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A video of a boy turned away at the schoolhouse door because of his hair went viral. But this isn't an isolated case. These resources explain the bias behind certain hair and dress code policies, and hopefully inspire you to see this new school year as an opportunity to stand up for your students' right to be themselves—inside and out.

In May 2018, more than 175,000 Starbucks employees stopped work to talk about racism, discrimination and implicit bias. These discussions might be happening at Starbucks, but we know they need to happen elsewhere, too. Here are some resources on implicit bias to help you look inward, then start a conversation of your own.

This week, residents of Puerto Rico stood together to demand accountability from their government. They saw their protests yield results with the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló. When your students return this fall, you have an opportunity to talk with them about the necessity—and power—of standing together against injustice. These resources can help.

As an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ efforts—particularly targeting trans and nonbinary youth—continues at the start of the new school year, it’s imperative for educators, parents and caregivers to help young people understand that justice requires an appreciation for the value of identity and diversity among individuals, and that there are actions to take to ensure equity. These LFJ resources can help foster such understanding. 

The Social Justice Standards allow educators to use backward design when planning lessons and provide a framework for discussing social justice topics at every stage of K-12 instruction. Get to know the anchor standards, grade-level outcomes and the four domains of anti-bias teaching and learning—Identity, Diversity, Justice and Action—with the resources in this edition of The Moment.

National Suicide Prevention Week is September 8-14. And while educators can’t—and shouldn’t—act as mental health professionals, they can advocate for students. They can help create schools and communities where all children know they’re valued and loved and where support is available if students find themselves in crisis. We hope these resources will help.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march for voting rights. Hundreds of activists, students and educators organized and marched bravely in the face of racist violence and arrests. Use these resources to teach how the Selma organizers achieved one of the most significant victories of the civil rights era: the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

As we continue to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we hope educators commit to uplifting the diversity of AAPI identities year round. These resources offer ideas for including AAPI stories and valuing the lived experiences of AAPI people in our learning spaces, regardless of our own identities and those of our students.