Dear Educators, Parents, Leaders, Friends & Co-Conspirators,

NPR reported that half of our teachers seek an exit illustrating no good deed goes unpunished. 

I’m seeing and hearing firsthand from teachers in our beloved democratic classroom leadership (dcl) community across the country. “Hanging on by a thread”, say the teachers, “just trying to make it through”. By and large, educators thought this past year was to be easier than the first pandemic year. But it was much harder for most. Students returned addicted to their devices and out of the custom of convening together. While many voices called for students to “catch up” from the lost year, students weren’t having it. I wonder what exactly students are “behind” on? Those who claim students are behind ignore what invaluable life lessons students have learned because of the pandemic.

And so…in the spirit of democratic classroom leadership, we work to heal, restore, build on the positive, transcend our adultism and other oppressions. We get serious [and joyful!] about dismantling the White supremacy culture that lives inside each of us (students included). 

For me, this dcl work is personal, local, and immediate; it begins in my body. A lightbulb went on for me recently when someone asked, (instead of “what do you do for work?”) “What do you do to survive capitalism?” Survive capitalism? That really resonated for me. I am surviving capitalism. And I am also surviving workaholism, internalized superiority relative to my White skin, my gender, my sexuality, my able body, my nation of birth, my first language, and more. My body is filled with anxiety, stress, pain, and grief from surviving all of these oppressions. And to be clear: I am an agent, not a target of these oppressions. The pain of those who are targeted is incomparably and disproportionately intensified.  What does it feel and look like to survive all of this for each of us? How do we find joy in saving ourselves and the planet’s ability to give life? 

So many educators this year are asking some form of this question (in their own words, of course): 

How do I transcend the cognitive dissonance I feel every day trying to implement the dcl mindset and strategies? 

On one hand, I am told by administrators, by parents, and by society to teach using traditional autocratic methods. And in my heart, I know that doing that only perpetuates inequities, only speeds up the climate catastrophe—and only adds to the fear, competition, individualism, and the fast-paced “progress equals bigger, better, faster” culture.

On the other hand, I want to teach in a life-giving way that brings about equity and inclusion [and a healthy Mother Earth]. 

Through the work of Resmaa Menakem and other anti-racist thinkers, scholars, and leaders, I have learned that the work starts by listening to, accepting, and investigating where, how, and when this “surviving” way of being presents itself in my body. And, that we need to do this work in community with one another. For that reason, among many others, I am deeply grateful for you–the community of educators, parents/guardians and citizens who make up this Full Circle Leadership community. Thank you for showing up, and for your courage and vulnerability. Knowing we are in this together is what makes it possible for me to unravel and turn towards optimism and light.