Say Their Names
A toolkit to help foster productive conversations about race and civil disobedience
“In a racist society, it is not enough to not be non-racist, we must be anti-racist” - Angela Davis.
Say Their Names. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the countless others that came before.
If you are planning on talking to your students or children about the recent racial violence or civil disobedience, please first read “Don’t Say Nothing” by Jamilah Pitts. This piece illustrates how vital it is to engage young people in conversations about race and racism, and Ms. Pitts lays out the argument better than we ever could.
We hope that you take this time to read, reflect, and engage with both the young people and adults in your life in conversations around how we can confront racism every day. Safeguarding our young people means that we all must do the work to think and act equitably, show up for our Black students and colleagues, interrogate our own biases, and live an actively anti-racist life.
Below are suggestions and strategies for educators and parents on having conversations with young people in school and at home about race, racism, racial violence, understanding biases, and how to take action for racial justice.
At this time, we must focus on our shared humanity, and prioritize learning and talking about the root causes of the current protests and the interracial activism. This is a time to come together, listen, learn, share in grief and in hope, and act for a more just, equitable, and racially conscious world.
If you have suggestions for any lessons or activities, please share them with us here.
For more information on social emotional support and guidance, contact the CPS Office of Social and Emotional Learning at [email protected] or your Network SEL Specialist.
For more information on resources, protocols, and practices for civil discourse, youth voice, civic learning and engagement, or K–12 social science, contact the CPS Department of Social Science and Civic Engagement at [email protected].
For information on the CPS Equity Framework and supporting tools and resources, please visit cps.edu/equity.
Included in this document:
- Where to start? Guidance for CPS stakeholders
- Resources for Realizing Our Commitment to Anti-racist Education
Where to start? Guidance for CPS staff, families, and community members.
Note: This is a living document and will be updated on an ongoing basis.
Make a commitment to:
- Taking care of the mental and emotional health of our youth, our colleagues, and ourselves.
- Listen. Talking about race, racial violence, racism, Black Lives Matter, and elevating youth voices.
- Paying close attention to news, media, and other information sources.
- Working to be actively anti-racist.
Take care of yourself. Take care of others.
Educate yourself.
- Educate yourself on the current moment and learn why people are organizing. Do research to better understand these issues, and do not rely on Black people to explain their feelings or their knowledge.
Engage our youth.
- Acknowledge what has happened. Acknowledge this is hard. Show that you care, and tell our youth you are here for them. Be patient and understanding.
- Hold space for youth to reflect and to share how they feel. Acknowledge the issues behind the current moment and the pain folks are feeling. Consider holding circles or free-form discussions. If you are a teacher looking for ideas on how to introduce these discussions in your classroom, explore these instructional protocols and activities.
- Remember not to take symptoms of trauma (anger, withdrawal, distance, irritability) personally. If a young person does not want to talk or share, that is okay. Acknowledge their feelings and support youth where they are.
- Learn about and pay attention to media and information.
- Talk and learn about how to be actively anti-racist.
Resources for Realizing Our Commitment to Anti-racist Education:
- How can I support youth through this trauma?
- How can I use restorative practices to host healing spaces?
- Where can I find resources for myself and my colleagues?
- How do I start conversations about these topics and support youth remotely?
- How do I support Black youth without inducing further trauma?
- How do I talk about this with non-black youth?
- How do I talk about this with elementary-aged youth?
- How do I show up for my Black colleagues?
- How is this story being told, and why is this important?
- How should I consume media at this moment? What questions should we be asking ourselves?
- How do we hold the media accountable? How are we accountable for the information we share?
- What does it mean to be anti-racist and why is it important?
- What does it mean to be an anti-racist educator?
- How do I take action? How do I get involved?
Review additional resources for teaching and talking about race, violence, and police violence.
Consider the mental and emotional health of our youth, our colleagues, and ourselves.
Violence has an impact on all of us—especially on our mental health. The protests that have gripped our city and nation reflect the hurt, anger, and pain of generations of racial trauma. Emotional responses may manifest in different ways, including anger, irritability, grief, and hopelessness. We should be aware of signs of trauma or distress not only for our youth, but also for ourselves and our colleagues.
Talk about race, racial violence, racism, and Black Lives Matter.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
These resources explore our responsibility as educators, parents, and citizens to discuss race, racial violence, racism, and Black Lives Matter with youth, as well as resources to help us do this work.
Please note that schools and teachers should provide families and youth with an opt-out option. No matter how well-planned and expertly-facilitated these conversations are, they can be re-traumatizing to Black youth.
Pay close attention to media and information.
Media has power. What we see and hear shapes what we think, how we see ourselves, and how we engage with the world around us. Teaching young people at all ages critical media and information literacy skills is key for preparing youth for civic life.
Be actively anti-racist.
“In a racist society, it is not enough to not be non-racist, we must be anti-racist” - Angela Davis.
These resources explore what it means to be anti-racist and its importance to our role as educators, parents, and citizens. We must first listen, then learn, discuss, and act.
Additional resources for teaching and talking about race, violence, and police violence.