Black Lives Matter at School Week will be celebrated in Shoreline schools on February 3-7, 2025. During this week, Black Lives Matter at School lessons will be delivered that cover the themes of equity and justice in the Black community.
Black Lives Matter at School Week will be celebrated in Shoreline schools on February 3-7, 2025. During this week, Black Lives Matter at School lessons will be delivered that cover the themes of equity and justice in the Black community. Teachers are provided lessons that are appropriate for the grade level they teach, from preschool through high school.
Background
Shoreline School District serves approximately 9,000 students who are diverse in every way. One of the biggest issues of our time is the unacceptable educational disparities between White and Black students in the district. Educators, families, community members, and students across the community share a commitment to eliminate this inequity and to ensure that all students achieve greatness in every way. For one week of February, educators across the country are marking “Black Lives Matter at School” to take a stand for social justice. We are proud to offer lessons to help students understand the issues that matter to the lives of Black students. The lessons for Black Lives Matter at Schools Week are a visible indicator of integration of ethnic studies in the district.
Black Lives Matter at School is a national coalition of educators, families, students, and community members supporting racial justice in education by dismantling the systemic racism that exists within educational institutions. Our schools share in this commitment to eliminate racism and inequities to help ensure that ALL students achieve greatness in every way. We join educators across the country in marking Black Lives Matter at School to take a stand for social justice through classroom lessons, activities, and celebrations focused on the 13 Guiding Principles of Black Lives Matter.
Goals and Purpose
Overall, the Black Lives Matter at School lessons aim to:
- Reflect the lived experiences of students, families, and friends
- Help students understands inequities based on race
- Affirm that the lives of people of color matter
- Promote the belief that we all have a responsibility to work for equity as a core ideal
Policies Affirm Equity
Our school district has clear policies affirming equity and opposing any form of discrimination. Policy 0150, Race and Equity, commits our district to “provide respectful and relevant learning environments that leverage diversity and create schools where students... feel welcomed and supported.” It is in this spirit that the lessons are presented for teacher use.
Ensuring Academic Freedom while Teaching Controversial Subjects
Teaching about social justice in our current political climate is not always easy, even if it is in the interest of historically underserved students. However, educators in the U.S. have the right to teach and discuss issues that are a part of civil life in society, including racism and equity.
Both district policy and the board resolution clarify that teachers have academic freedom to have these conversations. “We affirm our belief that the integration and addition of ethnic studies into the education of Shoreline School District’s students can have a positive impact on eliminating opportunity gaps” (Ethnic Studies Resolution, July 2020). “Shoreline School District aspires for historically underserved students to thrive in an environment that notices, acknowledges, and values who they are and contributes to their academic achievement” (Race and Equity Policy 0150).
Guidelines for Teachers
While discussing societal issues, to avoid any appearance of the imposition of views and opinions on students, acknowledge opposing views, clearly identify a teacher’s opinion as just that, and present factual information. While acknowledging an opposing view, if a lesson is on an equity theme, it does not mean that equal time must be given to views in opposition to equity. The contrasting views instead should be used to provide full information for students.
Here are other resources on how to conduct conversations on highly complex issues:
- Controversial Subjects in the Classroom, Teaching Tolerance
- 10 Tips for Talking About Race, Coaching for Equity
- Creating Space to Talk About Race, National Education Association, in collaboration with Race Forward