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One and All

Opening a shared conversation about how educators can protect students from bullying, confront divisions, and foster inclusion
One and All illustration with many childrens' faces coming together to form one face

* Updated: 8/15/17

Recent events — a polarizing presidential election, incidents of racial and religious targeting, community violence, the sounding of once-fringe voices — have exposed ugly divisions in our country, as well as lingering stereotypes and entrenched biases. The strident voices that often dominate elements of our politics and our media can overpower the voices of civility, kindness, equity, and respect.

All of this trickles down to our schools — and to our students. And that's what motivates an initiative called One and All, a website at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where we’re posting strategies and guidance that engage the difficult questions educators are now facing. We welcome your voice and your perspectives in this critical conversation.

At One and All, we’re sharing strategies to help educators navigate divisions, protect their students, reject hatred and bullying, and promote tolerance across difference.

The last year has brought alarming reports of bullying and harassment among students and within school walls, including incidents of hate speech, racism, and anti-Semitism. Students of color, immigrant students, refugee students, LGBTQ students — as well as their teachers and families — may feel targeted by federal policies and actions, and deeply worried. Other students and families — whether they feel personally targeted or feel empathy for those groups — may feel anxious as well. Still others, including those whose preferred candidate(s) won their electoral contests, may be feeling isolated or alarmed by the polarization in our society and our schools. As the rituals of election-season civics lessons were disrupted by the ugly rhetoric of the campaign, teachers struggled to accommodate political conversation and free speech, while rejecting divisive language and supporting their students. And parents struggled to make sense of it for their kids (and themselves).

Responding to all of that, we’re asking: What can we do to protect the students who are particularly vulnerable to bullying and harassment, especially now? How can we create a learning climate that is respectful of all viewpoints and that firmly protects the rights and dignity of every person? What can we do to encourage conversation across barriers (of gender, race, identity, political views) and across difficult topics? How can we reject hatred and intolerance?

As part of our One and All initiative, we’re posting strategies and guidance that engage all these questions. We welcome your voice and your perspectives in this critical conversation.

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