Teacher Education Institute is distraught and outraged by the horrific murders of George Floyd and countless others.
We support Black Lives Matter and will strive to do more to fight anti-Black racism, because meaningful change will not be possible until we actively work to unlearn biases and promote antiracist ideals.
As educators, we are uniquely positioned to help guide the next generation in their development, so it is our responsibility to demonstrate empathy and antiracism. For too long, our education system has disadvantaged communities of color, and that must change. A critical part of that goal is creating safe, welcoming spaces for students of all backgrounds to learn and prioritizing antiracist curriculum.
As a company and as individuals, we support the movement for justice and will do all we can to create a better society for everyone. This means educating ourselves and listening to those whose experiences can inform our perspectives. It’s our goal to promote fairness and justice in education. We are committed to developing courses that emphasize not just diversity and inclusion, but also the inequality inherent in our society. Where we fall short, we will work to educate and improve ourselves.
Creating a more just society is an effort each of us needs to engage in, and we encourage everyone to view the following list of resources as a starting point.
Reading lists and classroom resources:
Black Lives Matter at School has lesson plans and printable resources
Building Racial Justice and Equity includes links to a variety of relevant articles and information about antiracism in the classroom
15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing, and Protest by Sarah Schwartz offers suggestions for addressing racism in the classroom and includes links to many useful resources and involvement opportunities
The Skokie Public Library has compiled an antiracism reading list with suggestions for families to read together to discuss difficult topics about race in America
You can get involved or donate to the following organizations: