Toward an Affirming Theory of Cultural Citizenship: Teachers' Testimonials of Black Lives Matter at School

• In Event: Sign of the Times: Public Education in an Era for Racial Justice

Abstract

Citizenship education should strive to increase civic knowledge, responsibility, and engagement amongst all students. However, the history of racial discrimination in education and a Eurocentric curriculum contributes to a civic empowerment gap silencing voices of racially marginalized citizens. The Black Lives Matter at School movement is a grassroots coalition of educators across the country working together to ensure Black lives matter in classrooms. The national BLM at School organization uses 13 guiding principles to develop a curriculum that affirms blackness, centers Black joy, and transforms notions of justice. This proposed paper presentation will feature testimonials from PreK-12 grade teachers who incorporate the 13-guiding principles into their classroom to explore how the 13-guiding principles reinforce and expand notions of cultural citizenship.

Authors

• Denisha Jones, Sarah Lawrence College

• Sarah A. Mathews, Florida International University