Virtual Events

Thank you to the sponsors of the 8/19 #UMustLearn #LiberatoryRadioShow show: International Montessori Council (IMC), Mountain Montessori, Montessori Educational Programs International (MEPI), and Virginia Montessori Association (VMA) for joining us for the special #CriticalRaceTheory #CRT two-hour radio programming.

Register for this and other events in our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) webinar series! 

Why: There’s been an anti-CRT furor that has swept the nation, so much so that Texas has passed a bill removing the requirement to teach that the Ku Klux Klan is ‘morally wrong’! So join us as we speak with experts and educators about this critically important topic, including:

• Irene Calis, AU professor speaks as a CRT expert;
• Jalaya Dunn, Director of Learning for Justice speaks as an educational organizer;
• Delegate Dr. Pam Queen, MD state Del speaks as an elected official and educator;
• Dr. Akil Houston – associate professor of Cultural and Media Studies in the Department of
  African American Studies at Ohio University;
• Julie Johnson, Meadows Montessori School, Head of School, speaks as a school leader;
• Dr. Cindy Acker, International Montessori Council (IMC) Board member and Director of Social Justice speaks as an educational leader
• Alissa McKown and Sheri Bishop of Virginia Montessori Association (VMA) speak as educational leaders

Click here to learn more about DC’s Mumu Fresh!

Want to learn more? Check out these resources:

• Who Really Drives Critical Race Theory Legislation? An Investigation by Sarah  Schwartz
• Click here to view the Education Week article which they are regularly updating to track state level legislative efforts
• A $5 Million Fine for Classroom Discussion on Race? In Tennessee This Is the New Reality by Eesha Pendharker
• A Lesson on Critical Race Theory by Janel George from American Bar Association
• AAPF and Sundance Present: The Story of Us
• Black Lives Matter and the Zinn Education Project have teamed up and are encouraging educators to make a public pledge to teach the truth in gatherings around the country August 27-29. They are posting event locations as they receive them here or you can sign up to host one and they will provide you with a toolkit. Click here to learn more!
  • Click here to sign their pledge to teach the truth
  • Click here to view #TeachTruth Social Media Challenge with info on how to amplify this on IG and Twitter
• The African American Policy Institute has launched the Truth be Told project which is tracking legislative efforts and also has an interactive map as well as a collection of media stories and other resources on the topic. 
• The NEA has a branch called the Ed Justice League, click here to sign up!
• Receiving Questions about CRT? Consider the Source by Jay McTighe

Related Resources From Embrace Race:

• Creator of the term “Critical Race Theory” explains what it really is, Professor Kimberly Crenshaw on MSNBC
• How a conservative activist invented the conflict over critical race theory by Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker
• Texas Senate Votes to Remove Required Lessons on Civil Rights, Bloomberg News

This event is being co-sponsored by International Montessori Council (IMC), Mountain Montessori, Montessori Educational Programs International (MEPI), and Virginia Montessori Association (VMA)

Dr. Cindy Acker will be joining the session to share her perspective. She holds degrees in human development, culture, and spirituality and a doctorate in educational leadership from UC Berkeley. She is former VP of the National Child Care Association and has served as a public policy adviser for Montessori schools and school associations. She is a five-time award winner in areas of social justice and has created platforms for school social justice and protocols for school re-entry post-covid-19. She was trained by Ursula Thrush and is head of The Child Unique Montessori School and Montessori Elementary School in Alameda. Cindy also currently serves as an International Montessori Council (IMC) board member and director of Social Justice.