FORJ Leaders March Meeting Recap
On March 10th, leaders of FORJ teams from elementary schools, middles schools and high schools across Newton met on Zoom to share experiences and talk about events.
One extraordinary moment of the call included the voice of an elementary student who leads an “Upstander” student group at their school. The group started a campaign to recognize when students are behaving as an Upstander, someone who stands up for someone who is being attacked or bullied in some way.
There have been some incidents of racist and anti-Simetic language in and around some schools. While school principals and Newton Public Schools administrators are addressing individual incidents, the FORJ leaders are talking about developing collaborations and protocols to give families and students more tools to be Upstanders and to build awareness and support in the whole community.
Here are some upcoming FORJ events:
Burr & Horace Mann Elementary School FORJ Book Club / March 17th, 7p– 8p
Reading and discussion of King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender. Find for free in library, audio CDs from library, e-book on overdrive, audiobook on overdrive.
Burr FORJ Meeting / March 17th, 8p – 9p
Discussion of the mayor’s recent data on Newton hate incidents/crimes, navigate a scenario involving children and race, and get together in working groups to discuss the upcoming FORJ sponsored movie night and hear from Michael Fagone, founder of the West Roxbury Diverse Libraries.
It’s 100% okay if you do not join the Book Club that precedes the meeting or vice versa!
Women’s History Month Feature: Pauli Murray
Anna Pauline “Pauli” Murray was an American civil rights activist who became a lawyer, gender equality advocate, Episcopal priest, and author. She was instrumental in the landmark “Brown vs Board of Education” court case, which determined that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Her book States’ Laws on Race & Color, a comprehensive examination and critique of segregation laws across the country, was essential in the Supreme Court decision. She coined the term Jane Crow, which detailed her belief that Jim Crow laws also negatively affected Black women.
Thinking Ahead
This June will mark the second observance of Juneteenth at Lincoln-Eliot. If you’d like to join the event committee, please contact Lanni Isenberg, lanni_harris@yahoo.com.
FAMILIES ORGANIZING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE (FORJ) is a group of diverse Newton families helping our children learn about issues of power and inequality and how to stand up for racial justice. We seek to generate understanding and curiosity about differences in our society, and to work together towards racial equity.
For more information about FORJ, contact Lincoln-Eliot FORJ PTO Liaison Lanni Isenberg, lanni_harris@yahoo.com.