As attacks on anti-racist education escalate across the country, we’re happy to be able to share a couple of pieces of good news:
We’re excited to be able to offer you a free resource for teaching about Palestine! We’ve received funding to provide at least 15 teachers with class sets of Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for Their Village, by Teach Palestine Project Co-Coordinator Jody Sokolower. Grounded in an Ethnic Studies framework, Determined to Stay centers the voices of Palestinian youth and their families, and makes connections between Palestine and issues critical to youth in the US, including losing their homes, forced separation of families and hip-hop as resistance. It was named a “Best Book for Teens 2021” by the New York Public Library. Check out reviews in Rethinking Schools, Kirkus, Middle East Monitor and Mondoweiss.
Teachers who have used the book in their classrooms this year have been enthusiastic. If you’re interested in a free class set and curriculum support, please email jody@mecaforpeace.org and we can discuss details.
We have added a new piece of curriculum to our website: “ ‘Was She Really Going to Punch That Soldier?’ A 6th-Grade Unit Takes a Global Look at Youth Incarceration.” Educator Simone Allen uses students’ exploration of criminalization of youth in the United States as an entryway to understanding the lives of Palestinian youth, including their criminalization by Israel. We’re especially excited about this strong middle school addition to our resources. Simone participated in our Teacher Trip to Palestine.
We’d love to hear about your experiences teaching about Palestine, and ways you’ve incorporated it into your classroom.
In solidarity,
Samia and Jody
