Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in class

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

It is hot button topic and it certainly would disrupt the school day.

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about, it would be the racist halfwitted sue happy parents that would create the drama not the kids themselves....

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Ohhhh boy.

This is clearly an issue you are not going to think about. You're truly not going to start from square one and analyze the thinking that leads us to "Well, I think all lives matter."

I'll end on this, but this line of thinking makes about as much sense as saying "Yes climate change is an issue, but we don't need to talk about this in schools. All planets matter."

I'd also be very curious to know how solidarity with a group that has been and is currently being actively discriminated against regardless of age, in any violates your white child's rights.

1) I have thought about it, as well as how we CAN promote and teach inclusion of ALL vs just "some".

2) climate change is not a constitutionally-protected matter, nor are "other planets."

3) it violates the white/Hispanic/Asian/Indian/etc. child's rights because it promotes segregation based on race ... by a government employee ... a government agency ... in a government-run institution.

It's not rocket (or climate) science.

Despite what Fox News might tell you, the fact that it's 2016 and black citizens are still being gunned down by police officers in broad daylight does not jive with the notion that we are really striving for equality as a people. You believe that a group of people shouldn't have the audacity to say "BLACK lives matter." That is a problem. The fact that you'd sue over it because it bruises your white privilege? Meh. Laughable at best.

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

it's 2016 and black citizens are still being gunned down by police officers in broad daylight
______________________________________________
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/14/man-wanted-in-shooting-death-north-carolina-cop-arrested-in-rhode-island.html

But I guess the killing of a police officer is fine?

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

What is the point of having non gender stereotyped books (ones where girls are the heroine)? What is the point is having books without gender specific heroes? What is the point of having non gender specific dolls or toys? What is the point of having books and things in the classroom that have lead characters that are not white as main protagonists? What is the point of allowing girls to play with "boys" toys and vice versa?

It's a basis, a starting focal point to lead a discussion and hopefully to teach them something. Most children don't create drama around that, the parents do, and by doing so, sometimes it teaches those children the same limited values and to uphold the same stereotypes their parents believe.

Some of the best teachers IMHO inspire thought provoking discussions, they challenge the way we see the world, our place in it and how we think about it.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

it's 2016 and black citizens are still being gunned down by police officers in broad daylight
______________________________________________
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/14/man-wanted-in-shooting-death-north-carolina-cop-arrested-in-rhode-island.html

But I guess the killing of a police officer is fine?

Wow, this has to be some kind of record. I figured it might be a couple of hours until someone posts a Fox News article profiling a "black thug" and asking if it's cool to gun down cops.

I say this without sarcasm, but is this actually your counter argument?

This is why racism is so insidious. No one wants to think they've been conditioned over the course of their lives to be a racist, but... well, here we are.

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

You want to bring in a guest speaker to assembly to give a non biased talk, maybe

But a teacher who may have a chip on her shoulder and give their own version on the topic, nope.

 

[madelise]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I work in a public school, and I would wear a Black Lives Matter shirt.

We have a serious problem in our "land of the free", and we can't continue to pretend this problem doesn't exist just because it's prettier inside our own bubbles.

 

[madelise]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

You underestimate the empathy and the understanding children have. They do understand. It is at young ages we should teach them to be empathetic, respectful, loving, and more, STRONG and to fight for what is just. It's too late to wait until they are older.

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,

I did not post the above. Arkie did. If Arkie feels most would not understand, then I asked her what the point would be for the teachers to wear them.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

You underestimate the empathy and the understanding children have. They do understand. It is at young ages we should teach them to be empathetic, respectful, loving, and more, STRONG and to fight for what is just. It's too late to wait until they are older.

The problem is a lot of parents are more comfortable upholding their own racist, sexist, non empathetic POVs than they are having their children and by default themselves challenged by them.

"I'm a white person how dare that teacher wear a shirt that tells me my white kid matters less than that black kid/black person"...... How dare they wear that disruptive thought provoking shirt to school, I'm going to sue the school or the board of education for defiling my rights."

Let's all have a pity party for the white Mummies and Daddies who don't like teachers who openly stand against racism!!!!

 

[kenny]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Clearly a few posters here think Lincoln fixed everything in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation.

 

[madelise]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,

I did not post the above. Arkie did. If Arkie feels most would not understand, then I asked her what the point would be for the teachers to wear them.

Apologies, the lack of 'quoting' made it confusing.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,

I did not post the above. Arkie did. If Arkie feels most would not understand, then I asked her what the point would be for the teachers to wear them.

You misunderstood me, I was saying kids don't understand the drama surrounding the shirts (usually created by adults like the ones here), they are fully capable of participating in a sensible and empathetic discussion about race, human rights etc. That actually was my point, that they teach these things in good classrooms with books anyway so why is wearing a shirt and using it as a starting point for a discussion any better or worse than using a book or other item.

 

[madelise]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

You underestimate the empathy and the understanding children have. They do understand. It is at young ages we should teach them to be empathetic, respectful, loving, and more, STRONG and to fight for what is just. It's too late to wait until they are older.

The problem is a lot of parents are more comfortable upholding their own racist, sexist, non empathetic POVs than they are having their children and by default themselves challenged by them.

"I'm a white person how dare that teacher wear a shirt that tells me my white kid matters less than that black kid/black person"...... How dare they wear that disruptive thought provoking shirt to school, I'm going to sue the school or the board of education for defiling my rights."

Let's all have a pity party for the white Mummies and Daddies who don't like teachers who openly stand against racism!!!!

And I find it my job to try and create empathetic little humans so that they don't learn to be hateful humans when they are older, despite being taught that at home.

I don't really understand the point you're trying to make? No rights are being defiled by making a stance against hate.

 

[madelise]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,

I did not post the above. Arkie did. If Arkie feels most would not understand, then I asked her what the point would be for the teachers to wear them.

You misunderstood me, I was saying kids don't understand the drama surrounding the shirts (usually created by adults like the ones here), they are fully capable of participating in a sensible and empathetic discussion about race, human rights etc. That actually was my point, that they teach these things in good classrooms with books anyway so why is wearing a shirt and using it as a starting point for a discussion any better or worse than using a book or other item.

Thanks for clarification.

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

http://www.christianpost.com/news/ri-school-to-remove-prayer-banner-after-atheist-teen-wins-lawsuit-67067/


And what about this? A plaque that stood for 50 years taken down because one student did not feel included?

Why did her parents feel the need to sue? And yes it came out they were behind it not their daughter.

And by the way I am not Catholic.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

You underestimate the empathy and the understanding children have. They do understand. It is at young ages we should teach them to be empathetic, respectful, loving, and more, STRONG and to fight for what is just. It's too late to wait until they are older.

The problem is a lot of parents are more comfortable upholding their own racist, sexist, non empathetic POVs than they are having their children and by default themselves challenged by them.

"I'm a white person how dare that teacher wear a shirt that tells me my white kid matters less than that black kid/black person"...... How dare they wear that disruptive thought provoking shirt to school, I'm going to sue the school or the board of education for defiling my rights."

Let's all have a pity party for the white Mummies and Daddies who don't like teachers who openly stand against racism!!!!

And I find it my job to try and create empathetic little humans so that they don't learn to be hateful humans when they are older, despite being taught that at home.

I don't really understand the point you're trying to make? No rights are being defiled by making a stance against hate.

Read the whole topic from start to finish some posters here are arguing that when teachers wear these shirts to school it is somehow violating their rights, that it is not promoting equality, that is how we started this topic, that they believe that these shirts to use JoCoJenn's words somehow "exclude" white or other children.....

I think that sometimes my sarcasm and wickedly dark sense of humour is sometimes lost on many of you We share the same views, Madelise, just a different way to deliver them.

 

[madelise]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I seriously doubt it at elementary school level, most of the children wouldn't get what all the fuss was about,
__________________________________________________

Then what would be the point for the teachers at an elementary school to wear them if the children there are too young to understand?

You underestimate the empathy and the understanding children have. They do understand. It is at young ages we should teach them to be empathetic, respectful, loving, and more, STRONG and to fight for what is just. It's too late to wait until they are older.

The problem is a lot of parents are more comfortable upholding their own racist, sexist, non empathetic POVs than they are having their children and by default themselves challenged by them.

"I'm a white person how dare that teacher wear a shirt that tells me my white kid matters less than that black kid/black person"...... How dare they wear that disruptive thought provoking shirt to school, I'm going to sue the school or the board of education for defiling my rights."

Let's all have a pity party for the white Mummies and Daddies who don't like teachers who openly stand against racism!!!!

And I find it my job to try and create empathetic little humans so that they don't learn to be hateful humans when they are older, despite being taught that at home.

I don't really understand the point you're trying to make? No rights are being defiled by making a stance against hate.

Read the whole topic from start to finish some posters here are arguing that when teachers wear these shirts to school it is somehow violating their rights, that it is not promoting equality, that is how we started this topic, that they believe that these shirts to use JoCoJenn's words somehow "exclude" white or other children.....

I think that sometimes my sarcasm is sometimes lost on some of you We share the same views, just a different way to deliver them.

I responded to your most recent post. I realized it was sarcasm then. Yeah, it's hard to read tone of voice in written text, so an emoticon helps!!

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I feel they are too young.

You are putting ideas in their heads where none exist.

And the CLCU was all over that plaque I posted about because they felt it ostracized some students.

Well, then this T-shirt may as well

.As far as these parents suing, the atheist parents did as well.

You cannot have it both ways.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

If I got banned from wearing a BLM shirt I'd wear this to school its a black and white "Cat Lives matter"

https://www.spreadshirt.com/cat+lives+matter+women-s+t-shirts-A102016725

Then I'd get the kids to write why cats lives matter more than dogs or any other animal they choose or why they don't and then being the jolly person I am, in a non threatening way I'd then lead the discussion back into why the black lives matter shirts exist, why people don't like them and what they mean, why discrimination exists and what we can all do to stop it. There is more than one way to skin a cat so to speak

I used to be an English/History teacher btw (12 to 18 year olds) and I don't think it's ever too late to challenge the way they think about the world.

I'll have a conversation with my 8 year old but I am pretty sure he is smart enough to comprehend what discrimination is and learn about it.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Arkie these discussions are fine in an assembly.

But in the US the school day is not that long. They have to cram as much into the day as they can.

When I went to the grocery store, the high school student there could not make change without the register telling her what it should be.
Kids cannot read cursive writing. They read at very low levels. Many have to go to a junior college to take remedial classes to get them up to speed of what they should have learned already.

The last thing these kids need are more distractions.
These Shirts would be fine to pull out for a current events or assembly. They should not be distracting from Math, Science, and English.

I sent my kids to school to get a good education. They learned manners and how to get along with other people at home.

 

[missy]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

GOOD. I applaud this and wish more schools would follow suit.

And if you think this is discrimination, YOU are the willfully ignorant privileged problem.

I would wear this T Shirt and this is a discussion that they should be having in the schools. And they should be having it at home too and it belongs everywhere it needs to be.

By Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 16 April 1963

"First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season."

Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

+1 for social justice and humanity.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Arkie these discussions are fine in an assembly.

But in the US the school day is not that long. They have to cram as much into the day as they can.

When I went to the grocery store, the high school student there could not make change without the register telling her what it should be.
Kids cannot read cursive writing. Many have to go to a junior college to take classes to get them up to speed of what they should have learned already.

The last thing these kids need are more distractions.
These Shirts would be fine to pull out for a current events or assembly. They should not be distracting from Math, Science, and English.

I sent my kids to school to get a good education. They learned manners and how to get along with people at home.

Honey, if I set a task about discrimination in history it would be relevant to the syllabus, and if it was a task focused around discrimination and or BLM shirts in English then I'd teach them how to construct a proper essay about the topic. I used to specialise in teaching gifted and talented kids that were off the charts brilliant, that most people were challenged by and children who couldn't read and write that would climb out of widows, throw chairs and bring weapons to school, that most people couldn't handle.

If you think I couldn't do both ie teach them how to read and write, and also simultaneously teach them to think about the world we live in then you greatly underestimate my and probably a lot of other teacher's skills.

 

[ruby59]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Arkie, why do you feel I am knocking you as a teacher.

In fact I did not even see your post about being one as I was composing mine at the same time.

I am just relating what I am seeing in my home town and my children and grandson's schools.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Arkie, why do you feel I am knocking you as a teacher.

In fact I did not even see your post about being one as I was composing mine at the same time.

I am just relating what I am seeing in my home town and my children and grandson's schools.

I don't feel you are knocking me at all. I don't teach any more. What I am saying is I think that you greatly underestimate the abilities of many good teachers who are more than able to integrate ideas about racism, sexism and discrimination into their every day teaching material and I also think you underestimate the ability of the kids to be able to take these ideas on board in a sensible fashion.

I dunno I think the world has gone mad with political correctness. You can't talk about BLM shirts or wear them, you can't talk about Christmas, etc. I for one am over that. I'm also sick of parents who blame teachers for everything meanwhile their home lives are in complete and utter disarray and yet it's somehow the teacher's fault entirely that the kids can't learn properly.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

Says you.
_____________

Yes says me and others here.

It is not appropriate for teachers to wear these T shirts in school.

Of course it is.

In my school we discussed current events. That's part of education. IT'S CALLED NOT IGNORING REALITY.

So it is completely and totally appropriate. AND educational.

 

[MollyMalone]

Re: Seattle Elementary teachers to wear BLM t-shirts in clas

I'd like to clarify that the actual wording of School Board policy in this regard (such as it is) -- under the Student's Responsibility header, which also includes such things as "Make a determined effort to learn" -- is
Dress appropriately for school in ways that will not cause safety or health problems, or disruptions.
http://interagency.seattleschools.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_10955/File/About/Policies/Basic_Rules_of_SPS_-_All_Students[1]-1.pdf
so gang regalia may have been what the authors had in mind when they spoke of simply "disruption" (the brochure is one that advises students-families of student rights, responsibilities, and disciplinary action) .

The Seattle School Board doesn't prescribe any student dress code policy; the schools each decide upon the dress code for their students. According to the September 5th post on the John Muir Elementary School PTA's Facebook page, it's a "uniform school." I''m not seeing a web page describing the uniform to be worn by JMS students, but it's probably the usual kind of uniform adopted by public elementary schools: navy or khaki pants (no jeans), skirts, dresses; plain white or light blue collared shirts/blouses, no sneakers.

In any event, I don't know of any school where the teaching staff is mandated to abide by the same dress code as the students (and Seattle doesn't require that either, or any other dress code for teachers). But in this February pic from the PTA Facebook page, the staff looks dressed in unusually similar fashion, so perhaps the school's teachers have agreed amongst themselves to wear their own version of a uniform:

I"ll simply add that the JMES teachers plan to wear the BLS shirts on Friday, for just one day.