It’s Time to Teach the Truth: On Developing a Black Studies Curriculum for New York City Public Schools

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

The proposed Presidential Session, “It’s Time to Teach the Truth: On Developing a Black Studies Curriculum for New York City Public Schools” will present empirical case study findings and lessons learned from New York City’s Education Equity Action Plan (EEAP) – a three-year project funded by the New York City Council for the development and implementation of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary PK-12 Black studies curriculum for New York City Public Schools. Guided by three questions: Why Black studies? Why New York City?
And Why now?, each presentation will offer a distinct disciplinary, theoretical, and/or methodological perspective on the project’s aim to advance equity by teaching the history, culture, and lived experiences of peoples of African descent to the students of New York City.
The session will comprise four (4) presentations by researchers from the Black Education Research Center (BERC) at Teachers College, Columbia University. As the university partner in this cross-sector, multi-agency project, BERC was responsible for research and evaluation studies, curriculum development and implementation, and the design and delivery of

professional learning experiences for teachers, principals, and community leaders, which will be featured in the session. More specifically, the session format will include two research papers, a sample lesson demonstration from the NYCPS Black Studies as the Study of the World Curriculum, followed by a discussion among the presenters and audience facilitated by the expert discussant.

Sub Unit

• AERA Presidential Session

Chair

• Sonya Douglass, Teachers College, Columbia University

Papers

• It’s Time to Teach the Truth: The Social and Political Contexts of Developing a Black Studies Curriculum for New York City Public Schools - Sonya Douglass, Teachers College, Columbia University; Ann LoBue, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Teaching and Learning Black Studies: Toward an Evidence-Based Model for Curricular and Cultural Transformation in U.S. Schools and Systems - Rosa L. Rivera-McCutchen, Hunter College - CUNY; Dawn Brooks DeCosta, Teachers College, Columbia University; Brandi N. Hinnant-Crawford, Clemson University; Rodney K. Hopson, American University

• Black Studies as the Study of the World: Sample Lesson Demonstrations - Linda C. Tillman, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill; Samantha Chung, Teachers College, Columbia University; Deirdre L. Hollman, Teachers College, Columbia University; Dane Daryl Peters, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Imagined Possibilities: Black Studies Curriculum Across P20 Systems - Joyce E. King, Georgia State University; Gloria S. Boutte, University of South Carolina; Kofi Lomotey, Western Carolina University; Dawn G. Williams, Howard University

Discussant

• M. Christopher Brown, Thurgood Marshall College Fund