History

Right around this time, 50 years ago, nine high school students faced a sea of angry people and integrated the schools in Little Rock. I think the first time I learned about the Little Rock Nine was when I was in 5th grade, and all of the classes in my school spent a week watching Eyes on the Prize, a documentary about the nonviolent aspect of the Civil Rights Movement. I always think of that documentary as one of the most shaping experiences of my education.

More recently, I learned about some of the other events that shaped the Civil Rights Movement while watching another documentary. This time, the movie was shown to my graduate school class, and it talked about the Children's March. Until that time, I had not known of the children who forced Birmingham to integrate. These were the children the fire hoses were turned on. The children that the dogs chased. And, it was all so they could receive the education that they wanted.

I always wonder if I am doing enough to teach my students about the history that shapes each of their lives. Wonder if I am doing anything to really promote social justice? Struggle with the fact that I may be perpetuating some part of the myth of "separate but equal" in my position as a special educator. Those are issues I am not sure if I will ever come to terms with....

After school, when I learned that yesterday was the 50th anniversary of that famous day of school, I spent time trying to find things that might help my students understand the history they have inherited. But, this is proving to be more difficult than I had hoped. I am going to have to explain this to them in some way. They should know what has happened before them. I am the one who is supposed to teach them.