I'm just going to put this out there -- but if we're going to teach anti-racism, we need CLASS SETS of anti-racist texts.

We had class sets of Shakespeare for ages. Why can't I have a class set of Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard? @policingblack

Hear me out...Thread 1/n

I know, I know. $$. But are 32 new novels (6 really, 5 lit circles) more important than a class set of Maynard's book?

We have tons of novels. We have libraries. This, however, is an extraordinary text that all our students should read.

ALL OF THEM.

Thread... 2/n

But what if a single department doesn't have the budget? FAIR. However, imagine combining the budget of English & History/Social Science. Everybody gives a little.

We would time share the books. It sounds nutty. But stay with me.

Thread... 3/n

English would teach READING SKILLS. We would teach students to read deep texts. Annotate. Look up citations. Learn to use sources for our own research.

We would teach the power of word choice in media. What "war on drugs" or "alien" or "other" meant for BIPOC.

Thread... 4/n

English would do that the first month of each semester. We would teach one chapter only.

History / Social Sciences would get time share the second month. They would now have students capable of engaging with the text and could use it to teach their material.

Thread...5/n

My students are hungry for knowledge. They are hungry to know the history. I am constantly trying to summarize what I have read and tell them about it, but I do a terrible job.

My students deserve to have access to anti-racist texts we could deconstruct as a class

Thread...6/n

I also want class sets of @FacingCanada Stolen Lives; @DesmondCole The Skin We're In; @wewap 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act.

Our students deserve ACCESS to anti-racist texts.
Every grade a diff text to examine our histories as a class.

Rest = student choice

Obviously, whatever "seminal texts" for each year that are chosen would cost $$$$. However, if we TRULY believe in teaching anti-racism, we need the resources.

I believe we can work together to find the $$. Spend the money on students rather than on teachers re books...

Oh! I also want to add before I forget: as schools we would choose books together.

I chose these particular books because I appreciate that you can delve into a chapter at a time in them.

Students could even choose a chapter that interests them most/do lit circles—choice.