day and at no cost cess in whatever class it may be, it spills Pamela Good, president and founder of to the schools, the district or individ- over [into other academic work].” Beyond Basics, said. ual students. “We can bring them into art, and “It is an answer, a solution for public they might have a positive experience education to poor schools,” Good said. and it can validate their self-worth in a “We hear all the time what the prob- classroom setting. Then we work from lems are and it may take many, many there and get them reading.” years to solve some of those. But in the The program immerses students in meantime there are little children that art by taking small field trips to galler- need the service.” ies or by having artists visit the schools and talk about their work. The Big Payoff According to Good, the program Those districts that can provide arts is based on the understanding that instruction often see their hard work children exposed to educational cur- validated when report cards come out. ricula beyond the basic school sys- Corina Switzer, an eighth-grader at tem offerings will Roskruge, said she works extra hard achieve higher in her classes to be able to sing with A+ for Early Ed scores on exams the mariachi class. her grades in alge- 3 WAyS eArly MuSic eDucATion and have a greater bra and language arts aren’t what they builDS brAin funcTion chance of achiev- should be. But her friends offer to Music training enhances ing excellence help her with tutoring just to keep her phonological awareness. beyond their pub- on stage. Schools struggling Practice leads to increased lic school careers. “If they took mariachi away from financially and search- attention and focus. “for children me, I wouldn’t be able to concen- ing for more funds living in poverty, trate on anything else,” she said. With and grants and trying Learning music they don’t have the Tucson International Mariachi to achieve Adequate increases working and the exposure to Conference only a week away, she said long-term memory. Yearly Progress— things that every- she’d give up her lunch and free time which is mostly based day society takes to make sure she got the C’s she needs. on reading and math for granted, like “I can’t imagine what these kids scores—may not realize they are doing art,” Good said. “We want to expand would do without the program—this a disservice to their students by focusing their world in huge ways through the class is like their break from core aca- on a few subjects and not keeping their arts. Art is one of those areas that demics,” said Rudy Valenzuela, the curricula well-rounded. everyone has an opinion about and can mariachi teacher. “But what I seem one program in particular, Beyond appreciate. When we bring art into the to notice is that at most of the honor Basics, has entered the schools to give school it adds vibrance and creativity. awards announcements, most of the them the arts classes and tutoring stu- When the students create art, they are kids in my classes are the ones up there dents need to succeed. being celebrated in that space. It breaks getting a certificate.”

Find out more about promoting arts education in public schools at tolerance.org/we-heart-arts. fAll 2011 31 32 TeAcHing TolerA nce T he u N affiliaT ed

uNiTesecular students are forming clubs for mutual support—they’ ll need teacher-allies. By victoria Lim illustration by nina Frenkel

neil Carter of Ridgeland, Miss., is Based on the isolation he’s felt, Carter But last spring, he began to tell a about to take a leap of faith—based on believes some of the 900 kids at Ridgeland few people. Then a couple of weeks his lack of faith. high may be like-minded—perhaps not before graduating in May, he sent an In a state where 91 percent of res- atheists, but not Christians either. email to the superintendent remind- idents say they believe in God “with “I can’t even have a conversation ing him that a planned public prayer absolute certainty,” according to the with my family and friends without at the ceremony was against state and Pew Research Center, Carter began feeling alienated,” Carter said. “They’re federal law. “coming out” recently to friends as an not being mean to me, they just don’t “no one else wanted to stand up atheist. The 41-year-old special educa- get my perspective. I know these kids for their constitutional right of having tion teacher is also exploring interest in have the same problem.” freedom of and from religion,” Damon sponsoring a Secular Student Alliance one state away, in Bastrop, La., wrote at the time. “I was also hoping to at Ridgeland high School. Damon fowler found out what it’s like to encourage other atheists to come out “This is way beyond the bounds of be one of those kids. his troubles started and be heard. I’m one of maybe three what’s acceptable around here, ” said two years ago when he realized he was atheists in [Bastrop] that I currently Carter, who’s a former Christian with an atheist. Damon hid it well, continuing know of. one of the others is afraid to a seminary degree. to attend church with his family. come out of the atheist closet.”

fAll 2011 33 Classmates shunned and threatened groups. That number is now 262. In the Tips on forming Damon. A teacher badmouthed him in 2010-2011 school year alone, 12 high a Secular Student the local newspaper, saying “What’s school groups joined as affiliates as of even more sad is this is a student who January 2011. By June, the number had Alliance really hasn’t contributed anything to doubled to 25. lead by example graduation or to their classmates.” At More groups might have been cre- you must be resolute if you the graduation ceremony, there were ated. But the formation of secular stu- plan to create an ssa, says boos when Damon’s name was called— dent organizations has been met with Mike Creamer, the advisor in and a prayer. resistance across the country: Panama City, fla. “if you’re k eighteen-year-old Brian Liscoe not willing to stand up in The ultimate Outsiders was denied the opportunity to form a front of a group of kids when In many ways, people like neil Carter “nontheists” group at his high school asked ‘are you atheist or do and Damon fowler are considered the near houston. School administrators you believe in God?’ you are ultimate outsiders in American life. finally granted him permission after not ready to do it. you must be declarative—clear.” According to a 2006 public opinion sur- USAToday picked up the story and vey by the university of Minnesota, athe- questioned them. details, details, details k ists are more disliked and mistrusted Karol Zawadzki’s high school in Cross your t’s, dot your i’s. than immigrants, gays and lesbians, Chicago would not allow him to use the follow policy guidelines conservative Christians, Jews to the letter. “People who or Muslims. aren’t happy about it will even so, the fear of being look for any reason, legiti- identified as an unbeliever is mate or not, to terminate it,” gradually easing. More and Creamer said. more young people are identifying themselves as atheists, dispel misconceptions agnostics, humanists, free- educate folks that an ssa is thinkers and other types of not a hate group. it’s a group for students who identify non-theists, says Jesse Galef of themselves as non-religious. the Secular Student Alliance. “we’re not here to hate oth- The Columbus, ohio-based ers, but to form a community group provides support ser- and discuss our values,” said vices for unbelieving students Jesse Galef of the ssa. and their groups. “More people are talking Be friendly about what it means to be non- work with the school in remind- religious,” Galef said. “There’s ing people that public prayer or still bullying, but it’s enormously better word “atheist” on school posters pro- the blocking of the formation of than 10 years ago.” moting the Atheist Club at a school fair. an ssa is illegal. Don’t go look- Indeed, recent surveys have found k Duncan henderson, 15, tried to set ing for a fight. Bring in educational materials for the princi- that younger Americans are the least up an SSA at his junior high school in pal and administration. Discuss. likely to be religious. According to the Auburn, Ala. The school administra- Talk. But be persistent. 2008 American Religious Identification tion blocked him and appeared to be Survey, 29 percent of 18-29 year olds prepared for a court fight. however, the seek support are religiously unaffiliated, compared principal left and Duncan moved up to The secular student alliance with 15 percent of the population as Auburn high School. There, he’s been can provide a “group starting a whole. And a 2006 Pew Research assured that an SSA can be formed. packet.” Tap into social media poll found that 1 in 5 young people said Yet administrators who try to block for help and to find other like- they have no religious affiliation, nearly the creation of secular groups usu- minded people. Contact ssas double the proportion of the late 1980s. ally run afoul of the u.S. equal Access at other schools to share This transition has made groups like Act. That 1984 law says any school ideas or seek advice on how the SSA possible. Two years ago, the that gets federal support and already to handle adversity. organization had 143 student-affiliated has one student-formed club cannot secularstudents.org

34 TeAcHing TolerA nce π facT π “even if other people aren’t atheists themselves, they can support athe- Secular students clubs are, like gSAs, ist clubs,” Galef said. “They can fight the bullying of non-religious students. protected by the equal Access Act of 1984. [They can frame] it in a way that it can make a big difference instead of an ‘us forbid the creation of others. The law his class once they find out he’s an athe- versus them’ mentality.” was originally championed by conser- ist, he said. As for newly graduated Damon vative Christians as a way to promote “other than finding it interesting fowler, coping with the “us versus religious groups on campus. and disappointing, they’re not willing them” mentality is his reality now. he “our group doesn’t want anything to give me a chance,” he said. had to move in with his sister in Texas different than any Christian group at our Teachers wanting to take the first after his parents threw him out of the school has,” said Duncan henderson in step towards forming a secular student house. And yet as news of his situation a recent interview with nick news. “So club must lead by example. Creamer spread, the atheist community across why can’t I have this group?” believes that is the most effective way the world rallied, and formed a schol- to gain respect from students as well as arship fund for him. why a Group for atheists? fellow educators. “I don’t feel so alone anymore because unbelievers are frequently asked why “You’ve got to be able to stand up at I know there are a lot more people out they need school support groups. After the faculty meeting and say, ‘hey lis- there like me,” Damon said. “People from all, isn’t the only thing they share a lack ten, my Secular Student Alliance did all over the world have been contacting of belief in something? this’ knowing 95 percent of people in me saying they support me. And it wasn’t But mutual support is a big reason that room don’t want to hear about it,” just atheists. Jews, Christians—people.” for forming an SSA. Many—probably Creamer said. “If you’re not willing to Damon will attend community col- most—young unbelievers face hostility do that, I don’t think it’s going to go.” lege in the fall. he said despite what he’s from people at school and even family Creamer said many people believe been through, he encourages anyone members. for instance, the parents of the SSA’s main function is to “bash who feels the same way to speak out. Damon fowler, the boy from Bastrop, God.” That’s not true, and that’s also not “one person can actually make a La., cut him off financially and threw the purpose of a local SSA. he said club difference if you actually try, no mat- him out of the house after he came members participate in activities—like ter what the consequences,” he said. “I out as an atheist. his belongings were a recent frisbee tournament to raise feel like, ‘You did make a difference. It tossed onto the front porch. money for a local homeless shelter— was worth it.’” In Panama City, fla., AP english and spend time discussing rationalism, Back in Mississippi, neil Carter took teacher Mike Creamer saw the need skepticism, politics and legislation. the leap. for an SSA at Rutherford high School Jesse Galef of the national SSA said he met with the school’s Speech and after several students approached him emphasizing equal opportunities and Debate Club to gauge student interest. to talk about their religious beliefs—or dispelling fear can go a long way. It After initial hesitation, he said students lack thereof. Creamer is a life-long, open might not lead to total acceptance, but became excited about the idea—so much atheist. he launched the club in 2010. it can create a degree of understanding. so that some wanted to pass around a At the first meeting, 30 students sign-up sheet immediately. showed up. But Carter implored them “A lot of kids are atheist or profile to hold off. he said his next agnostic and don’t even want Unaffiliated Millennials step is to approach the prin- their parents to know,” Creamer BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF uNAFFILIATED cipal for the green light. Then said. “I wasn’t surprised that we 18-29 YEAR-OLDS MIGHT SHED LIGHT ON TEENS. he’ll start the process this fall as had them—just [surprised] how 18% pray every day school begins. many actually showed up.” (compared to 58% of total population) “A huge part of education is Creamer said his adminis- 21% mediate weekly (39%) teaching how to think of oppo- tration didn’t block the forma- 12% say religion is very important (56%) site viewpoints from your own,” 34% are certain god exists (71%) tion of the club, but some fellow 54% believe in life after death (74%) he said, “getting past your own teachers have made their dis- 67% believe there is absolute right and wrong (77%) biases. I’m ready to do this. pleasure known. At least one or Ready to go and find out if it’s as two students a year drop out of good of an idea as I think it is.”

Find out more about unbelieving students and teaching religious topics in school at tolerance.org/unaffiliated-unite. fAll 2011 35 Game

36 TeAcHing TolerA nce New concepts of PE and sports programs are making it more fun for everyone to play.

GameBy sean mccollum illustration by joe mckendry Changers

“You might as well give me an ‘F’ now—get it out of the way. Then I’ll just go sit in the corner.” Doris Dorr could hear the despondent defiance in Tim’s voice on the first day of physical education. The 10th-grader was “chubby,” not into sports and resigned to the humiliation he was sure awaited him in the locker room and gym. Dorr, a veteran physical education teacher at Toppenish High School in Washington state, recognized his fears. But she asked her new student for a deal: Dress for every class and trust her to be a good teacher. “You can do this,” she told him. “Keep trying.” Dorr taught Tim’s class five days a week, including 20 minutes in the classroom teaching about the connections between health, fitness and diet. Tim dressed every day and joined his classmates in compiling their personal fitness data. He took part in class: aerobic exercise, strength building, skill development and playing cooperative instead of competitive games.

fall 2011 37 Tim measured his progress using out balls of one shape or another, “Physical education charts, graphs and a journal. he also then walks off to strategize for friday class might be the noticed how supportive his teacher night’s game. and classmates were of him and each even when real-world Pe classes only activity some other. Kids would finish their laps, do not sink to that level, they can be then circle back and walk alongside intimidating places. As Dorr’s dis- students get all day. him. They cheered when a classmate couraged student demonstrated, it’s a huge loss if they graduated from one push-up to five. many students feel that flunking such “There’s only one way kids can get a class carries less pain and shame do not develop the in serious trouble in my class,” Dorr than physical failure and taunting. says. “only if they’re unkind.” The These unfortunate traditions knowledge, skills sophomore shed 45 pounds during may take a while to disappear from and attitudes that the semester. schools. But there is an up-and- “one day, I heard screaming from coming generation of teachers and can inspire them the other side of the gym,” Dorr coaches like Dorr who are dedicated recalls. “And there’s Tim with his to inclusive practices. They are pas- to be physically arms above his head. he was shouting sionate about helping all kids dis- and the other kids were clapping and cover the physical, social and emo- active throughout cheering. he had just taken his body tional benefits—as well as pleasures— their lives.” weight and fat index and had reached of physical activity. his personal goal.” The benefits are too great to for- But he wasn’t done yet. feit, says Lynn Couturier. She is chair of the physical education depart- Clichés of the locker room ment at the State university of new Movies and TV shows often play up York, Cortland, and past president the harsh stereotypes of gym classes of the national Association of Sport and school sports ruled by the law of and Physical education (nASPe). the jungle, often for laughs. These cli- “Physical education class might be chés, sometimes deserved, portray a the only activity some students get all realm where jocks dominate and the day,” Couturier says. “It’s a huge loss timid or hopeless or bespectacled if they do not develop the knowledge, cower as far from the action as possi- skills and attitudes that can inspire ble. The Pe teacher, often a be-whis- them to be physically active through- tled person called “Coach,” tosses out their lives.”

communicate Personalize the research creative ways The Values of clearly and firmly that curriculum as to accommodate encouragement and much as possible. special needs and respect will be the students should be physically less- Inclusive PE fundamental value in developing their own capable students. A survey of inclusive physical education programs Pe classes, then model fitness and skills, not help all students reveals a culture of respect and community values. that support for less- competing against recognize that “It’s not just about fitness,” says veteran PE teacher capable students. a others. Competition, physical education Doris Dorr. “Our program is ingrained with charac- simple fist bump or for the most part, is about health, ter education.” Here are some ways to make a PE pat on the shoulder should be reserved for fitness and having class more welcoming for all kids: can go a long way in sports programs. fun, not necessarily helping a struggling doing everything by student relax, feel safe the rules. and have fun.

38 TeAcHing TolerA nce Benefits vs. Budgets BanninG BullyinG The losses go beyond matters of fair- ness and personal development. They reducing harassment in the locker room, gymnasium and on the playing field is also vital for creating a positive Pe experience. Standards of behavior need to have a direct bearing on the nation’s be communicated early and often, and bullying and slurs need to be confronted physical and fiscal health. Diets fea- immediately and firmly, says Pat griffin. griffin, a former player and coach, is now turing fast food and sugary soft drinks head of the changing the game project, along with declining physical activ- sponsored by the gay, lesbian and Straight “nothing can turn a ity have contributed to a tripling of education network (glSen). childhood obesity rates in the united “nothing can turn a kid off faster to kid off faster to sports States in the last 30 years, accord- sports and Pe than bullying and name call- and PE than bullying ing,” griffin says, noting that many lgbT ing to the u.S. Centers for Disease teens—and those perceived as lgbT— and name calling.” Control. Today, nearly a third of cite the locker room as a place of sheer ter- American kids qualify as overweight ror. “Teachers need to be vigilant, not dis- or obese. Poor eating habits and sed- appear into their office when class or practice is over. coaches also need to mon- entary childhoods have also contrib- itor their own behavior and language. They can be such important, powerful role uted to more kids with asthma, heart models in schools. And what they say and do is more powerful than any Safe problems and type 2 juvenile diabetes. zone sticker.” in some instances, students are taking the lead in educating their elders. craig Some policymakers are look- cassey, Jr., 18, is an out gay middle-distance runner from Media, Pa. At one high ing to schools in general, and phys- school track meet, he heard a coach he liked and respected make an anti-gay com- ical education in particular, to ment. “He was trying to pump up a teammate,” cassey says. reverse this national trend. first cassey had the courage to contact the coach afterward. “He felt awful, imme- Lady Michelle obama has champi- diately apologized and promised to never do that again,” cassey says. “it was a oned the “Let’s Move” initiative to relief for me because he’s a fantastic coach. i wouldn’t love track this much or have raise awareness of childhood obesity medals from the state meet without him and what he taught me.” while educating kids and communities about the advantages of healthier food and regular exercise. “Let’s professional development. to confirm the obvious: Kids who regu- Move In School” (which is unre- even more than emphasizing the larly run, play and sweat demonstrate lated to Let’s Move) is sponsored by negative consequences of obesity, fewer behavioral problems, greater the American Alliance for health, advocates of Pe and sports programs concentration and improved perfor- Physical education, Recreation, and seek to play up positive links between mances on standardized tests. Dance. The program promotes phys- regular physical activity and overall however, in many districts such ical activity throughout the school well-being. Couturier and others cite a long-term benefits are being undercut day by means of education, grants and growing library of research that seems by short-term budget realities at the

emphasize effort incorporate whenever appropri- refrain from using all teachers should and personal cooperative games in ate, link the Pe curric- push-ups, laps or other examine their own progress more than lieu of competition. for ulum to other school physical activity as attitudes regarding performance. One example, all students subjects. Creating a punishment. This size, race, religion, student may not be can contribute to a hybrid project with practice sends the gender, sexuality, as fast as another, “walk across america” math, social stud- wrong message. fitness and ability. but a target heart- challenge in which they ies and reading teach- They should strive rate monitor may count up miles walked ers helps students and not to let their own reveal he or she is and run in a virtual colleagues value what biases intrude on exerting more effort cross-country journey. you do in Pe, and show instruction or how and is making greater you value what they do, they relate to students. individual progress. as well.

fAll 2011 39 federal, state and local levels. Data on Gov. Rick Scott seeks to cut $2 billion cross-country and other team sports the national picture is hard to come from the state’s education budget. in high schools. by. But anecdotes about the impact And last year in Toledo, ohio, a $39 The federal no Child Left Behind of cuts abound. A florida law man- million shortfall meant the disman- law has prompted statehouses and dating one semester of middle school tling of all middle school and ninth- school boards to emphasize the test- Pe each year is at risk of defunding as grade sports, as well as wrestling, ing of core academics. So lawmakers across the country see cuts to physical education, sports and arts programs as changes that will trigger the least fuss. Dealing with Size Bias ... however, while wealthier communi- in physical education, working with overweight children and teens can be a balanc- ties will almost certainly fill the resulting act. educators want to demonstrate support and acceptance for them exactly ing voids through private means, that as they are, while at the same time offering resources and knowledge to help is less likely in communities with fewer them—and all students—live healthier lives. A consistent focus on individual progress and development can be key. lesson resources. plans that avoid explicit student-to-student comparisons of fitness and abil- Couturier says this trend is sadly ities can help overweight students feel safe enough to give their best efforts. shortsighted. “I understand that emphasizing improvements in what they can do and not what they look like or how schools have to prepare children to much they weigh is essential. become useful citizens,” she says. “But in health class, teachers can guide all students in examining the connections in the long run, there are few things between diet and fitness, why people eat what they eat and ways to eat health- more important than preparing our ier. lessons can also explore how advertising and popular media twists people’s perception of body image and how opinions of the “ideal body” have changed children to lead healthy lifestyles.” throughout history. Schools also need to make it easy for children to eat healthy foods. And they upgrading Pe advocacy can create opportunities for kids to integrate nutrition and wellness into their daily nASPe and other advocacy groups lives. likewise, it’s important for teachers and parents to model healthy behaviors recognize their programs are under to children. The most important thing is to show the importance of achieving opti- the gun. In response, they are urging mal health—not focusing on appearance or thinness. members to advocate for their curriculum by reaching out to every con- ... And Students with Special Needs stituency—students, parents, fellow teachers, principals, school board Special needs kids are one group that has sometimes been underserved by phys- members and lawmakers. nASPe has ical education classes. but in many districts, resourceful teachers are working to assembled an “Advocacy Toolkit” on change that. Sheryl Hall teaches Pe in the Springfield Public Schools in Massachusetts. She their website with resources to help works with pre-K to 1 children, including a class of students who are autistic that members communicate the story of she sees for 40 minutes every school day. why “quality physical education” mat- Through experience and self-education, Hall has struck on a formula to reach ters. They also encourage Pe teachers children who are often viewed as the most difficult to reach: “routine, routine, and coaches to apply for grants and routine,” she says. “We start every class with a song, then some exercise, then forge community partnerships that another song. Then we walk or jog around the gym.” She signals students using can raise the profile and viability of handheld signs that indicate “stop,” “throw” and other instructions, an idea she gleaned from an expert on autism. their programs. Hall also adapts skills exercises to help students experience success. To prac- Doris Dorr sets out to prove the tice striking skills, kids will hit a ball off a tee then run the bases without the pres- worth of what she does, kid by kid. sure of making an out. Students also kick a ball attached to a handheld band so the her classes are highly personalized, ball will not skitter away. “My goal is to create such a fun activity that they’ll want with students setting personal goals to continue,” Hall says. and assessing their own efforts and in another class, Hall helped a student who is blind cross a low climbing wall by progress using target heart-rate mon- guiding her hand and foot placement. After repeated practice, the girl completed it solo. Hall then offered the class’s sighted kids the chance to wear a blindfold and itors and other tools. do the same. They left the climbing wall with a new appreciation for their “special She also runs an after-school needs” classmate. weight-loss program at Toppenish high, a school where 89 percent of

40 TeAcHing TolerA nce Find more activities and discussion questions at tolerance.org/game-changer. Airing Out the students live below the poverty line. trying to disabuse new teacher candi- The young women, many who have dates of this old model. “We put them ‘Last Closet’ endured neglect and abuse, often into school early on to expose them join weighing more than 300 pounds, to the student population they will Many in the lgbT community love Dorr says. But together with friends be working with, a minority of whom sports. Sports, though, have rarely returned the affection. basketball and classmates, they shed 70 pounds will have the same passion about star Kobe bryant highlighted the on average while gaining self-confi- sports as the teacher,” Couturier says. problem when he made an anti- dence. nASPe recently recognized “We want [our teacher candidates] gay slur in a televised game last her above-and-beyond efforts with its to practice adapting curricula so it April. in sports culture, few lgbT “unsung hero for Youth Award.” includes and motivates as many kids athletes have felt secure enough “You make your program so good, as possible.” to be honest about matters of sex- and the kids love it so much, peo- Proponents of inclusive Pe, uality. Professional athletes who eventually do open up usually wait ple will throw a fit if they try to elimi- including Dorr and Couturier, until retirement. There is a rea- nate it,” Dorr says, noting the support remain big fans of sports and compe- son sports have been called the she gets from her colleagues, princi- tition. Most recognize their impor- “last closet.” pal and district. “We have set up a cur- tance as a means for young athletes That may change quite quickly riculum that will benefit the kids, not to practice discipline, hone physi- as a new generation of young ath- just do what is easy. cal skills and teamwork and strive letes—gay and straight—take the court and field. it is a generation that is rapidly embrac- ing the idea that ability, attitude and team chemistry trump sexuality and other issues of identity. “you make your program so good, and the “There’s no question that young people are leading the way,” says kids love it so much, people will throw a fit if Pat griffin, head of the glSen’s changing the game initiative. they try to eliminate it.” changing the game seeks to con- front homophobia and trans- phobia through education, training, social media and support for young lgbT athletes. “And we need to stop hiring for excellence, among other posi- A new breed of coach is also coaches to teach physical education,” tive outcomes. But they see the mis- confronting homophobia in sports. she insists. “We need teachers who sion and goals of athletics as distinct for years, Dan Woog, an out gay soccer coach, has led the top-tier look at their kids, and know they’re from those of inclusive physical edu- soccer program at Staples High responsible for the well-being of all cation, where knowledge, effort and School in connecticut. “i think those kids.” development should take priority as more players grow up know- over performance. ing gay people and knowing they The Case for inclusive Pe Pe programs that value inclusive- have gay teammates, as they move Couturier, a teacher of Pe teachers, ness and refuse to give up on stu- into positions of authority we will agrees that contemporary Pe curri- dents also cannot help but improve a see anti-gay attitudes die out,” Woog predicts. cula need to emphasize health and fit- school’s climate. exhibit A is Dorr’s Woog serves as an advisor to ness over competitive sports. one of reluctant sophomore, Tim. The glSen’s Team respect challenge. the difficulties, she says, is that those semester after meeting his personal As part of the challenge, high who pursue physical education as a goals, Tim signed up for an elective school athletes sign a pledge to career often have a background of Pe class to continue exercising. one refrain from insulting speech, success in athletics. They don’t neces- day, Dorr noticed he had wandered including anti-lgbT insults. “it sarily identify with challenges experi- over from that other class and joined offers a plan of action for teams and athletes who want to do the enced by less-skilled and less-fit kids. her students. right thing, but might not know the An increasing number of degree he was walking laps alongside the right thing to do,” Woog says. programs in physical education are next “chubby kid.”

fAll 2011 41 in 1991, when morris dees, a co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, decided to start the Teaching Tolerance program, he hoped to make young people more appreciative of diversity and less vulnerable to hate groups eager to recruit a following. The program he created would pioneer anti-bias education and bring free multicultural content directly to educators. TWo decades of TeaChinG TOleranCe

reSeArcH by Jill e. THoMAS

A lot has changed in 20 years. School reform has advanced at warp speed, immigration has increased, and American society has moved toward greater turning points acceptance of gay men and lesbians. There has also been greater appreciation of from the last 20 years ethnic and racial diversity, and a black president was elected for the first time. As these turning points show, however, progress has been met with new challenges. While LGBT youth have far more support in schools, in the form of Gay-Straight Alliances and stronger laws, they still suffer high levels of bullying and harassment. The election of an African-American president has not slowed the resegregation of schools, nor has it addressed the stubborn achievement gap 1991 for students of color. Students with disabilities have gained better educational charter schools get a boost when Minnesota services, but too often they must go to court to gain access. becomes the first state to authorize them. Today, The last 20 years have raised awareness about the benefits of diversity, and more than 1.7 million students are enrolled in it’s clear that anti-bias efforts are important to educators. We’re proud some 5,400 charter schools in 40 states and of the role Teaching Tolerance has played. But much more must be the District of columbia. Despite being lauded as laboratories of innovation, charters have not done before we can say we’ve accomplished our mission: to promote had a significant impact on student achievement, respect for differences and an appreciation of diversity in the classroom according to several major studies. and beyond.

internet access in schools

rodney king 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 42 TeAcHing TolerA nce equityequity in Athletic Disclosure Act equityequity in Athletic Disclosure Act TeaChinG TOleranCe 20th anniversary

Spring 2004 Fall 2004 Spring 2005 Fall 2005 Spring 2006 TWo decades of TeaChinG TOleranCe

Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Fall 2007 Spring 2008 Fall 2008

Spring 2009 Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 2011

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

two decades of T e ACHIn G T oleRAn C e

1997 fAll 2011 45 coNversaTioN

ARIZONA STATE uNIVERSITY PROFESSOR neal A. lester HAS TWICE TAuGHT COuRSES ON THE N-WORD—AND FOuND THERE’S PLENTY TO TALK ABOuT.

Straight Talk About the

46 TeAcHing TolerA nce THE N-WORD IS UNIQUE IN THE ENGLISH whites cannot. There’s a double standard about a lot of stuff. There are cer- LANGUAGE. ON ONE HAND, IT IS THE ULTIMATE tain things that I would never say. In my INSULT— A WORD THAT HAS TORMENTED relationship with my wife, who is not African American, I would never imag- GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. ine her using that word, no matter how angry she was with me. … Yet over time, it has become a popu- attached to it. … We know that as early That’s what I’m asking people to lar term of endearment by the descen- as the 17th century, “negro” evolved do—to self-reflect critically on how dents of the very people who once had to “nigger” as intentionally deroga- we all use language and the extent to to endure it. Among many young people tory, and it has never been able to shed which language is a reflection of our today—black and white—the n-word that baggage since then—even when innermost thoughts. Most people don’t can mean friend. black people talk about appropriat- bother to go to that level of self-reflec- Neal A. Lester, dean of humanities ing and reappropriating it. The poison tion and self-critique. Ultimately, that’s and former chair of the English depart- is still there. The word is inextricably what the class is about. It’s about self- ment at Arizona State University, rec- linked with violence and brutality on education and self-critique, not trying ognized that the complexity of the black psyches and derogatory asper- to control others by telling them what n-word’s evolution demanded greater sions cast on black bodies. No degree to say or how to think, but rather try- critical attention. In 2008, he taught the of appropriating can rid it of that blood- ing to figure out how we think and how first ever college-level class designed to soaked history. the words we use mirror our think- explore the word “nigger” (which will be ing. The class sessions often become referred to as the n-word). Lester said Why is the n-word so popular with confessionals because white students the subject fascinated him precisely many young black kids today? often admit details about their intimate because he didn’t understand its lay- If you could keep the word within the social circles I would never be privy to ered complexities. context of the intimate environment otherwise. “When I first started talking about [among friends], then I can see that the idea of the course,” Lester recalled, you could potentially own the word and What types of things do they confess? “I had people saying, ‘This is really control it. But you can’t because the In their circles of white friends, some exciting, but what would you do in the word takes on a life of its own if it’s not are so comfortable with the n-word course? How can you have a course in that environment. People like to talk because they’ve grown up on and been about a word?’ It was clear to me that about it in terms of public and private nourished by hip-hop. Much of the the course, both in its conception and uses. Jesse Jackson was one of those commercial hip-hop culture by black in how it unfolded, was much bigger who called for a moratorium on using males uses the n-word as a staple. than a word. It starts with a word, but the word, but then was caught using the White youths, statistically the largest it becomes about other ideas and real- word with a live mic during a “private” consumers of hip-hop, then feel that ities that go beyond words.” whispered conversation. they can use the word among them- Lester took a few minutes to talk There’s no way to know all of its selves with black and white peers. … to Teaching Tolerance managing edi- nuances because it’s such a compli- But then I hear in that same discus- tor Sean Price about what he’s learned cated word, a word with a particular sion that many of the black youths are and how that can help other educators. racialized American history. But one indeed offended by [whites using the way of getting at it is to have some crit- n-word]. And if blacks and whites are How did the n-word become ical and historical discussions about it together and a white person uses the such a scathing insult? and not pretend that it doesn’t exist. We word, many blacks are ready to fight. So We know, at least in the history I’ve also cannot pretend that there is not a this word comes laden with these com- looked at, that the word started off as double standard—that blacks can say it plicated and contradictory emotional just a descriptor, “negro,” with no value without much social consequence but responses to it. It’s very confusing to

photographs by jason millstein fall 2011 47 folks on the “outside,” par- There’s no way to know all of its nuances Huckleberry Finn]. Any con- ticularly when nobody has because it’s such a complicated word, a word versation about the n-word really talked about the his- has to be about language and tory of the word in terms of with a particular racialized American history. thinking more broadly. American history, language, But one way of getting at it is to have some performance and identity. critical and historical discussions about it and what should teachers keep not pretend that it doesn’t exist. in mind as they teach about most public school teach- the n-word? ers are white women. Remember the case of the how might they hold white teacher who told the class discussions about black student to sit down this word? do you think and said, “Sit down, nigga.” it would help them to lay And then the teacher is some groundwork? chastised by the administra- You might want to get some- tion and of course there is body from the outside who is social disruption. he said, “I African American to be a cen- didn’t say ‘Sit down, nigger,’ tral part of any discussion— I said ‘Sit down, nigga,’ and an administrator, a parent, that’s what I hear the stu- a pastor or other profes- dents saying.” I’m thinking, sional with some credibility first, you are an adult, white and authority. every white teacher. Secondly, do you teacher out there needs to imitate everything that you know some black people. see and hear others doing or Black people can rarely say saying? At some level, there they know no white people; it’s a near Luther King Jr. Look at some of the plac- has to be some self-critique and criti- social impossibility. The nAACP would ards [held by white people at 1960s civil cal awareness and sensitivity to differ- be a good place to start, but I do not sug- rights] protests and see if some of them ence. Just because someone else is doing gest running to the nAACP as a single have been airbrushed or the messages it doesn’t mean that I do it even if and “authority.” Surely there are black par- sanitized. Talk about language, about when I surely can. ents of school children or black neigh- words and emotion, about words and In my courses, I’m more interested bors a few streets over or black people pain. Consider the role of words in the in raising questions than in finding at neighboring churches. The teacher brutal attacks on black people during answers to them. I think the questions might begin by admitting, “This is what slavery, during Jim Crow, during the civil lead to potential self-discovery. It’s not I want to do, how would you approach rights movement. Consider how words about whether or not a person uses the this? or, how do we approach it as a were part of the attacks on black people. n-word. I try to move the class beyond team? how can we build a team of col- Depending on how old the students easy binaries—“Well, blacks can use it, laboration so that we all accept the are, a teacher might talk about the vio- but whites can’t.” That line of thinking responsibility of educating ourselves lence that involved lynching and cas- doesn’t take us very far at all. What we and our youths about the power of tration, and how the n-word was part are trying to do, at least the way I have words to heal or to harm?” This effort of the everyday discourse around race conceptualized and practiced this dis- then becomes something shared as relations at the time. Then bring in some covery, is so much more. The class opposed to something that one person hip-hop, depending again on the age. If strives to teach us all manner of ways allegedly owns. these are middle school students or high to talk about, think about and to under- school students, a teacher can talk spe- stand ourselves, and each other, and why how might a k-12 teacher go about cifically about hip-hop and how often the and how we fit in the rest of the world. teaching the n-word? n-word is used and in a specific context. At the elementary level, I can imagine … There are many ways that a teacher get teaching tips bringing in children’s picture books to can talk about the n-word without nec- and resources about use in conjunction with a segment on essarily focusing on just one aspect—like discussing the n-word at the civil rights movement, because stu- whether or not huck should have used tolerance.org/n-word-straight-talk. dents talk about the Rev. Dr. Martin the n-word when he references Jim [in

48 TeAcHing TolerA nce INTERVIEW CONDuCTED BY sean price mix it up 2011 Taking

2011 it to the Next level Celebrate Mix It Up’s 10th anniversary this fall by making your school’s big event better than ever.

by SeAn MccolluM AnD cArA rene Last fall, the opening notes of the song Jai Ho—“Be Victorious”—from the filmSlumdog Millionaire erupted at oklahoma’s Broken Arrow high School as students crossed the grassy quad between classes. In less than a minute, some 200 students of every class, size, race, sport and club had joined the ranks and were rocking the choreography. Schoolmates and teachers gathered to watch—laughing, whoop- ing and joining local media in recording the surprise performance on their cell phones. Within two minutes, the “flash mob” had dispersed. But its purpose still echoed off the walls: Get ready for Mix It up at Lunch Day! Thousands of schools have tried the Mix It up at Lunch Day program since it started in 2002. Teaching Tolerance continues to get glowing reviews from around the country. “It’s the best day all year,” we were told by high school students in Plainview, n.Y. But teachers and administrators are also understandably eager to make their Mix Day better—to reach more students. how can you take your october 18 is national Mix it Up Day! fAll 2011 49 group Work STuDENT-ORGANIZED FLASH MOBS CAN PROMOTE MIX BY: school’s Mix It up at Lunch Day to the Performing a dance routine that poster parties, bulletin boards, in- next level? here are 10 proven ways to includes changing partners school TV spots, in-class plugs, lunch- give Mix an extra stir. Singing a song about friendship room flyers, school website announce- Acting out a scenario, such as lots ments, parent newsletters, facebook insPire sTuDenT Buy-in of people shaking hands posts, Tweets and other social media. Students, especially in middle schools Miming introductions and high schools, are encouraged to Doing a cheer especially written PreP sTuDenTs anD TeaChers take leadership roles for planning and for Mix it up effective Mix It up programs let stu- implementing Mix It up programs. Do’s and Don’ts dents and teachers know what to expect With clear adult guidance, they choose and then prepare them for it. In-class Do get student buy-in. the music and prizes, plan the dances Do involve school staff. lessons, activities or theme-related vid- and other get-out-of-the-chair activi- Do think through the seating. eos during the lead-up can help allay ties. They also devise ice breaker ques- Do provide conversation starters. student anxieties about hanging out tions and skits. As much as possible, Do have fun! with classmates from beyond their reg- Don’T try to do it all by yourself. students coordinate with staff, admin- ular circle. Short skits as part of morn- istration and outside groups like media ing announcements or during assem- outlets—a useful Mix It up activity in blies can explain the purpose of Mix itself. established student groups like about the program’s value and to pres- and model positive interactions, per- student councils or diversity clubs ent substantive ways people can offer haps by previewing the quirky ques- usually take the lead, smoothing the input, join in and otherwise support tions of a Mix It up ice breaker. Also, planning process. But they also invite the program. for students, few actions find a creative way to group students student leaders from various cliques better reinforce the Mix It up message during Mix It up. Some schools group or groups at school who can extend than seeing teachers and staff enthusi- students by birth month or the first the reach of Mix. Student Mix It up astically working together. letters in their names. You can make leaders can be rewarded with prizes it even more random by handing out like movie passes and receive school- reaCh BeyOnD The walls playing cards or Starburst candies and wide recognition. Some of the most effective Mix It up having students sit by those who share programs establish links beyond insPire TeaCher anD sTaff the school building. Many Mix It invOlveMenT up Model Schools invite school five ways to Mix up Mix It up programs offer natural oppor- board members, district adminis- tunities for teachers to connect with col- trators, PTA members and news lunchroom seating The basic recipe is simple. Choose a fun thing to leagues. “Mix It up is not only reward- organizations to take part. Most distribute randomly to students as they enter the ing to the students, but to the staff as local media outlets are thrilled to cafeteria or leave the lunch line. Direct students to well,” says Shondra Jackson, a teacher promote positive stories about find the table that matches their object and take a from Austin Middle School in Galveston, young people. Involvement from seat. The variations are endless. here are five: Texas. “There is something incredibly the wider community also sends 1. label tables with the names of the 12 months refreshing about seeing 100 kids danc- the message to students that and have students sit with others who share their ing together to the Cupid Shuffle and mixing it up matters. birthday month. the Cha Cha Slide. Also, to witness … our 2. label tables with letters of the alphabet and beloved cafeteria worker Ms. Tammy BuilD The Buzz have students sit with others whose first name dancing with our students in the circle, Like any good ad campaign, starts with the same letter. to me is what mixing it up is all about.” the lead-up to Mix It up pro- 3. Distribute playing cards and have students sit effective organizers might invite sev- grams builds buzz as the event with those who have the same card. eral colleagues from different grades, approaches. Many Mix It up at 4. Colors! strips of paper, round stickers, paint departments and school services to Lunch events emphasize a uni- chip samples can all be used to send students to lunch—say two teachers, an adminis- fying theme. School-wide inter- the matching table. trator and someone from the cafeteria. est grows thanks to an acceler- 5. for younger children, decorate tables with Then they can explain Mix It up and ask ating calendar of fast promo- geometric or animal shapes and stamp students’ their colleagues to join them. As the Mix tions that use several different hands with shapes to match. day approaches, organizers send staff- media. These can include morn- For more ideas about mixing up your lunchroom, wide email blasts to remind colleagues ing announcements, flash mobs, go to mixitup.org.

50 TeAcHing TolerA nce ILLuSTRATION BY valerie downes π do N o W π the same color. Keep it fun—get them hooked on the event. Visit mixitup.org and register your school on the Mix it up map! Make iT a BiG Deal experienced Mix It up schools present Mix It up at Lunch Day as a major more frequently the program is prac- Bottom line? Mix It up at Lunch Day change of pace from the same-old, same- ticed, the easier it becomes to plan works best when organizers (1) build a old. They may rearrange tables, trans- and execute. motivated team from across the school’s form the cafeteria with decorations, students, teachers, staff and administra- pipe in music and get a conga line going, fOllOw uP anD ChanGe iT uP tors; (2) plan ahead to publicize the event invite a speaker with a gift for talking to Schools that have had the most success and build enthusiasm; (3) evaluate and young people or have a school film crew with Mix It up follow up with other learn from experience—including the capture the activities for an in-school events that reinforce the Mix message. experiences of other schools; and (4) add documentary. An inspired event that Wheeler elementary School in Tucson, events that reinforce Mix It up values. leaves people grinning will have stu- Ariz., has a “Buddies Through the Year” from start to finish, schools that dents and teachers asking for more. initiative that pairs older and younger embrace Mix It up at Lunch keep in students for weekly lunches and play- mind that the motivation for mixing ensure everyOne is in time. Middle and high schools may link it up is serious, but the goal is fun and effective Mix organizers keep an eye the lessons of Mix It up into their no friendship. As a middle school Mix out for kids who are on the fringes— Place for hate school curriculum or take organizer in Zoarville, ohio, told us, “I wanting to participate but unable to part in national no name-Calling Week. know it is a success get in the flow. Student and staff lead- because the kids ers are prepped for this eventuality and evaluaTe ask to have more are ready to step in and facilitate every- Soon after the event, forward-looking Mix It up days all The433 average one’s involvement. Some schools put a organizers solicit input from students, the time.” number of students student or adult facilitator at each table teachers, administrators and other par- per school who to keep the conversation moving. ticipants about what worked and what participated in can be improved the next time around. Mix it up in 2010. rePeaT evaluating the event shortly after Some schools reprise their Mix It up at it takes place can generate new Lunch two or three times a year. In fact, insights and keep the event fresh The75% portion of 2010 some do it as often as once a week. The for everyone. Mix schools where students helped organize the event. Get students Talking (and listening) Don’t count on nervous students to make small talk. instead, have conversation prompts ready. Make sure that students know what’s expected beforehand. if possible, have adults or older students sit with elementary children. student leaders can help encourage discussion among older students. here are five ideas that are easy to The 91%percentage of tailor for your students: schools that reported positive interactions Favorites. students take turns telling what they like by finishing each sentence. My favorite color is, My favorite during Mix 2010. cartoon is, My favorite sport is … Buddies. Pair each student with a buddy. The buddies introduce themselves using prompts such as, what’s your name? where are you from? Do you have a pet? Then each person introduces his or her buddy to the table. About Me. students bring a photograph to school that shows someone or something important to them. students The25% percentage of introduce themselves to the people at their table using their photograph. schools doing Mix for 3 Truths + 1 Lie. each person writes down four facts about him or herself, one of which is not true. Taking turns, the first time in 2010. each person reads the list aloud. The other students write their guesses about which fact is not true. The group talks about their guesses before the student reveals the false fact. Would You Rather? students take turns answering questions about difficult (or silly) choices. would you rather The1/3 portion of be a broom or a vacuum cleaner? would you rather end hunger or hatred? would you rather read a book or lis- schools that sched- ten to music? Bake cookies or make a sand castle? ule Mix it up more For more examples of conversation starters, go to mixitup.org. than once a year.

π Add your school to the Mix It Up Map to let everyone know your students are involved. fAll 2011 51 Against the Current alternative certification gives educators a different route to the classroom. does it make them fish out of water once they get there?

By Lisa Ann Williamson illustration by Eleanor grosch

Abena osei was on track to attend commitment and that fall walked into classroom. These new teachers are the law school after earning her degree her 4th-grade classroom in houston. fruit of alternative teacher certification in political science and psychology “I didn’t have to wait to have enough programs, programs that quickly train from Southern Methodist university. money or build enough contacts and and place thousands of new teachers each The 2001 grad dreamed of a career in influence to make a difference,” osei year, often in under-resourced districts social justice. says of her smooth introduction to a scrambling to fill teaching vacancies. But something happened on the houston classroom. “Before that, I Today, about 1 in 5 newly placed way to her bar exam. osei heard about hadn’t thought about going into educa- teachers have come through one of Teach for America, the alternative tion as a way to impact poverty or dis- these programs. Many bring unique teacher certification program. The parity in the country.” life experiences, passion for their con- more she learned about TfA, the more Schools of education at colleges and tent area and a strong sense of commit- the idea appealed to her. Social justice universities are still the primary source ment to community and young people. was still her mission, but now she con- of new teachers in u.S. schools. for the But their entry into teaching has sidered a different setting to practice latest generation, however, a small but also come with great controversy. those values. She took the leap, took growing stream of people has been tak- Critics contend that idealism can the TfA training, made the two-year ing a different path to the front of the only carry new teachers so far. They

52 TeAcHing TolerA nce π Alternative certification programs often place teachers of more diverse backgrounds into classrooms. fAll 2011 53 raise valid concerns about the incon- “What is most important is that there is a healthy student-teaching sistent practices and standards of the various alternative certification pro- component. Some programs include no student teaching. Those grams. They question the readiness and effectiveness of what they see as teachers with more student teaching have far more durability once raw recruits in a demanding profession, they are in the classroom.” recruits who are walking into some of the most challenging educational set- tings in the country. So is alternative certification good a significant number of teachers in his corporate position moved to Asia, for u.S. schools? Teaching Tolerance schools across the united States and has Moore declined to relocate and instead decided to find out where the debate become integrated into district planning. put his certification to work. over that question stands today. In 1991, for example, north Carolina’s “honestly, I turned to education as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools teamed Band-Aid,” Moore, now 40, admits. “By from stopgap to Pipeline with a brand new Teach for America as the winter break that first year, I knew Alternative teacher certification pro- part of the district’s strategic staffing it was the career for me. The reward grams were established in the early plan. Two decades later, the partner- system is different in teaching. I’m paid 1980s. They emerged as part of emer- ship is still a valuable asset to the dis- every time the light bulb comes on in gency state reforms to attract non- trict, says Ann Clark, the district’s chief a child.” traditional teaching candidates to fill academic officer. In those terms, he has been paid needs in high-poverty, mostly urban “We’ve had some reductions to our well at northwestern Middle School in or rural school districts experienc- budget over the years, but our need Jacksonville, fla. he developed a pro- ing teacher shortages. The intention is constant,” says Clark, echoing the gram for his inner-city male students, was to streamline the coursework and realities of administrators nation- Brothers Accountable Driven and training to get teachers into the class- wide. “We want an effective teacher in Determined (BADD). he took his stu- room sooner. The programs held spe- every classroom. TfA helps us do that dents on college visits and saw grades cial appeal to socially conscious college faster.” for the 2011–2012 school year, increase from D’s to B’s and A’s. Last grads whose majors had been outside Clark anticipates using 300 Teach for year, he was a runner-up for his dis- the education department, as well as America members. trict’s teacher of the year prize. Moore career-changers who felt drawn to the credits part of his success to twice-a- educational mission. Diversity engine? week classroom visits from his men- Currently, about 600 alternative edward Moore is a classic example of tor during his first year. This fall marks certification programs are offered in a career-changer who used alternative his seventh. 48 states plus the District of Columbia. certification to enter the classroom. Moore is one of 377 male teachers of (only Alaska and oregon offer no As a college student, Moore consid- color employed by Duval County Public alternative route to teacher certifica- ered education as a career but was put Schools, according to the district. Most tion.) Programs vary widely in course off by teacher salaries. he detoured to of those 377 are alternatively certified, requirements, mentoring practices, the corporate world, working as a pen- and alternative certification has been professional support and classroom sion specialist. an effective method for attracting more exposure. Some are offered as train- The idea of teaching never left him, diversity into the teaching ranks, nota- ing programs through school districts. though, and he pursued alternative bly more men of color. others operate through colleges and teacher certification through a district- universities, including for-profit insti- sponsored program. While many of his The Critics tutions like university of Phoenix and cohort took two years to complete the Critics of alternative teacher certifi- Rasmussen College. Then there is the program, Moore jumped on the fast cation are measured in their doubts nonprofit Teach for America model. track. he took a year to complete the about the programs. They recognize While alternative certification was classroom observations, required tasks, the utility of bringing in educators by initially conceived as a stopgap to plug coursework and portfolio, then passed multiple means but remain wary of teacher shortages, its scale has changed the florida state certification exam. no too-rosy views of what these teachers with growing demand. Today, it supplies student teaching was required. When can accomplish after limited training.

54 TeAcHing TolerA nce They are especially distrustful of pro- whether a program will produce well- the alternative certification program grams that lack a robust student- prepared teachers. Content knowledge were as well prepared.” teaching component, like the train- is highly valued, he says, and pedagogy Critics reply that studies like this are ing edward Moore received. The u.S. is important. he contends, however, helpful, but they hardly paint the full pic- education Department reported that that “what is most important is that ture. A teacher’s effectiveness can’t be in 2009 schools serving mostly African- there is a healthy student-teaching measured by how students score on tests, American students were twice as likely component. Some programs include but only by how well they actually learn. as schools serving white students to no student teaching. Those teach- Another concern about alterna- have teachers with only one or two ers with more student teaching have tively certified teachers has been the years of experience. That lack of expe- far more durability once they are in limited commitment to schools and rience, and the turnover it implies, is the classroom.” the teaching profession. Teach for seen as a major stumbling block in clos- At least one study indicates that, America teachers, for example, coming the achievement gap between most when it comes to preparedness and mit to a two-year stint, and they have students of color and white students. teacher quality, alternative certifica- at times been characterized as dilet- “Real exposure to real classroom sit- tion programs hold their own. In a study tantes. however, most TfA alumni, 67 uations for extended periods helps to published in ERS Spectrum in 2009, edu- percent according to a harvard study, fully prepare an effective teacher, not cational researchers eric J. follo and remain in some field of education after three weeks in the summertime,” says James J. Rivard examined the relative fulfilling their obligations. Critics point Segun eubanks, director of teacher effectiveness of traditionally trained out that many of them go into education policy jobs, which is not the same as classroom teaching. Proponents Pop Quiz counter that it’s not such a bad thing for do teachers with alternative certification pass the acid test? education policy makers to have class- in Michigan, their students performed as well room experience. as those of traditionally-certified teachers. The Best Thing The TfA teachers who remained in education include Abena osei. The daughter of immigrants from Ghana, Data impact on osei fulfilled her two years at the orig- 1 in 5 new teachers are urban schools inal elementary school in houston, alternatively certified m Attracts more diverse then another three at a private school. 600 programs nationally teachers, especially She also earned her masters degree black males in education. osei also became the 67 percent of TFA alumni executive director of Breakthrough remain in education q Puts less-experienced fort Lauderdale, an academic pro- teachers in these schools gram that promotes education among underserved middle school kids, guiding them toward higher education. She quality for the national education versus alternatively certified teachers now trains Teach for America teachers Association. Still, eubanks acknowl- in Michigan elementary schools. They in houston. edges that there are “important advan- concluded, “Teacher candidates from osei recalls the stress of being a new tages to alternative routes” to teach- the truncated alternative teacher certi- teacher, arriving early and staying after ing, including an ability to attract more fication program scored as well as or bet- school to tutor students before head- diverse teachers who want to serve in ter than teacher candidates in the tradi- ing home to grade papers. She remem- high-needs schools. tional teacher certification program in bers the moments of fretting and self- Richard Ingersoll concurs. Ingersoll language arts, mathematics, social stud- doubt offset by watching her students is a professor of education and sociol- ies, science and the total overall score. As grow into their potential. ogy at the university of Pennsylvania. measured by the Michigan elementary “It was the best thing I’ve ever done he says three factors determine education Test, teacher candidates in in my life,” she says.

fAll 2011 55 Speak TruTh To power Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights curriculum inspires students to defend human rights today

By BaO OnG for years in Western Sahara, live in. If anything, it made me feel like I come to new York schools thanks to the Aminatou haidar peacefully dem- should do something to help.” Robert f. Kennedy Center for Justice onstrated against the human rights Katherine is just one of thousands of and human Rights and the new York abuses of the Moroccan government. students who have come to understand State united Teachers union. Speak As a result, she spent four years in a the modern-day struggle for human Truth To Power is based on Kerry detention center with 17 other women rights through a curriculum called Kennedy’s book of the same name, and being beaten and tortured. In spite of “Speak Truth To Power.” Introduced in the curriculum has one simple goal: to this, Aminatou remains outspoken in new York state last December, Speak urge students to take action. her support of nonviolent resistance Truth To Power consists of 17 teacher- “It’s about trying to get kids to self- among people seeking independence developed lessons based on the stories of identify as human rights defenders in from Morocco. rights advocates from all over the world. their community and beyond,” says John To Katherine Arredondo, 16, news The lessons were created for sixth- W. heffernan, the director of the Speak of this life-and-death struggle was through 12th-grade students, and have Truth To Power project. a revelation. “Learning about human rights human rights (Hyoo-Men riTS), Pl. n. and defenders opens your eyes,” said (1) Basic rights and freedoms to which all people are entitled. (2) They include civil and political rights, Katherine, a junior at Brentwood high such as the right to life, liberty and freedom of expression; and social, cultural and economic rights, School on Long Island, n.Y. “It shows you including the right to participate in culture, the right to food and the right to work and receive an education. we shouldn’t be boxed into the world we (3) human rights are protected and upheld by international and national laws as well as treaties.

56 TeAcHing TolerA nce π serviCe learninG Speak Truth To Power adds academic purpose to community service projects. Schools using the Speak Truth To At Brentwood high School Power curriculum study human in Long Island, english rights heroes like Western Sahara teacher Pamela o’Brien uses independence advocate Aminatou human rights, haidar (left), indian child slavery Speak Truth To Power to such as freedom of opponent Kailash Satyarthi (above) enrich the district’s curricu- speech and religion, and Kenyan environmental activist lum. Students in the district as well as the freedom Wangari Maathai. come from 149 countries and to work and associ- speak 79 languages. ate with others, are o ’Brien’s students fundamental. At the feel like they have recently raised and donated $1,000 to a high School for Public power and that they group that educates people about child Service in Brooklyn, can do good,” says labor. The students researched Kailash many students have witnessed the Shuldiner. he said that the newfound Satyarthi and his work for the aboli- struggle for those rights firsthand. confidence often translates into better tion of child slavery in India. Satyarthi About 85 percent identify as black, academic performance. is one of the human rights defenders in C ARLOS M either African American or Caribbean, The Speak Truth To Power cur- the Speak Truth To Power curriculum. while most of the rest are Latino. Many riculum, introduced in 2003, has Amanda Butera, a 15-year-old soph- ORENO /AP IMAGES (H AIDAR ); D ONALD S have either lived under dictatorships or spread all over the united States, as omore at Brentwood, admits that she witnessed extreme poverty. well as to countries in europe and knew little about child labor or social Principal Ben Shuldiner said Africa. In Italy, the program is part justice issues before joining this effort. that when a group of human rights of a 12-week course that hundreds “I think it made me a better person,” defenders spoke at the Title I school of thousands of students have taken she says. “I feel like I’m actually becom- last year, it was an inspirational part in. In february, the program was ing part of something that’s going on.” moment for the students. launched in hong Kong o’Brien says that stories about In response, some ninth- and Cambodia. human rights leaders help the stu- π o N Task π TAMPFLI / graders undertook a proj- finding time to use dents develop a stronger sense of Student groups can ect that focused on health the Speak Truth To Power empathy. Students at Brentwood have turn human rights PIMAGES (S ATYARTHI ); R ICHARD D AP and nutrition in their com- curriculum can be difficult also helped organize aid for the peo- learning into action munity. They began work- when schools face pres- ple of haiti. And they have developed by getting involved ing with the city and local in campaigns sures to excel on standard- lessons based on the work of Wangari grassroots groups to run addressing: ized tests, says Richard C. Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and a one-acre farm. It sup- Iannuzzi, president of political activist, whose Green Belt plies fresh produce in an human Trafficking new York State united movement earned her the 2004 nobel area with serious nutrition hunger Teachers. But he believes Peace Prize. problems. The students lessons about civil liber- “one of the things that binds us as REW also conduct public service child Labor ties and social justice are human beings and distinguishes us / PIMAGES (M AP announcements to pro- Political now on everybody’s radar from animals is the drive we as human mote good eating habits. imprisonment given current global eco- beings have in the search for the mean-

AATHAI ) “When they do some- nomic problems and freeing of our existence,” says o’Brien, “and homelessness thing positive for their dom movements in coun- the ability and choice to speak the truth community or family, they Environmental issues tries like egypt and Syria. or not.”

Find out more about Speak Truth To Power at tolerance.org/truth-to-power. fAll 2011 57 Bully at tHe BlaCKBoaRd Every adult in the building needs to act when the bully is a teacher

BY darlene koenig & roslyn hester daniels ILLuSTRATION BY mark mcginnis

58 TeAcHing TolerA nce HIS TEACHER HAD uRGED HIM ALL YEAR TO BE MORE ORGANIZED, but he still had trouble keeping his work area neat. The boy’s papers and other materials were often scattered around, and when his classmates were ready to move on to the next activity, he lagged behind—trying to corral the clutter. on this particular day, the teacher lost her patience. According to a district report, she chastised her student: “Your area looks like a pig sty. Piggy, piggy! oink, oink!” exactly what happened next has been difficult to pin down. But by the time another teacher entered the classroom, the boy had been surrounded by his classmates, who taunted him with “oinks” and other pig sounds. Alone in the center, the boy was sobbing. By some accounts, his teacher—a veteran of 38 years— encouraged the children to join the chant. She told district officials she didn’t notice when they began to taunt him, although she did agree it wasn’t appropriate behavior. The children themselves turned out to be somewhat unreliable witnesses. They were just kindergartners.

fAll 2011 59 a wake-up Call [already] knows what appropriate behav- IDenTIfYInG The incident, which drew nationwide atten- ior looks like,” says McGriff. But they—as tion, was a wake-up call for Roane County well as teachers—bring their own back- BuLLIeS Schools in Tennessee. grounds and experiences to the classroom, researchers have “for something like this to happen was where respecting others is crucial to a pos- identified two types so crushing to us, so against everything we itive learning environment. She says that of teacher bullies: believe in,” says Toni McGriff, director of the she and her school principals “are trying so The power-dominant 18-school district. During the accreditation hard to instill that you don’t mistreat oth- bully intentionally belit- ers—whether you call that disre- tles or humiliates students. This can take the spect, harassment or bullying,” form of name-calling, that it’s become part of the dis- intimidation or stereo- trict’s culture at all levels. And typing students based on yet, the incident this spring has race, gender or other differences the teacher per- educators there wondering what ceives. The power-dom- they could have done differently. inant bully’s actions can vary from punishing stu- an “undiscussable” dents in humiliating ways in front of others to sar- Dr. Stuart Twemlow is famil- castic asides as graded iar with the situation faced by papers are returned. McGriff and her district. A psy- (“Behind sarcasm,” chiatrist, he also is the direc- says Twemlow, “is con- tempt.”) Physical harm is tor of the Peaceful Schools and rare, since the results are Communities Project at Baylor more obvious and cannot College of Medicine’s Menninger be defended. Child and family Program. The power-lax bully is more passive and typ- Twemlow is well-known for his ically lacks the skills or research on teacher bullying, willingness to manage a including a 2005 study in which classroom effectively. as a 45 percent of sampled teachers result, this bully will allow students to bully each said they had bullied a student at other or permit class dis- some point in their careers. ruptions without inter- But little other research on the vening. The power-lax topic has been done, and statis- bully is also more willing to let others handle prob- tics that might give a broader per- lems (e.g., sending stu- spective on the problem are even dents to the principal) more scarce. The most definitive and is absent more often. assessment of safety in schools is But he or she is more open to retraining. the Indicators of School Crime while their motives process last year by the Southern Association and Safety survey. The annual survey is are different, these of Colleges and Schools, students on the ele- jointly carried out and reported by the teacher bullies do have mentary campus were interviewed about national Center for educational Statistics some traits in common. according to the 2005 bullying, among other things. According to and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. But the Menninger study, they McGriff, one boy is heard on tape saying, most recent report from 2010, which uses tend to be established “oh, in this school, we don’t have bullying. 2007 data, does not include survey ques- in their positions and I’ve heard about it. But we don’t have it.” The tions or any school reporting on the issue— have taught, on average, for more than five years. school is also a demonstration campus for although there are statistics on students who They are often strong- the district’s school-wide Positive Behavior bully teachers. willed, have a need for Support program, in which students are Twemlow appreciates the honesty of control, are resistant to recognized for respectful behavior and earn the teachers he sampled, “because there change and lack empathy for others. They often also points toward donated prizes and acknowl- is no doubt that there are ‘undiscussables’ have been bullied them- edgment at community events. in schools,” and teacher bullying is one selves—either as students “You might assume that every child of them, he says. And while he has helped or as teachers.

60 TeAcHing TolerA nce write professional development manu- a Teacher-Bully is … als that address the issue, he has also co- written an e-book with the provocative “One who uses his or her power to title Why School Anti-Bullying Programs punish, manipulate or disparage a Don’t Work. And why is that the case? student beyond what would be a “Any number of programs that are shown to be effective will not be success- reasonable disciplinary procedure.” ful … when the money runs out or the peo- – TweMlOw & fOnaGy, 2005 ple that are passionate leave,” he says. “The issue is sustainability … if you were to see bullying as a process, not a person, then your whole approach would change. There Twemlow says, a typical character education pro- will always be new teachers, new students and gram isn’t enough to address the issue. new situations.” The process, explains Twemlow, means that a new awareness schools must understand the power dynamics McGriff agrees that when money gets tight, pro- among bullies, victims and bystanders. he tells grams such as those developed by Twemlow, bul- the story of a student who reported to him that lying research pioneer Dan olweus and others are his teacher had been calling him by a girl’s name subject to cuts. from her perspective, that is why all year, despite his anguish. it’s even more important to have an organic envi- “I couldn’t believe it,” he What it ronment of respect, such as the one Roane County says. “This was a respected Schools have tried to cul- senior teacher who loved chil- sounds like tivate for students. dren; she was not a bad teacher.” … Am i a Bully? “What we know we Confronted, the teacher admit- name-calling Do i belieVe THAT: have to work on is teach- ted what she’d been doing and i cannot be too strict ers … recognizing (bully- Taunting was devastated to realize she if i want students to ing) in all of its forms,” had been bullying the child cultural slurs learn? she says, praising the all year. She had forgotten the teacher who saw, stopped Teasing Students should inherent power that was part of accept whatever and reported the incident her position. Stereotyping disciplinary method i in her district. “What teachers need to Belittling choose? The kindergarten know is that our brains are teacher at the center of humiliation is hard-wired to obey those in it apologized to students sometimes necessary charge,” says Twemlow. “And, for a small child, and parents and served to stop disruption? the teacher is the one in charge. Teachers have a one-day suspension. to respect that they’re seen that way.” Regardless it’s impossible to She is currently on med- of age, victims without the power to change the separate the “student” ical leave. Although the situation are at risk for low self-esteem, anx- from the “behavior”? incident and the result- iety, increased absences and poor academic ing outcry was “very achievement. traumatic for her,” says Bystanders, such as other teachers or adminis- McGriff, she is expected to return to the class- trators, have their own power—either to end the room in the fall. bullying they witness or to allow it to continue. “Teachers have to live to a higher level of In the Roane County elementary school, a col- accountability because of the precious commod- league witnessed at least part of the incident, con- ity we have” in children, says McGriff. But “they fronted the teacher and reported her actions to are human. They make mistakes. on occasion, school administrators. But too often, bystanders they show bad judgment. are held back by conflicting loyalties or the fear “This has made us more acutely aware of our of retaliation. need to lift up children and lift up teachers, so that With the dynamics of all three in play, they know how to respond” in the future.

Find out more about teacher bullying at tolerance.org/teacher-bully. fAll 2011 61 A Time For Justice teaching the movement

Teaching Tolerance’s new study shows The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program is releas- that most states fail when it comes to ing a digitally restored version of its 1994 Academy Award-winning documentary A educating students about the civil rights Time for Justice in September, making the film available for the first time on DVD. movement. To help schools, we’ve The 38-minute film uses firsthand accounts, as well as original photographs re-released the powerful documentary and video, to tell the stories of individual sacrifice and courage that fueled the mod- A Time For Justice on DVD. ern civil rights movement. The re-release will bring this inspiring documentary to a new generation of students. The movie comes with a kit that includes a teaching guide as well as six

62 TeAcHing TolerA nce “too many states treat the movement as black or regional history, A Time For Justice rather than as one of the most significant events in all of american history. its lessons speak to the very nature of citizenship. today’s students must learn that they can be effective agents of change.”

teachers. “Many students today don’t leaders. Scores were lowest in teach- teaching understand the degree of prejudice ing about institutionalized racism that and discrimination that Americans fueled the movement, such as Jim Crow once accepted as normal,” he said. “It’s laws, or in teaching about resistance to important that young people carry the the movement from groups like the Ku the movement lessons of the civil rights movement Klux Klan. only one state—California— into their own roles as citizens.” required students to learn about white At the same time, the SPLC is supremacist groups in the context of releasing a new study, “Teaching the the civil rights movement. Movement: The State of Civil Rights A Time for Justice was directed education 2011.” The study found that by Charles Guggenheim, a four-time content standards—the bars that states oscar winner, who died in 2002. In the set for what schools should teach—are film, the voices of activists trace major uniformly and shockingly low when it events of the civil rights movement, comes to civil rights education. The from the death of emmett Till in 1955 critical events that transformed the to the passage of the Voting Rights Act united States in the 1950s and 1960s of 1965. Grace Guggenheim, the direc- have been neglected or ignored com- tor’s daughter, oversaw the restora- pletely in these standards. tion of the film, which won the 1994 “We are urging states to make sure Academy Award for Best Documentary that every student learns the impor- Short Subject. It was the first Teaching tant lessons of the civil rights move- Tolerance film to win an oscar. ment,” says Teaching Tolerance Director The restored film is scheduled to Maureen Costello. “Too many states treat be screened Sept. 22 at the national the movement as black or regional his- Archives Building in Washington, D.C. tory, rather than as one of the most signif- Civil rights activist and SPLC board icant events in all of American history. Its member Julian Bond, who narrates the lessons speak to the very nature of citi- film, will be in attendance. So will Grace zenship. Today’s students must learn that Guggenheim and Richard Cohen. The they can be effective agents of change.” foot soldiers of the movement will be The study ranks states on a letter- there in spirit. grade scale. Among its key findings: “A Time for Justice reveals the way needs improvement k A majority of states earned D’s or institutionalized racism can be chal- STuDy SHoWS An AVerAge below, with 34 earning a grade of f. lenged,” Cohen said. “It provides today’s grADe of “f” AcroSS All k for most states, instruction on the students with a profound understand- STATeS for TeachiNg The civil rights movement ing of what people work- civil righTs movemeNT. is “grossly inadequate ing together for justice to nonexistent.” fifteen can accomplish.” original lessons. The kit also includes states require no instruc- a classroom poster depicting the civil tion at all about it. rights movement on a timeline. The k Alabama and florida generosity of SPLC donors made it pos- were the only states to order your free sible for Teaching Tolerance to offer earn A’s. Three states— TeachiNg kiT Today! A Time for Justice free to middle and Georgia, Illinois and South To order the A Time for Justice kit—which includes the high schools. Carolina—earned B’s. Academy Award-winning Richard Cohen, president of the k States scored highest movie, a teacher’s guide and a SPLC, says that A Time for Justice has when it came to teaching full-sized classroom poster— proven to be an invaluable tool for about the movement’s visit tolerance.org/justice.

fAll 2011 63 staff picks

for 20 years, the Teaching Tolerance staff has reviewed the latest in Our favorites culturally aware literature and anti-bias resources, recommending the best picks for educators. Here are a few of the materials our staff over the years chose over the last two decades that we think are enduring classics.

“Big names, “Timeless.” short chapters, — Maureen Costello, Director great insights.” — Michelle Garcia, Professional Development Manager

“Touching — it speaks to the immigrant experience.” — Thom Ronk, Curriculum Design Manager

64 TeAcHing TolerA nce ProfessioNal develoPmeNT Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum 1 The civil rights movement was in America. Readers go to school with Putting the Movement Back into well documented through photogra- her for the first week as she learns to Civil Rights Teaching edited by phy. One of the great visual chroni- write her name in English and make Alana Murray and Deborah Menkart clers of the era, Charles Moore, started new friends. Other People’s Children by Lisa Delpit his career with the Montgomery (Ala.) elementary Advertiser newspaper at the end of the middle & Montgomery Bus Boycott. The reis- 5 Everyday Anti-Racism: Getting high school sued 1991 collection Powerful Days: Real About Race in School, edited by Rising Voices: Writings of Young The Civil Rights Photography of Mica Pollock, is a feast for anti-bias Native Americans compiled by Arlene Charles Moore paints an unforgettable educators, with 50 original essays Hirschfelder and Beverly Singer portrait of the movement’s first decade. by leading educators, such as Sonia Being Muslim: A Groundwork Guide middle & high school Nieto, Pedro A. Noguera and Beverly by Haroon Siddiqui Daniel Tatum. They describe con- The American Experience: Simple 2 Rethinking Early Childhood crete ways to address race in schools. Justice (a documentary based on Education, edited by Ann Pelo, is professional development the book about Brown v. Board of an anthology of inspiring stories Education by Richard Kluger) about teaching social justice with 6 Widening the Circle: The Power Freedom: A History of Us by Joy Hakim young children. of Inclusive Classrooms, by Mara Remembering Manzanar: Life in professional development Sapon-Shevin, is a passionate and a Japanese Relocation Camp radical argument for schools in which by Michael L. Cooper 3 Abuela, by Arthur Dorros, is a all children, including those labeled beautiful children’s book about a little as “disabled” and “special needs,” are elemeNTary girl, her grandmother and their color- welcomed on equal terms. My Chair by Betsy James ful and imaginative trip through New professional development Say Something by Peggy Moss York City. The story is told in English Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges spiced with Spanish phrases. 7 The bulk of Mendel Grossman’s elementary photographs of daily life in Poland’s Two Mrs. Gibsons by Toyomi Igus Lodz Ghetto during the Holocaust The Colors of Us by Karen Katz 4 My Name is Yoon, by Helen survived hidden in a wall, only to be Heather Has Two Mommies by Recorvits, is the perfect book with destroyed during the 1948 Israeli War Lesléa Newman which to welcome a child from a dif- of Independence. My Secret Camera ferent country into your classroom. tells a story of tension, uncertainty Yoon has just arrived from South and hope. Korea and isn’t sure she likes school middle & high school

fAll 2011 65 Story Corner

susie kiNg Taylor // civil War Teacher aNd Nurse Healing Touch by JoHn PerriTAno

aptain Whitmore asked me where I was from. I told him Savannah, Georgia. he asked if I could C read; I said, “Yes!” “Can you write?” “Yes, I can do that also,” … With those words, 13-year-old Susie Baker began a great adventure toward a new life. She had been born into slavery. But she had fled with an uncle and others from their owners in Georgia. now they had reached the safety of a union Army camp on a South Carolina island. A terrible war had begun the year before—the u.S. Civil War. Southern states had split from the country. They had banded together as the Confederacy. Southerners did this mainly to protect their practice of putting black people into slavery. northern states, also known as the union, were determined to reunite the country. Many on the union side also saw the war as a chance to end slavery. By 1862, more and more blacks like Susie were escap- ing to union lines. At age seven, Susie had started learning to read and write. In the South, it was illegal for anyone to teach enslaved people these skills. They did not want slaves to learn. Southerners feared that

66 TeAcHing TolerA nce illuSTrATion by richard raney educated slaves might rebel against them. But and instead of turning away, how we hurry to Susie’s grandmother knew that an education assist in alleviating their pain.” Clara Barton, who was very valuable. She arranged for Susie to later founded the Red Cross, described Susie as study at secret schools. “one of the finest nurses we have.” In the union camp, an officer asked Susie Susie served throughout the war. She to teach other black children. The 13-year-old endured many enemy attacks. She also sur- teacher soon had a class of 40 students. Black vived a shipwreck in which others drowned. men asked her to teach them, too. They were Susie never received any pay for her service. eager to learn now that they were free. Yet she never saw this work the same as she Soon, though, many of the men had other did slavery. duties. The union Army began asking them to The Civil War ended in 1865. The union, serve as soldiers. At 14, Susie married one of including 180,000 African-American soldiers, them, edward King. She joined her husband had defeated the Confederacy. More than in camp, serving as a nurse. She also had other 600,000 men had died. But slavery was at tasks, like cleaning laundry and getting guns last banned. ready for battle. “I learned to handle a musket In the years after the war, Susie moved to very well …” she remembered later, “… and Boston. her first husband had died and she could shoot straight and often hit the target … remarried. In 1902, Susie King Taylor pub- I thought this great fun.” lished her life story. In it, she told of her war- As the first black nurse in the union Army, time adventures and the joys of freedom. But Susie saw the bloodiness of war up close. “It she also expressed frustration at the slow seems strange how our aversion to seeing suf- pace of equality for African Americans. fering is overcome in war,” she said, “how we are “We hope for better conditions in the able to see the most sickening sights, such as men future,” she wrote, “and feel sure they will with their limbs blown off … without a shudder; come in time, surely if slowly.”

Questions for readers • Why did southerners forbid people from teaching slaves how to read and write? • Besides teaching, what other job did Susie perform during the Civil War? • What frustration did Susie express in the book about her life? vocabulary fled illegal musket alleviate reunite eager aversion banned

For more discussion resources visit tolerance.org/healing-touch. fAll 2011 67 ONE WORLD tolerance.org to hang on a classroom wall. It is created with just that purpose in mind. Enjoy! with just that is created It wall. hang on a classroom to Teaching Tolerance and participating artists encourage educators to clip the One World page World clip the One to educators encourage artists and participating Tolerance Teaching !

illuSTrATion by stanislawa kodman A FILM THAT SHOULD BECOME AN ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR SCHOOL’S ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM

TO TEAcHERS TEAcHINGTEAcHING TOLERANcETOLERANcE PRESENTS

A Student, a School and a Case that Made History An exciting documentary for middle and high school students about the precedent-setting case ruling that school administrators have a duty to protect gay and lesbian students from bullying and harassment. KIT INcLUDES » 38-minute film on DVD » Viewer’s Guide with standards-aligned classroom activities “The story is beautifully told—very compelling and moving. I’m happy to Guidance for administrators and educators endorse the film.” » Charles haynes, senior scholar, first on creating a safe school environment amendment center

“This well-crafted film forces us to turn our heads, face the problem, and recognize bullying as nothing less than a violation of one of children’s most basic civil rights: to learn, play and grow up in a safe environment.” Order Bullied Today! Joan Duffell, executive director, committee for children To receive a frEE Bullied film kit, order online at tolerance.org/bullied TEACHINg TolERANCE Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage a pRojeCT of The souTheRN poVeRTy law CeNTeR Paid 400 washington avenue • Montgomery, al 36104 Southern Poverty Law Center

10TH ANNIvERSARY mix iT uP aT luncH Day

Mix It Up helps create welcoming school environments with less conflict and fewer instances of bullying and harassment. And it’s fun! CELEBRATE MIX IT UP AT LUNCH DAY ON OCTOBER 18, 2011

Go to mixitup.org to ∞ Register on the map ∞ Check out the step-by-step Mix Starter Kit ∞ Read the weekly Mix blog with ideas from this year’s 52 Mix It Up Model Schools ∞ Get ideas for seating students, starting conversations and keeping the dialogue Put Your School on going all year long the Mix Map this Year!

Read about how some schools have taken visit mixitup.org Mix to the next level on page 49.

JOIN THOUSANDS OF SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY PLANNING TO CELEBRATE MIX IT UP AT LUNCH DAY!