This morning Marian Wright Edelman posted as she sometimes does about the lives of children and what is going on in the current political climate. How wonderful for students to know they have in her , an incredible guardian of their wellbeing and rights. Please be sure they know about her and her work. Here’s what she wrote about a young child in the aftermath of Katrina. We are about to enter hurricane season again and the usual look back at this event will be whirling through mainstream media. Why not use this story instead? Why not read and understand its implications? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/eleven-year-old-ronalds-t_b_245384.html Here’s Marian W. Edelman’s portrait.Be sure to have students read and respond to the quote on her portrait!  

The saga of Mr. Gates, a Harvard professor raises many questions for students. Perhaps some have had their own experiences with police officers. Perhaps others have not had any experience or relationship to racial profiling in general. Many students have known as much about profiling related to Middle Eastern individuals since 9-11. In any case, what do students know about their local police departments and what efforts/training is there for police officers related to these types of concerns? If nothing else, the incident draws attention to one of the most important voices of our times in any conversation about our country’s history. Understanding the realities that Professor Gates has helped families to face as they research their own lost stories is something one must have a heart of profound sensitivity to manage. His PBS series “African American Lives” is a must for all our students, regardless of ethnicity. The irony of the events in the past weeks is that he is a figure doing more for reconciliation in our country than anyone I can name at this time. His piece on Lincoln is also a must for students. Please have students regularly visit and read his work and be sure to have them research and understand its significance thoroughly. Here is Rob’s portrait of Sojourner Truth. I once had a third grade student burst into tears when she saw it, after hearing her biography from me. When I spoke with her, all she said through her tears was that she could not believe that her children had been taken away from her.  A boy of the same age told me, that as a white male, he felt very guilty about that. He told his young classmate friend that he was sorry. ( She was African American.) She replied, that “it was ok, she said. I know you would not have done it if you were there.” What a clean moment between them. I felt priveleged to be there. I have a feeling both Professor Gates and Sojourner would have smiled at the exchange, so honest. Without the truth about such things, those moments do not happen .Visit this website to see what Professor Gates publishes:http://www.theroot.com/views/conversations-henry-louis-gates-jr  Here’s Sojourner Truth’s portrait.  Fans of Muhammad Ali might want to know that he credits her with the name change he decided upon himself as a rejection of his slave heritage. This all works perfectly when discussing Professor Gate’s work. Another portrait to consider is Fannie Lou Hamer , who was beaten brutally by police. Here’s her portrait. 

“The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to  see beyond our own time.” A video of two Truth Tellers , Terry Tempest Williams speaking , introduced byBill McKibben.Important talk that will help your students understand the workings of civil disobedience and its power.  ]

E.J. Dionne writes about the realities of lawmakers and their relationship to gun control. Fantastic way to start a conversation about not only gun control but the disparity between the way politicians live and the way they legislate.  http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090727_let_nra_loving_senators_practice_what_they_preach/

Here’s a great article from Robert Fisk, a name students who are studying the Middle East in any way , shape or form, ought to know. His writing on that area of the world offers a unique perspective as he has made the region his home for most of his adult life and written about it as a British journalist. 

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fiskrsquos-world-lessons-in-justice-and-fairness-from-a-nononsense-historian-1760726.html 

Alice Waters is one of the earlier portraits Rob Shetterly painted in the Americans Who Tell the Truth series.  Alice has written about and acted upon the notion of foods, gardens and schools for some time now. She has inspired us in Louisville at several schools with gardens and now the group http://kyschoolgardens.org  is aiming for a school garden that is food producing in every Kentucky school! A really wonderful goal for our state. Please read about, support and look into ways we can all make this happen. Become a member of this organization if you can , to begin and /or go to your local school or a participating school and see if there’s a way to help. ·       Participate in the Nov. 6 and 7 “Healthy Food, Local Farms” Conference at the University of Louisville (Day one of this event will be dedicated to school gardening).  Wendell Berry ,  another portrait in the series, will be among the speakers at the conference.  

An old friend and teacher colleague of mine , Japa Buckner, wrote an editorial in the Louisvilel paper, the japa.docHere are the two pieces Japa submitted. Have older students who are able to look at these discuss the differences and whether this was something that should have happened. And , of course, the issue of racial profiling and law enforcement is a central theme in any study of civil rights historically. For a great poster that connects to this go to  http://www.tolerance.org  and request civil rights poster and other related free materials.  What is the role of the media and message? What is the responsablity of media and can we have a democracy without a press that is not controlled by business interests? How do students make decisions about media and interest? Are we teaching them how to become discerning recipients of the “news?” Americans Who Tell the Truth will be adding a media component to its educational curriculum page along with many other new features in the fall of 2009 in time to support teachers as they begin the school year. 

Rob Shetterly painted Ann Wright’s portrait and honored the courage she continues to demonstrate. It’s so important for our students to hear dissenting voices from within the system itself. Read this piece about Ann’s insights and have students research her biography along side Eisenhower, as previously posted. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/07/22-9 

Students can study Gen. Eisenhower in a whole new light in relation to how he saw the build up of funds for war and weapons and what it “cost” our country. Good news came yesterday as the legislators did NOT fund costly F-22 planes. What do your students understand about these “costs” and the real loss to us as citizens? Related to a study of a Dept. of Peace , what does this mean for their future? Read and discuss the quote on Eisenhower’s portrait in light of these events.   

Two portraits worth a study related to this would be : Edward Said  and Dennis Kucinich. Said wrote and taught about how we in the west see the Islamic nations and have related to them Kucinich , among many other things, calls for a Department of Peace in our country.How do your students feel about a Department of Peace? What would it be like? How would it help our relations with the countries of the Middle East? How do your students view the Iranian people and their election this past summer?