The systemic devaluation of Black people that originated during slavery continues today in punitive practices that disproportionately push Black children and other children of color out of schools and into the criminal legal system. To ensure equitable education for all youth, educators and communities must play a role in decarceration, which begins with school discipline reform.
Despite attempts to quickly commercialize the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday in the United States, this celebration highlights the importance of honest history and the relevance of the past in the struggles of the present. These LFJ resources can help unpack the complex history of this observance that originated in Texas—including the need for intervention from the federal government and efforts toward obscuring what actually took place.
We are celebrating Pride 2022 in the shadow of hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills, anti-CRT legislation (prohibiting teaching about racism) and assaults on reproductive rights aimed at silencing and disenfranchising people—all coordinated efforts in a backlash against gains in social justice and equity. As we celebrate a legacy of courage, resilience and strength, let us commit to building coalitions of justice, to being allies to one another. We know from experience that freedom and justice require ongoing resistance, activism and solidarity.
The latest violent attack—this time at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 children and 2 adults were murdered—adds to the alarming incidents of violence that we’ve witnessed in our nation.
When it comes to investing in racial justice in education, we believe that the South is the best place to start. If you’re an educator, parent or caregiver, or community member living and working in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana or Mississippi, we’ll mail you a free introductory package of our resources when you join our community and subscribe to our magazine.