Educators, instead of saying I don't care if you are black, brown, green, disabled, queer, purple, etc....try this instead:

I recognize and respect your identity traits. I do care enough to understand and learn more about those identity traits to make me a better educator. /1

We've kinda gotten away with almost weaponizing "be kind" as a means to absolve us from unlearning and correcting our toxic behaviors and learned beliefs about identities unlike our own. /2

"Be kind" still oozes the mindset that whiteness is central. That cis-hetero able body, neurotypical, Christian, financially secure white men are the standard from which our behaviors, decisions and words stem. /3

Being kind relieves us of two important things as educators:
·Making a sincere apology, rectifying harm done, and an effort to improve my behavior.
·Responsibility to respect and care for all humanity and it's diverse identities. /4

I'm encouraging myself and others to not dismiss the "be kind" movement in schools but rather disrupt it like any other form of whiteness. Instead of "be kind," let's extend grace and pursue justice. Doing that aids in better including more individuals and voices. /5

The more individuals and voices we hear the better our deeds benefit more students, humanize educational spaces, and help to disrupt inequities in our edu system which should always be our part of our yearly goals /6

Be mindful, this year was like no other. But pre-pandemic I should be able to examine and critique myself on the ways in which I grew as an educator and how I took action to become a better human being than before the school year. /7

I keep learning and unlearning things daily about SWD, LGBTQ+ individuals, trauma in education, ELL students and parents and CRT in education.
I continue to realize the more I learn and unlearn the better advocate I can be for students. I can be supportive for other educators. /8

When you have some free time this summer ask yourself:

Did my decisions extend grace?
Did my actions demonstrate a pursuit of justice?
Did I work as means to bring more people on stage or worked in a way to keep the stage to myself?
Did I unlearn harmful beliefs this yr? /FIN