Join the "Talking About Equality" Discussion group by ZOOM at 3:30 pm on Wednesday March 9th. To sign up for email reminders please email nelsonlibrary25@gmail.com . You may join this group at any time . ( Each discussion stands alone.)
This month we will discuss : “Divisive Concepts:” A Chilling Effect on Teaching History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HVXCC1jgyw, Time: 1 hour:49 minutes.
Register in advance for this meeting and after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. REGISTER
Please email the library if you would like meet indoors at the library with distancing and masks, or outdoors in good weather, for our April meeting.
Interesting article on this topic: Critical race theory laws have teachers scared, confused, self-censoring - The Washington Post
More info on this topic: And What are they banning: Americans were initially caught off guard by how quickly neo-book burners distilled their racism and homophobia into lighter fluid. But there are promising signs of resistance:
Red Wine and Blue is a nationwide group of women that defends beleaguered teachers, overwhelmed school boards and imperiled libraries. Among other activities, the organization trains women to rebut the extremist agenda being lobbed at public schools by right-wing think tanks (story).
The nonprofit We Need Diverse Books has announced a grant program called Educators Making a Difference. The awards, up to $2,000 a piece, will be given to educators “who believe in the importance of incorporating diverse books by diverse authors into their schools, libraries, and educational organizations.” If you’re a teacher or librarian in a K-12 school, apply here.
Markus Dohle, the CEO of Penguin Random House, has pledged to donate at least $500,000 of his own funds to establish the Dohle Book Defense Fund. Last summer, Dohle told me that his experiences in Europe and his reading of history have made him very concerned about anti-democratic forces gathering in the U.S. The 100-year-old free speech advocacy group PEN America will administer the new Dohle Book Defense Fund “to advocate against censorship, track and expose the egregious assaults on books and ideas playing out in classrooms, state legislatures and other arenas.”
If you’re having trouble following all the efforts to muzzle speech and ban books across the country, PEN America has posted an Educational Gag-Order Tracker. It’s like a seismograph that records the shaking of our culture’s foundation. For instance, my home state of Missouri leads the pack with 16 inane bills to gag teachers and suppress what students read and study.
Finally, if you think you’re strong enough to endure some of those “inherently divisive concepts” that White conservatives are railing against, here’s a great offer: The online platform Scribd is providing free 30-day access to its content, including curated lists of Books Being Banned Right Now and Frequently Banned Books. Take a look, kids, and strike terror in the fragile heart of a book-banner.
Community agreement:
Stay engaged: Staying engaged means “remaining morally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially involved in the dialogue."
Accept Vulnerability: This norm acknowledges that discomfort is inevitable, especially in dialogue about race, and that participants make a commitment to bring issues into the open.
Speak your truth: Use “I” statements when talking. These are your unique experiences.
Respect others: accept uncertainty and not quick solutions. Be aware that racial understanding requires ongoing dialogue.
Confidentiality makes this a safe place for people to share.
Use the simple formula of 1,2,3 and me. Speak and then let 3 others share.