By Patrick Wall, Chalkbeat Newark, June 9, 2020
The roots of recent police violence against black Americans stretch all the way back to slavery, yet many students never learn that history.
In Newark, that may soon change. The city school system is creating a new curriculum centered on African American history that will teach students not only how the country has oppressed black people, but also how black Americans helped build this nation through their labor, artistry, and ongoing struggle for equality.
The new teaching materials, which the district has been working on for months, could provide some historical context for the latest acts of police violence, including the killing of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man whose death last month in police custody ignited widespread protests. It could also help students understand how structural racism contributes to the health disparities that have made black Americans, along with Latino and indigenous people, especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.
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