For HuffPost’s #LoveTakesAction series, we’re telling stories of how people are standing up to hate and supporting those most threatened. What will you stand up for? Tell us with #LoveTakesAction.
In the weeks following election day, many students and teachers have witnessed acts of hate and bigotry in schools across America.
HuffPost Live host Jay Shetty sat down with three educators to discuss how teachers can safeguard against hate in classrooms during Donald Trump’s presidency. In the conversation, the teachers opened up about the types of incidents they’ve already dealt with and how they plan to help students going forward.
“I think there’s a really big trend in like telling kids ‘this is going to be horrible, this is how bad it’s going to be’ and I think there’s a way to have those honest conversations without scaring kids,” New York City high school teacher Faiqa Amreen said. “Because the last thing they need to be right now is scared, they need to be empowered.”
For Nagla Bedir, a high school teacher who posted a viral and inspiring message of solidarity with students of color in her classroom, it’s just as important to give students the tools to face bigotry wherever they may find it.
“I think that I would say that students need to learn how to advocate for themselves and it’s our responsibilities as educators, as parents, as older brothers and sisters to teach kids to learn to advocate for themselves and empower them to do that,” she told Shetty. “And [we need to] also teach kids how to have conversations with people they disagree with in a way that doesn’t attack that person but that idea. Because those are two different types of conversations.”
Watch them discuss their advice for educators in the clip above and catch the the full conversation here.
Know a story from your community of people fighting hate and supporting groups who need it? Send news tips to lovetips@huffingtonpost.com.