Bending The Arc November 2023
A Social Justice Newsletter for Educators
Dear friends,
I hope this message finds you in a season of abundance and gratitude.
In my own life currently I am experiencing both of those alongside a string of other states: vulnerability, disappointment, grief and resentment. There, I said it. Something I am learning through the lessons of illness and resulting cancellations is that hubris and humility live on the same shelf; they are not as far removed from each other as we may trick ourselves into believing they must be. We make plans with the confidence of immortals. We promise others heaven and earth without calculating the potential cost. We make casual demands of others in a tone we wouldn’t dare use on our elders or children or anyone we truly care about.
As much as it pains me to feel myself weakened and somehow exposed, I must also acknowledge that I understand a shade deeper why loss of power and privilege often produces the reactions that it does. I am angry. And resentful. These things aren’t supposed to happen to me! All of these feelings and more are coursing through me along with the virus. I am not immune. I am as vulnerable and at risk as the next person. I am not special. My responses reveal a determination to fight any type of perceived loss - of control, of status, of power. My anger tells me I deserve better. My resentment tells me this shouldn’t have happened to me. My grief has a hard time being acknowledged because it’s considered a weight to be jettisoned.
All this to say, look out and be patient, friends. None of us has cornered the market on striking the ideal balance. We have some power, we have some privileges, we have vulnerabilities and we have a host of unknowns that we can’t control. Knowing ourselves is helpful; continuing to both learn about and love ourselves advances the cause. May abundance and gratitude color your days and give you pause. Let’s take care of each other. It’s necessary.
So that’s the sermon I obviously needed to get out. Let’s move on.
The World As It Is
The world is on fire. Billions of eyes are trained on the massive loss of life in Gaza which now exceeds 10,000; a toll that continues to climb. Calls from around the world for ceasefire have yet to yield the outcome that would at least temporarily provide some relief for besieged Palestinians in Gaza who lack access to food, clean water, medical supplies, safe shelter, and fuel.
(Yes, and. Crisis is also not far from our doorsteps. The news cycle must not be the sole determinant of how we deign to exert our energies toward more equity, less suffering, and closer connections. Let’s continue to look for ways to assist in the communities we inhabit on the regular - our classrooms, offices, families, faith circles.)
As I described in mid-October, my focus in approaching this conflict has been on listening; to pay close attention to whose voices I admit into my thought chambers. Because, make no mistake, I am/we are always choosing, deciding. I continue to acknowledge that my ignorance overshadows my knowledge in this field of political, social, cultural and religious history. And so I seek out not the most pointed voices but those whose aim is to educate, to provide helpful on-ramps for so many of us who are beginners. Here are some of the resources I have found beneficial.
Ezra Klein interviews Palestinian journalist, Amjad Iraqi. This is a far-reaching conversation that illuminates and offers insights I had not yet heard. One of the descriptors that Iraqi uses, truly made sense to me in understanding this conflict:
“[Palestine] - it’s a struggle that’s very much out of its place. It’s like 19th century ideologies and a 20th century conflict in a 21st century world.”
In my March 2023 newsletter, I referenced the extraordinary work of Hand in Hand schools which are Jewish-Arab cooperative schools located throughout Israel. On their FB and IG pages, they share a number of videos and artifacts from their communities processing current events and recommitting to the paths of peace and cooperation they have chosen by attending and supporting their school communities.
An example of students building bridges to protect and strengthen relationships in their community merits our consideration.
“We urge all students of MBHS to be mindful of their words and actions, and to ensure that they do not incite fear or make other students feel targeted or unsafe. Collectively, we have the social obligation to be sensitive to the experiences of others, and we should all understand that for many of us in the community, this is personal.”
One more … This full statement from Jewish students at Brown University calling for ceasefire and divestment from weapons manufacturers is worth reading:
“We stand strong in our belief that acknowledging the coexisting pain of multiple groups should never be taboo. Thus, we call on our Jewish communities to not only mourn for ourselves but to take action to protect the civilians of Gaza being bombed every day in their homes.”
Boys to Men
I’ve been reflecting on masculinity and misogyny and how these show up in our communities. Christopher Pepper, author of newsletter Teen Health Today, provides resources galore. (Subscribe. You’ll thank me!) And it was through his recommendations that I found some solid sources on confronting misogyny in our midst as well as on modeling and building healthy masculinities. Here are a couple of the gems I’ve garnered so far:
Next Gen Men offers a potent blog post about tackling the AT phenomenon among teen boys that goes deeper than most pieces. It offers a framework for considering boys’ emotional needs and how they are/are not being addressed.
A related rabbit hole led me to a podcast I now recommend to anyone who will listen: Other Men Need Help by Mark Pagàn. Narrative podcast that explores the emotional lives of men. Funny, thoughtful, human.
Making Room for Delights and Celebrations
Get yourself to you nearest library and relish the volume of recent titles in the picture book domain! I read Gibberish to several of my PE classes and the way they listened with rapt attention was a gift! Picture books and read alouds offer us more than meets the eye and for students of every age. The possibilities for building connections, community and joy are boundless.
I’m also pleased to announce that Higher Education For Good, a mammoth publication co-edited by Catherine Cronin and Laura Czerniewicz, was recently released by Open Book Publishers. I was honored to contribute a chapter of poems, Counters to Despair, to this remarkable collection of inquiries, essays and provocations on the future of Higher Education around the globe.
In closing, I want to express how thankful I am for each and every person who takes the time to read these words. Every edition opens up more space for humility and learning. That’s my hope, at least. As you gather with others this month and in the weeks ahead, try to stay open for what’s possible, for whatever invites growth.
Be well,
Sherri
Never underestimate the ripple effects even one relationship can have on your own world and the world outside of you. - Kaitlin B. Curtice, Living Resistance
This is a beautiful entry! I particularly love your medication on hubris and grief - they're so entwined with the good about what we do and think, and I appreciated you teasing out so much of that. Thank you for being such a shot of joy and thoughtfulness in my inbox!