This year, the superintendent from District 2, Bonnie Laboy, has initiated a Middle School Leadership Council.  Representatives from the student councils from middle schools across District 2 meet monthly to plan for leadership initiatives in their schools.

Last week, I was privileged to attend this monthly meeting of middle school students. I was so impressed by the thoughtfulness of this group of adolescents.  Students from each school were concerned about issues of diversity and respect in their school communities and expressed a strong desire for their communities to be more accepting of difference.  They were brainstorming ways that they could advise policy for District 2 middle schools on achieving greater respect and inclusiveness in schools.  They realized that the primary way to achieve this is through educating others — students and teachers — about different cultures and groups within a school community.  Ideas they generated include building in a requirement for schools to teach students about others through advisory and the curriculum and to have clubs that work towards creating safe spaces such as GSAs.  In their brainstorming, they were required to think about stakeholders, resources needed, and impediments to the success of the initiative. (Grown ups,sadly, were identified as one of these impediments.)

It is not surprising that adolescents are focused on issues of diversity and acceptance.  Adolescence is a time when children are figuring out who they are and how they fit into different communities.  They are starting to have serious crushes and begin to try out “dating.”  Cliques and friendships are constantly forming and re-forming as our young people learn to navigate complex social situations.

Since elementary school, students have tried out language of difference to situate themselves in a community.  Calling something “gay” or commenting on race, skin color, home language, or religion are all ways that children have been aligning themselves in communities for generations.  My third graders in the late 80s (yes, some of you could have had me as your third grade teacher) tried out this language and third graders today continue to try out this language.

There are differences in the experience of students around difference between past generations and children today. Today, they have powerful computers in their pockets that allow them to instantly comment on others (for better or worse.) We also live in a society which is, fortunately, much more open to acknowledging and accepting difference. Whether it is in the books they read, sitcoms they watch (stream), music they listen to, our children today are steeped in ideas of acceptance for difference. #marriageequality #blacklivesmatter #welcomerefugees  Even the political discourse to which they are exposed this election cycle highlights the importance of respect for difference (even if it is a result of learning from poor examples).

Our children are aware. They know what is going on around them. They value justice and are empowered to work towards equality and fairness.  I am really proud to work and learn alongside of them and to support them in their efforts to make a difference in the world.

• Our initial support of students has been to give them space to create a GSA in our school.  Not many children consistently show up for this student-led group. Among those that do, however, are students who are very vocal as well as students who sit quietly and observe.
• We have also supported students by arranging for a student-led panel from the Harvey Milk School. These students are learning to share about their experiences in expressing their identities. Through this work, our students gain empathy for the experience of others.
• We are also looking more closely at our curriculum. Students have pointed out that we need to more clearly address the experiences of those who have been oppressed in society.  While I have been resistant to relegating Black History to one month of the school year, talking with the students has helped me rethink my position. I am working with staff members to develop initiatives that foster conversation and learning about others. Stay tuned for upcoming details.