Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1449741
I T ' S S T R I K I N G T H A T the training "Making Black Lives Matter at School," created by CTA leaders and Black female educators, centers the work of educators in love and empathy. Through that lens, breaking down misconceptions and learning about Black Lives Matter and racial justice opens the heart as well as the mind — and affects everyone, not just those who are marginalized. "Showing that Black lives matter at school is really about centering our most marginalized students," says CTA Board member Erika Jones, who co-developed and leads the training. "When you center the most marginalized and create an educational environment where they can succeed, you have created an environment where all can succeed." As described in our story on page 42, the training asks educators to identify ways to bring racial justice and equity to their schools so that they are embedded into the culture, going well beyond a focused week or month. Equity is also behind educators' efforts to consider different ways of assessing student learning, as "Remaking the Grade" (page 30) examines. Some school districts have already moved away from tradi- tional grading systems based on points for assignments completed and sometimes attendance or behavior in class, to a flexible one that lets students show what they know, perhaps by making up late assignments or retaking tests. Such grading reform, proponents argue, recognizes, for example, that students who live in poverty (often students of color) have more challenges. Penalizing them for turning in late assignments or their behavior is unfair. The situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic, of course, which has put great strain on students and educators. "Tales From the Trenches" (page 18) is part of our continuing series of snapshots of Love, Empathy, joy what educators are dealing with and how they are coping as they face an ongoing virus, severe staffing shortages, and other complications. Their voices chronicle edu- cators' evolving experience as we enter year three of COVID-19. In Clovis, northeast of Fresno, educators' voices are raised as they organize a new union ("ACE Is the Answer," page 24). e story looks at how the Associa- tion of Clovis Educators has been coming together after educators realized, sometimes painfully, that their voices were not being heard by their district. "Educators need a meaning ful seat at the table," says ACE member Kristin Heimerdinger. "A union is the best way to ensure a strong future for our students and schools for years to come." One educator who has been doing his best to make sure students have a strong future is Lance Gunnersen, a CTE teacher whose students have made toys and given them to younger children during the holiday season for 18 years. is past year, his project was amplified and scaled up with the help of a CTA Community Engage- ment Project Grant awarded to four chapters in El Dorado County (page 51). It's an example of what col- lective educator vision, hard work, and community participation can do: Bring joy. Katharine Fong E D I T O R I N C H I E F editor@cta.org A slide from the "Making Black Lives Matter at School" training (see story, page 42). 6 cta.org E D I T O R ' S N O T E