January’s Staff Meeting

Pre reading: ​A read for teachers: ​Why Teaching Black Lives Matter Matters| Part One
1. Read ​Begin Withi​n
2. Complete a self assessment:​ a tool to reflect on your own vulnerabilities, strengths, and needs.
3. Complete the emotions graphic organizer:​ tool to think about how you can create emotional safety in
your classroom.
4. Share with content specific groups; review specific topics content areas will be facilitating in February.
Example Monday may equal electives, Tuesday math, etc.)

Black Lives Matter is an activist movement which began as a hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) when George
Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African- American teenager
killed in Florida in July 2013.

The Black Lives Matter movement became more widely acknowledged and popularized after two high-profile
deaths of unarmed African-American men (Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY and Michael Brown in Ferguson,
MO) in 2014 and in which police officers involved in their deaths were not indicted. Due to the deaths of
other unarmed African Americans, ongoing local and national protests and other actions have brought
awareness of the issues and the movement to the general public.

While Black Lives Matter began as a hashtag on Twitter and other social media, it has since evolved into a
“movement.” As of August 2015, more than 1000 Black Lives Matter demonstrations have been held
worldwide. Recently, four Black Lives activists released “Campaign Zero,” which includes ten policy
solutions developed in conjunction with activists, protestors and researchers across the country, integrating
community demands, input from research organizations and the President’s Task Force on 21st Century
Policing.

Additional Resources:  
○ BLM@S PHLed
○ DC Area Educators for Social Justice 
○ Beyond Tolerance: A Resource Guide for Addressing LGBTQI Issues in Schools

Why BLM? ​: for the staff meeting to prepare staff for any “pushback” from students about why we choose to
participate in the week of action. Excerpt below:

But doesn’t all lives matter? Perhaps the most common criticism leveled against the Black Lives Matter
movement is that the movement is racist because it focuses on black people. One way to counter this notion
is to point out that all lives cannot matter if black lives do not, and to educate the critic about the conditions
that ignited the resistance. Another is to emphasize that Black Lives Matter is rooted in the deeply
humanistic belief that all lives are connected. All oppression—including that of LGBT individuals, refugees,
immigrants, Muslims, women, people living in poverty and people with disabilities—negatively affects all
lives. Although the BLM movement focuses on the oppression of black people, its mission is intersectional
and invested in liberation for all.
Focusing on the following 13 themes, organizers have assigned the study of each to specific days
throughout the week. Some of the themes include:
Monday​: Restorative justice, empathy and loving engagement [Electives]
Tuesday​: Diversity and globalism [Social Studies]
Wednesday​: Collective value: queer affirming and trans affirming [Science]
Thursday​: Intergenerational and supporting black communities [Math]
Friday​: Black women and unapologetically black [ELA]

Monday: ​Restorative justice, empathy and loving engagement ​[Electives]

Elementary:
● Understanding prejudice through a paper plate portrait

Middle:
● Introduce students to the origins of BLM Movement.
● Don’t all lives matter?
● Text​: ​‘I’m Prejudiced,’ He Said. And Then We Kept Talking​ ​by Heather C. McGhee
○ Read text; annotate to display items you are surprised about
○ Show video
○ What are some of the roadblocks to changing your mind?
○ What makes you more willing to change your mind?
High:
● Last Words Poetry

Tuesday: ​Diversity and globalism ​[Social Studies]

Elementary:
● What is community​ [k-2]
● Why frogs and snakes never play together​ [k-5]
● Video: I love my hair

Middle:
● Play 3 Human Rights
○ Human Right #13: Freedom to Move
○ Human Right #14: Right to Seek a Safe Place to Live
○ Human Right #15: Right to a Nationality
● Discuss how US is a country of immigrants; requires activism to have equality.
● Meeting Activists​: ​Resistance 101 is an introductory lesson, allowing students to “meet”
people from throughout U.S. history who have who used a range of social change
strategies.
● Black Muslims in the United States: An Introductory Activity written by Alison Kysia

High:
● Circle Scripts​: See Sample Script 1, 2, and 3
Wednesday: ​Collective value: Queer Affirming, Trans Affirming, Collective Value ​[Science]
Elementary:
●

Middle:
● Lesson Plan
● Plans created by science team

High:
● All Lives Matter Discussion (pg 3 and 4)​:​ Students will reflect on quotes by using pages
7 and 8.
○ Complete Sample Script #4
● Campaign Zero:​ exploring the website and where the NC Representatives stand on the
issues.

Thursday: ​Intergenerational and supporting black communities​ [Math]

Elementary:
● My Family Rocks​ [k-2]

Middle:
● Read and discuss the Hollywood Culture Project.
○ Watch Video
○ Read Hollywood Culture Project
■ Discuss the ways in which the media may be adding to the negative
stereotypes of Black Americans.
● “Fifty-plus years after the end of legal segregation, individual African
Americans have achieved amazing successes – including Barack Obama’s
election as president. However, the black community as a whole remains
under great stress. African Americans are overrepresented in prisons,
underrepresented in college, and make less money, on average, than white
counterparts in similar positions.”
● Teachers will introduce a challenge to visit and promote local Black owned
businesses in the surrounding area.

High:
● The ‘rigged’ Monopology game & reflection​: ​Understanding President Obama's 2008
speech about racial gaps in wealth created by the history of slavery and segregation and then
playing Monopoly to see how the gap was perpetuated.
Friday: ​Black women and unapologetically black​ [ELA]
Elementary:
● Video: The Color of Me Song

Middle:
● Video: An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter
○ Why is important to recognize the influence and power of black women?
● Here is an idea that would have to be created. A gallery walk of quotes or short excerpts about
leaders from both Black Lives Matter movement and The Civil Rights Movement (Others
movements could be included). Students will check male, female for leader. Discussion to
follow regarding the leadership of all individuals.
● A​ll students are given one handout of famous women of color
○ Students walk around room to mix and meet other “women” and record responses.
○ Students complete exit ticket of the day’s events.

High:
● Intersectionality TedTalk
● Circle forward:​ provides circles on identify, privilege and oppression.