Police

Students learn about the history of policing in African American communities and connect it to the controversy over how police treated insurrectionists at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

This activity invites students to listen to and share music that can inspire and sustain them as they explore ways to battle oppression and push to survive and thrive during these challenging times.

This activity has students listen to and reflect on the voices of those who are out in the street in the wake of George Floyd's murder by police. What brings them there? And what do students think and feel about it?

The police killing of George Floyd has ignited outrage, grief, and protest across the country. Here are some suggestions to give your students space to share their thoughts and feelings about these events.

Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow changed the conversation about race, racism, and incarceration in this country. In this activity, students explore Alexander’s argument that our criminal justice system has relegated millions of people of color to a permanent second–class status, and...

Through quotes, photos, and video, students explore responses to Freddie Gray's death while in Baltimore police custody, and the protests that followed.  

Students consider nonviolence and violence by discussing the reactions of activists, the police, and others to the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, MO, on March 12, 2015.    

Students consider a wide range of statements in response to the killing of NYC police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. In guided discussion, students consider the statements, what the speaker intended to achieve,  and whether they feel the statement was helpful.

Our lessons and guidelines on Michael Brown and Eric Garner have been used in schools across the country. Here they are, all in one place.

This lesson includes two parts. In Part 1, students review the facts about the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases.  In Part 2, students break into small groups to discuss six different proposals that have been made to address injustices related to these incidents.