Today we awoke to the horrible news of another mass shooting, the most deadly in American history. In the assault on a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, 49 innocent people were killed and over 50 wounded in an attack on a popular LGBTQ club celebrating both Pride Month and the Latino community.
Boston Children’s Museum is a place of joy and learning for all families, many of whom are members of the diverse communities of Boston and the Commonwealth. An attack on the LGBTQ and Latino communities is an attack on all of us, and we grieve for the families of those who senselessly lost their lives.
It was just three years ago that Boston suffered its own terror attack with the loss of three lives and the injury of many others. At that time, we arose as Boston Strong – the slogan that helped us come together and heal. But, just three years later, we see our community under duress, as hate crimes against the African American, Muslim, Jewish, Latino, LGBTQ and other minority communities persist. At the same time, Boston saw the senseless death of a young student, Raekwon Brown, at Jeremiah Burke High School in Dorchester last week. This promising junior lost his life in an attack just steps from the school.
As parents, teachers and citizens, how do we make sense of these heinous acts and how do we explain them to our children and students? How do we manage our outrage, our fear, and our confusion? I would like to suggest we channel these feelings of helplessness into action. Young children are learning at a fast rate and absorbing all that they see and hear. They also have an acute sense of what is right and wrong. During these critical impressionable years, we need to teach our children to understand differences, to recognize bias and hate, to learn to accept those different from themselves, and to stand up against bullies. We need to set them on a path that will lead to the development of healthy relationships, respect and compassion for those different than themselves, and a strong sense of community and citizenship. At the same time, we must also look deep into ourselves and uncover our own unconscious biases, addressing them in an open and transparent way, with humility and an eagerness to change our own behaviors and beliefs, so that we can stand against intolerance and bigotry.
At Boston Children’s Museum, we work hard to create community through our many cultural festivals, our MorningStar programs for kids with special needs, our Boston Black exhibit, our access programs and our outreach to Boston’s diverse communities. In the next few years we will increase our focus on teaching tolerance and combating bias and bullying. Below I have shared some resources that may help you to teach tolerance to your children and students.
In the wake of this past week’s terrible events, and those that came before, we pledge that Boston Children’s Museum will remain a place of peace and community, where all families are welcome to enjoy their time together in our rich, learning environment. We stand by the communities that have come under attack and we will stand by you in your efforts to raise healthy, happy children who will grow to become great citizens of our country and our world.
Resources for Teaching Tolerance:
Beyond the Golden Rule, a Teaching Tolerance Publication:
http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/beyond_golden_rule.pdf
Anti-Defamation League, Anti-Bias Study Guides:
Anti-Bias Education, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC):
https://www.naeyc.org/content/anti-bias-guide-holidays
Carole Charnow 6/12/16
The Power of Play 