The saying “You can’t teach kids how to think critically by telling them what to think” applies to us every day as educators. The violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on January 6th, and the planned right-wing armed marches in the lead up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, afford us an opportunity to have discussions about our democratic values.
Let us be clear: serious crimes were committed by the rioters on January 6th and those who committed those acts should be held accountable for their actions.
Please teach students to examine news sources and think critically about these events. As always, our national union, American Federation of Teachers, offers great resources to help you navigate these controversial times in your classroom.
Please teach students to examine news sources and think critically about these events
Here’s another resource sent to us by an ATF member that may help you discuss these issues with an eye to culturally-appropriate pedagogy.
As we write this, groups bent on disrupting democracy and a peaceful transition of power are planning an armed march on the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Sunday, January 17th.
Unionism is about the promotion of democracy in our workplaces and in our society at-large. That is our primary mission and we will not back down from it. Stay tuned for your union’s response to coming events.
