Modeling active citizenship is something that I believe that I have modeled from a young age and still do as a young adult age. Modeling active citizenship is not something new to me, but being vocal about social injustice topics on the internet is not something I do. 

I already do not like to post on social media and I have grown to be more comfortable since starting a business with my mom, and sister, and from posting on twitter for the EDTC 300 class that I am currently taking. 

The reason I tend not to share in digital spaces is because I like to be a private person and do not like to have everyone know everything I do. 

Writing this post is a big step for myself. I used to think people who posted controversial topics were asking for people to agree and disagree. However, from learning about social injustice topics, it is important not only to post, it is important to speak and open the conversation up for those minorities who need the help to spread their message. 

I feared being associated with harming someone by posting and fear that I would offend someone. This is ignorant of me. 

This past week has taught me that it is very important for educators to speak out against injustice online and in the classroom.  Teachers have the responsibility to show our students and anyone else who may be listening, what anti-oppression looks like and we have the power as future educators to be part of a change.

Being part of a change means educating yourself on what has happened in the past and what is happening currently. In a social injustice act of  not understanding the lives of minorities, the black community are protesting after a disturbing video surfaced showing bystanders pleading with a white police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, as he gasped for breath. Floyd died during the incident, the latest in a string of deaths of black men and women at the hands of US police.

There is no room to be silent. Being silent teaches my students that I am silent and that they should be as well. Teachers are the leaders in the classroom, we hold the power to create change, one student at a time, some years making more change than others. Being open and communicating shows that we must help those minorities whose voices cannot be heard by others. “Be the person you need for your younger self” is a quote I often reflect on. Who did you need? What did you want for yourself or others?

Teachers Must Hold Themselves Accountable for Dismantling Racial Oppression.

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