Professor Sonya Douglass is leading the Black Education Research Center (BERC) in a project to create a first-of-its-kind, Pre-K through 12 interdisciplinary Black Studies curriculum for New York City public schools, the largest district in the U.S. She walks us through BERC’s research and findings about the impacts of COVID-19 and racism on Black students and families (2:14), why including Black Studies in our education is important and relevant, as well as a long time coming (5:07). We explore what’s at stake, for our students and our democracy, in the midst of current attacks on teachers and public education (8:11).

Professor Douglass takes us inside the ground-breaking work that this curriculum project is taking on (11:48), and how they are thinking ahead to reach other communities across the country (14:15). She shares how she’s doing in the midst of both these efforts and this political environment (16:20) and the vision that pulls her forward. Dr. Douglass frames Black Studies as the study of the world (19:35) and how this inclusive approach can serve as a corrective to existing schooling, which highlights the perspective of white Europeans to the exclusion of others. 

There tends to be more talk about what people don’t want in schools instead of what they do, but here Professor Douglass walks us through the six tenants of this emancipatory vision of education (20:46), and addresses what actions we can take to support and advance this future (23:03).

Follow "How’s School?" for new episodes and announcements. You can find the full transcript of the episode, along with links to Professor Douglass’s work and the Black Education Research Center on the episode website.

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This series is created, hosted and produced by Joe Riina-Ferrie and Jen Lee, with audio production and original music by Billy Collins. "How's School?" is a production of The Digital Futures Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University.