Identity-Based Bullying: Listening to Young People
Tools and Strategies
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current EventsAll young people should be able to feel safe, included and respected in their classrooms and schools. Unfortunately, many do not. A recent study of high school students found that nearly four in ten students experienced identity-based bullying or bullying related to an aspect of their identity such as race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or physical appearance. How can we listen and learn from young people about…
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current EventsYou may have heard about “swatting” because it's been in the news recently. What exactly is swatting? Why do people do it? Because young people are exposed to swatting online, on both mainstream websites and the “dark web” (i.e., hidden websites) and because some swatting incidents begin in online gaming or other digital platforms, it is an important topic to discuss with young people. Swatting is &ldquo…
View this page in Spanish Antisemitism is a topic that has been in the news and is something important to explore and understand. From news stories about vandalism and hate crimes, to celebrities spewing frightening claims and vitriol about Jewish people, to the antisemitic tropes we see in our social media feeds — antisemitism is all around us. What is Antisemitism?Antisemitism refers to prejudice, discrimination, or hostility directed at Jewish people. It is generally based…
Crisis, Controversy and Activism: Tips and Guidance for K-12 Schools
Tools and Strategies
Tips and guidance for helping K-12 schools encourage students to become civically engaged, provide safety and protection for all students, and adhere to students’ First Amendment rights.
When violence is in the news, it’s important to watch out for biases that are present in and activated by news coverage and commentary. When Israel is in the headlines, antisemitic incidents spike and antisemitic rhetoric on social media also increases. Additionally, geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East often activate bias towards people of Middle Eastern descent. War and violence inspire strong emotions, which can activate conscious and unconscious biases about groups of people. It…
Bias-biased incidents take place in schools everyday. Use our teaching tools, lesson plans, discussion guides and other resources to help with your short and long-term incident response.
Empoderar a los niños y jóvenes tras un evento de odio
Tools and Strategies
What Educators and Family Members Can DoToday, local, national or international tragedies happen so frequently that they can feel almost commonplace. When a hate crime, mass shooting, act of terrorism or other terrible and hate-inspired event occurs, one of the first questions many people ask is, what should we tell the children? How can we explain to them what has happened? Despite our best efforts to protect youth from the details of hate-motivated events, we can never assume that they are…
This parent/family discussion guide helps families engage in a discussion about the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, its aftermath and how families can help.
This discussion guide about the musical Parade will help middle and high school students and adults reflect upon and discuss the themes and artistic elements of Parade.
Commemorated each year in the month of June, LGBTQ+ Pride Month honors the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. In June of 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn staged an uprising to resist the police harassment and persecution to which LGBTQ+ Americans were commonly subjected. This uprising marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQ+ Americans. Today, LGBTQ+ Pride Month celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties,…
Ability, Disability and Ableism Educational Resources
Tools and Strategies
Explore with young people the experiences of people with disabilities, the bias and discrimination they face, and the struggle to continue fighting for their rights.
The Pyramid of Hate illustrates the prevalence of bias, hate and oppression in our society. It is organized in escalating levels of attitudes and behavior that grow in complexity from bottom to top. Like a pyramid, the upper levels are supported by the lower levels; unlike a pyramid, the levels are not built consecutively or to demonstrate a ranking of each level. Bias at each level reflects a system of oppression that negatively impacts individuals, institutions and society…
Navegando en un mundo digital: Consejos para los jóvenes
Tools and Strategies
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers | For Students Tweens and teens spend a lot of time using technology, much of it positive, but it can move into cyberbullying and other online mean behavior. Below are tips young people can use in their digital lives to help them have a positive online experience and effectively respond to negative online behavior and cyberbullying. Before going online...Set guidelines.Limit electronic use.Consider what it means to be responsible online…
When ‘Just Joking’ Is No Joke: How to Respond When Students’ ‘Jokes’ are Biased or Offensive
Tools and Strategies
There are many benefits of humor. A good joke can ease tension in a stressful situation. Humor can connect people and bring them together. Jokes can bring levity to a situation that begs for lightheartedness. Being funny can signal to others who you are. Humor can even open a conversation that previously felt closed or off-limits.
However, jokes and humor, when they target social identity groups, can do the opposite. They can make people feel unsafe, disconnected, excluded and…