By Carolyn Jones, EdSource, January 20, 2021
Amid escalating political tension nationwide, California’s school counselors are urging students, families and school staff — especially in politically conservative communities — to talk about the insurgency in Washington, D.C., and the importance of non-violent communication.
While many teachers have used the Jan. 6 insurgency and the peaceful transfer of power as a lesson in history and politics, the topic has been decreed off-limits in some schools, said Loretta Whitson, executive director of the California Association of School Counselors. Whitson’s organization sent a letter Monday to more than 10,000 teachers, school administrators and parents around the state advocating for more dialogue, not less.
“We are finding that open dialogue about the insurrection has been stifled in some communities,” Whitson said. “Now is not the time to play it safe and be silent. Now’s the time to talk.”
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