The Teacher As Screenwriter: Silence, Dialogue, and Action

Jun 2

As many have done before me, I am posting in response to recent events. This unscheduled post is meant to share our next steps as educators to combat racism. I hope it is a reminder that we need to take action in our classrooms and beyond. It is our job to facilitate dialogue that is necessary after so much silence. Thank you to Grant Hightower, Director of Reading METCO, for allowing me to share his poignant letter.

Grant Hightower, Director of Reading METCO

5/31/20

“The subtle and deadly change of heart that might occur in you would be involved in the realization that a civilization is not destroyed by wicked people; it is not necessary that people be wicked but only that they be spineless.” -James Baldwin, “The Fire Next Time”

There are any number of emotions and perspectives that you are being bombarded with at this time in our existence. There is so much noise coming from every direction. In our lives as educators, distance learning and all that comes with it has taken a great deal of our mental capacity. Socially, where to start? Politics, Covid-19, and race relations are the three stars of our national news cycle morning, noon, and night. Personally, we all have our private victories, defeats, and stressors that dictate where we focus our remaining energy.

It is evident that there is a tangible change in the demeanor and patience in our country. The outrage, the heat you feel as you scroll through each post and watch each protest is not aimed or addressed toward the people in our society who have made this kind of treachery, this terror and blood spilling and murder, this assault on black and brown bodies their personal practice. We have always known evil exists, and so we brace for that, in fact we expect that from them. The exasperation with vile hate mongers, the disbelief that these things are still happening in “add the current year” is no longer what you’re seeing expressed on your social feeds and nightly news. The anger, emotion, and disappointment that we are expressing is towards You.

Our “friends”.

Our co-workers and colleagues.

Our teammates and neighbors.

Our coaches and teachers.

For me and many of the students and families I serve it is the silence that is, and remains, overwhelming.

People have been, and historically have always met our pain with recommendations of love and taking high roads. The problem is we have been on this road waiting for you to show up and we continue to wait for those of you who say you care, but do not act. As a colleague I want you to have these introspective conversations, both personally and with other educators. As a leader I want to help show you where to start with literature, media, and other resources. But as a father, and a son, and a former student of white teachers I want to ask why haven’t you done more? Why don’t you do more? When will you do more? Does it even matter to you?

That’s a first step. Be honest about what this does to you and share that. How it might affect you if it was me or a closer acquaintance, family member, or student of yours being murdered for 25 million viewers to pick apart.

Be honest about why you DO or DON’T care. Let us know how this affects your democracy and what you are willing to begin to change to save it.

I’d like to thank Chief Clarke and his department for their messaging to the community. It takes a strong and unified front from those who do good work to help spread the message that change is being worked toward. It means everything.

When you find the personal space and capacity to begin the work, please do so with the idea that RPS can be the place that builds or breaks our students, regardless of their background. You really are and can be the center of a student’s world, and the students in my program will be hoping that they are not only welcome but are valued. We are at a place where we can no longer honor words or sentiment anymore, because actions speak much louder.

Always in your corner,

Grant Hightower

Director of Reading METCO

@gshightower on Twitter

Some resources for this work:

Being the Change by Sara K. Ahmed

How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibrahim X. Kendi

Stamped by Ibrahim X. Kendi

For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…and the Rest of Y’all Too! by Dr. Chris Emdin

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

Understanding Race and Privilege

Supporting Vulnerable Students in Stressful Times: Tips for Parents