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Thursday, May 19, 2022

Native Writers Sign Letter Submitted for US House Committee Hearing "Students, Parents & Others Testify on Curriculum Censorship"

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People is among the hundreds of books that have been challenged and banned in schools in the United States. Today (March 19th, 2022), a letter was submitted to the US Congress. I and several Native writers, including Andrea L. Rogers, Traci Sorell, Brian Young, Kevin Maillard, Tim Tingle, Dawn Quigley, Denise K. Lajimodiere, Kim Rogers, and Cynthia Leitich Smith, signed the letter. 

Signed by 1,300 children's and young adult authors, the letter was drafted by Christina Soontornvat. In his opening remarks of the US House Committee hearing on "Students, Parents & Others Testify on Curriculum Censorship," Representative Jamie Raskin read the entire letter. Children's and young adult books expand what is available in curriculum materials and textbooks. Censoring them is a harm to all children. 

I offer a special kú'daa (thank you) to Arigon Starr, for including her tribal nation--Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma--in her signature (I highlighted it and did a screen capture): 



Who we are, as citizens of tribal nations, matters and the books we create for young people matter. They provide our children with mirrors of our experiences as Native people, and they provide non-Native children with windows that accurately bring Native life to them in ways that help them understand the entirety of who we are. 

Here is a copy of the letter:

May 17, 2022

We, the undersigned, authors and illustrators of books for children and teens, condemn the efforts by organized groups to purge books from our nation’s schools. Our concern is not for the books themselves, but for the children, families, and communities who are caught in the crosshairs of these campaigns.

This current wave of book suppression follows hard-won gains made by authors whose voices have long been underrepresented in publishing. Just ten years ago, less than seven percent of children’s books featured characters who were Black, Indigenous, or people of color (source: Cooperative Children’s Book Center). Representation is finally increasing thanks to the work of groups like We Need Diverse Books. The current banning efforts are part of a strong and purposeful backlash against books written by BIPOC authors. Books with characters who are LGBTQIA+ have been vehemently targeted and frequently misrepresented.

When books are removed or flagged as inappropriate, it sends the message that the people in them are somehow inappropriate. It is a dehumanizing form of erasure. Every reader deserves to see themselves and their families positively represented in the books in their schools. These books are important for all children. Reading stories that reflect the diversity of our world builds empathy and respect for everyone’s humanity. At a time when our country is experiencing an alarming rise in hate crimes, we should be searching for ways to increase empathy and compassion at every turn.

A particularly insidious feature of the current attacks is the flood of accusations that anyone who seeks to give readers access to diverse books is a “groomer,” “radical,” or “pedophile.” These charges are abhorrent and without merit, and they have been leveled against not only authors, but against teachers and librarians. We strongly condemn this slander against our colleagues and our nation’s educators.

A book may not be for every student, but—as we know from the many letters we receive from young readers—a single book can matter deeply to an individual student. Nearly all campuses have an existing system to handle a parent’s concern with their own child’s reading material. Pro-censorship groups seek to overwhelm these systems by pressuring schools to pull entire lists of books from shelves “for review.” Some extremists have intimidated authors, educators, and school board members online and even threatened them with violence. This has created an atmosphere of fear that has led to “soft censorship” in many districts. Books are quietly removed or never purchased at all. Authors are never invited to speak, for fear of drawing the wrath of
these groups.

Libraries are bastions of the First Amendment. They provide equal access to a wealth of knowledge and ideas for all public school students. When individuals and organizations seek to advance their own political agendas or personal beliefs by censoring books, they infringe upon students’ constitutional rights.

We call upon Congress, statehouses, and school boards to reject the political manipulation of our schools, to uphold the values of freedom and equality promised in the Constitution, and to protect the rights of all young people to access the books they need and deserve.

Signed,

Judy Blume
Lois Lowry
Christina Soontornvat
Ellen Oh
Phil Bildner
Alex London
Dhonielle Clayton
Gordon Korman
Karina Yan Glaser
James Ponti
Minh Lê
Linda Sue Park
Nic Stone
Hena Khan
Katherine Paterson
Sarah Mlynowski
Meg Medina
Gregory Maguire
Stuart Gibbs
Julie Buxbaum
KA Holt
Juana Martinez-Neal
Nikki Grimes
Max Brallier
Samira Ahmed
Jim Averbeck
Louise Hawes
Rose Brock
Mary Brigid Barrett
Kyle Lukoff
Erika T. Wurth
Kate Hart
Andrea L. Rogers
Traci Sorell
Brian Young

Erin Entrada Kelly
Kathi Appelt
LeUyen Pham
Nisha Sharma
Debbie Reese
Kevin Maillard
Rick Riordan
Jacqueline Woodson
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Mo Willems
Jason Reynolds
Jeff Kinney
John Green
Raina Telgemeier
Tiffany D. Jackson
Mayra Cuevas
Rebecca Stead
Molly Idle
Bill Konigsberg
Joy McCullough
Liz Garton Scanlon
Elizabeth Eulberg
Adele Griffin
Laurel Snyder
Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Matt de la Peña
Cynthia Levinson
Bethany Hegedus
Elana K. Arnold
Audrey Vernick
Jason June
Tim Tingle
Jo Whittemore
ilene Wong Gregorio

Dawn Quigley
Supriya Kelkar
Jen Calonita
Jasmine Warga
Ronald L Smith
Victoria Aveyard
Rajani LaRocca
Jennifer Ziegler
Nidhi Chanani
Kami Garcia
Jeff Zentner
Gale Galligan
Angie Thomas
Dave Pilkey
Kate DiCamillo
Kwame Alexander
Avi
Jerry Craft
Dan Santat
Hope Larson
Varian Johnson
Romina Garber
Marianna Baer
Padma Venkatraman
Olugbemisola
Rhuday-Perkovich
Julie Murphy
Denise K. Lajimodiere
Laurie Devore
Soman Chainani
Jamie Lee Curtis
Mac Barnett
Megan Frazer Blakemore
Malinda Lo
Alex Segura

Kelly Yang
Naomi Milliner
Tracey Baptiste
Jon Scieszka
Veronica Roth
Shing Yin Khor
Supriya Kelkar
Shaenon K. Garrity
Alex Gino
Malayna Evans
Marie Lu
Laurel Goodluck
Randy Ribay
Courtney Summers
Jennifer Bertman
Libba Bray
Maulik Pancholy
Lin Oliver
Sarah Albee
Anne Wynter
Jessica Patrick
Kayla Cagan
Sara Ryan
Amy Spalding
Jordan Sonnenblick
Alexandria Giardino
Cory Putman Oakes
K-Fai Steele
Amy Novesky
Sayantani DasGupta
Erin Soderberg Downing
Donna Barba Higuera
David Bowles
Sarah Darer Littman
Nate Powell
Heidi E.Y. Stemple
Thyra Heder
Trung Le Nguyen
Mike Curato
Angeline Boulley
Barbara McClintock
Hannah Barnaby
Jeanne Birdsall
Steve Light
Maggie Rudy
Brian Floca
Malinda Lo
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Sherri L. Smith

Nicole Maggi
Gideon Sterer
Ginger Johnson
Kara Thomas
Debbi Michiko Florence
Maryrose Wood
Kristin Cashore
Carolyn Mackler
Lauren Castillo
Margo Rabb
Beth McMullen
Mary Winn Heider
Natalie Standiford
John Rocco
Judy Blundell/Jude Watson
Brian Selznick
Laura Ruby
Jessica Lee Anderson
Susan Kralovansky
Amitha Jagannath Knight
Jenn Reese
Mariah Fredericks
Oge Mora
Farrah Rochon
Jason Chin
Lisa Fipps
Greg van Eekhout
Catherine Linka
Lisa McMann
David Hyde Costello
Kristin Cast
Janae Marks
Kip Wilson
Meredith Davis
Bethanie Murguia
Aisha Saeed
Cecil Castellucci
Fran Manushkin
Raphael Simon (aka
Pseudonymous Bosch)
Carrie Jones
Pat Miller
Katie Bayerl
Misa Saburi
Matt McMann
Maurene Goo
Brendan Reichs
Kaitlin Ward
Andrew Farago

Chris Grabenstein
Edward Underhill
Tracy López
William Alexander
P. C. Cast
Preeti Chhibber
Gayle Forman
Priyanka Taslim
Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Kate Messner
Robin Stevenson
Stephanie S. Tolan
Margarita Engle
Mike Jung
Casey W. Robinson
Deva Fagan
Adam Gidwitz
Jenna Miller
ER Frank
Natasha Donovan
Heather Murphy Capps
Isi Hendrix
Evan Turk
Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
Megan Reyes
Kim Rogers
Traci Chee
John August
Aron Nels Steinke
Sylvia Liu
Lauren Myracle
MaryBeth Timothy
Emily Skrutskie
Brandy Colbert
Arigon Starr (Kickapoo Tribe of
Oklahoma)
Melissa Stewart
Laura Shovan
Heidi R Kling
Laura Parnum
Susie Ghahremani
Alyson Gerber
Ruth Chan
Tui T. Sutherland
Jimmy Gownley
Andrea Wang
Kiersten White
Tara Dairman
Jen Ferguson

Fran Wilde
Dahlia Adler
Marc Tyler Nobleman
Steve Orlando
Melissa Walker
Mark Oshiro
Joe Cepeda
Trisha Moquino
Lamar Giles
Robert Liu-Trujillo
Mary McCoy
Amanda Foody
Alex R Kahler
Laekan Zea Kemp
Mike Maihack
Samantha Berger
Claribel A. Ortega
Terry Catasús Jennings
Tirzah Price
Lois Sepahban
Maria Gianferrari
Alexis Larkin
Olivia Chadha
Kalena Miller
Leslie Stall Widener
Z Brewer
Shane Pangburn
Pat Zietlow Miller
Violet Lumani
Terry Widener
Rosiee Thor
Pamela Ehrenberg
Sara Ackerman
Lev Rosen
Margaret Stohl
Alysa Wishingrad
Gia Gordon
Liselle Sambury
Tom Angleberger
Eliza Kinkz
M.T. Anderson
e.E. Charlton-Trujillo
Jessica Lewis
Victor Pineiro
Rebecca Balcárcel
Judd Winick
A.S. King
Anne Broyles
Lisa Robinson

Miranda Paul
Baptiste Paul
Kristy Boyce
Payal Doshi
Holly Black
Paul O. Zelinsky
Joseph Bruchac
Caroline Gertler
Alexandra Alessandri
Staci L. Drouillard
Carter Higgins
Kiku Hughes
Lisa Stringfellow
Elaine Vickers
Amy Noelle Parks
Andrea M. Page
Melissa Dassori
Wendy Mass
Sarah Hovorka
Lisa Varchol Perron
Esme Symes-Smith
Precious McKenzie
Greg Neri
Haley Neil
Marie Rutkoski
Ibi Zoboi
Amy Reed
HM Bouwman
Renee Ahdieh
Colleen Paeff
Sarah Kapit
Karuna Riazi
Anne Ursu
Lillie Lainoff
Jake Burt
Tina Connolly
Susan Cooper
Raakhee Mirchandani
Conrad Wesselhoeft
Samantha M Clark
Trisha Speed Shaskan
Amy Tintera
Mónica Mancillas
NoNieqa Ramos
Stephen Shaskan
Nicole D. Collier
Amy Ignatow
Tara Platt
Nina Hamza

Shawn Peters
Emily X.R. Pan
Jessixa Bagley
Lea Foushee
Deborah Heiligman
Betsy Bird
Anne Nesbet
Leslie Connor
Sue Macy
Veera Hiranandani
Miranda Sun
Cece Bell
Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
Susan Kuklin
Jennifer Wilson
Martha Brockenbrough
Kim Turrisi
S.K. Ali
Patricia Morris Buckley
Elizabeth Blake
Lori R Snyder
Kirsten W. Larson
Jaime Formato
Saira Mir
Thomas Lennon
Judy I. Lin
April Jones Prince
Susan Azim Boyer
Jenny Han
Joana Pastro
Lindsay H. Metcalf
Gloria Amescua
Tamika Burgess
Lindsey Lane
M.O. Yuksel
Ingrid Law
Swati Avasthi
Will Taylor
Elisa Stone Leahy
Darshana Khiani
Abi Cushman
Andrea Menotti
Rochelle Hassan
Catherine Arguelles
Naz Kutub
Kara LaReau
Sarah Park Dahlen
Carol Kim
Nadia Salomon
Amanda Rawson Hill
Justine Pucella Winans
Lori Nichols
Laura Rueckert
Joanna Ho
Caroline Kusin Pritchard
Cylin Busby
Thi Bui
Sarah Street
Innosanto Nagara
Gigi Griffis
Ruta Sepetys
Adam Sass
Jen Wang
M.T. Khan
Katherine Applegate
Sheela Chari
Angela Burke Kunkel
Stephanie Burgis
Loree Griffin Burns
Jarrett Lerner
Jacob Sager Weinstein
Courtney Pippin-Mathur
Eliot Schrefer
Carole Lindstrom
Linda Urban
Jyoti Rajan Gopal
Jessica Young
Claire Bobrow
Andrew Maraniss
Steven Weinberg
Susan Eaddy
Trang Thanh Tran
Ann Braden
Jessica Vitalis
Lesléa Newman
Mika Song
Brendan Kiely
Brian D. Kennedy
Mónica Brown
Sean Petrie
Jo Knowles
Adib Khorram
Robert Broder
Karen Strong
Steve Sheinkin
Kathy Halsey
Breanna J. McDaniel
Kelly Starling Lyons

Sheri Dillard
Varsha Bajaj
Zoraida Córdova
Ryan T Higgins
Tameka Fryer Brown
Matt Tavares
Sarah Ahiers
Jamar Nicholas
Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
Meg Cannistra
Andrea Beatriz Arango
Peggy Thomas
Saraciea J. Fennell
Wendell Minor
Don Tate
Alicia D. Williams
E. Lockhart
Jane Yolen
Christine Heppermann
Anita Kharbanda
Linda Zajac
Brittany J. Thurman
Eric Smith
Charles Beyl
Charnaie Gordon
Renée Watson
Mari Mancusi
Molly B. Burnham
Alan Gratz
Kekla Magoon
Emma Carlson Berne
Gayatri Sethi
Debra Shumaker
Cynthia Platt
Vivian Vande Velde
Lisa Connors
Kate Klise
Reese Eschmann
Elizabeth Falk
Siman Nuurali
Valerie Bolling
Beth Ferry
James Riley
Nancy Ohlin
Jan Carr
Isabella Kung
Andrew Eliopulos
Elizabeth Acevedo
Grace Lin

Ellen Leventhal
Sheba Karim
David Small
Chris Tebbetts
Joyce Wan
Bree Paulsen
Corlette Douglas
Laurie Morrison
Sarah Warren
Abby Cooper
Daphne Kalmar
Sara Zarr
Jeanette Bradley
Javier Gimenez Ratti
Erin Petti
Stephanie Watson
Shadra Strickland
David Arnold
April Daniels
Leda Schubert
Gail Carson Levine
Kass Morgan
Eric Bell
Adam Rex
Julie Falatko
Sandra Nickel
Alliah L. Agostini
Alexandra Villasante
Olivia Abtahi
Rilla Alexander
Jennifer Gennari
Rachael Allen
Brad McLelland
Laura Gehl
Lisa J La Banca Rogers
Chantel Acevedo
Christina Díaz Gonzalez
Jenn Bishop
Laurie Halse Anderson
Crystal Allen
Dara Sharif
Anica Mrose Rissi
Marla Frazee
Matthew J. Kirby
Renee Kurilla
Becky Albertalli
John Claude Bemis
Brenda Seabrooke
Barney Saltzberg

Shanna Miles
Cristina Oxtra
Zoey Abbott
Heather Kamins
Ann Jacobus
Maria Scrivan
Loriel Ryon
Maria José Fitzgerald
Zack Loran Clark
S. Isabelle
Miriam Glassman
Gretchen McNeil
Matt Phelan
Kim Johnson
Jarrett Pumphrey
Kao Kalia Yang
Alechia Dow
Shannon Gibney
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Neal Shusterman
Ismée Williams, MD
Angela Quezada Padron
James Burks
Tanya Lee Stone
Sarah Klise
Laura Sibson
Lynne Kelly
Tamara Ireland Stone
Amber McBride
Ally Malinenko
Tracy Subisak
Deborah Underwood
Robin Yardi
Tashia Hart
Micah Player
Janet Sumner Johnson
Laurie Keller
Kalynn Bayron
Anne Greenwood Brown
Elisa Chavarri
Linsey Miller
Virginia Euwer Wolff
Cathy Ann Johnson-Conforto
Alli Brydon
Gene Barretta
Meg Fleming
Amy Lukavics
Julissa Mora
Kari Lavelle

Jacqueline Woodson
Mia García
Manju B. Howard
J.F. Fox
Tracy Barrett
Leigh Bardugo
Adriana Hernández Bergstrom
Catherine Alene
Maria van Lieshout
Sarah Meade
Janee Trasler
Bridget Hodder
Jenny Whitehead
Sue Fliess
Erzsi Deak
Gilly Segal
Kristen Simmons
Alexandra Monir
Jieting
Janet Fox
Kimberly Latrice Jones
Aminah Mae Safi
Laura H. Beith
Yamile Saied Mendez
Rocky Callen
Elisa Ludwig
Demetra Brodsky
Alison Pearce Stevens
Chrystal D. Giles
Michelle Nott
Amy Young
Michelle Coles
Kathryn Thurman
Josh Allen
E. Katherine Kottaras
Karen Cushman
Lauren Morrill
Marissa Meyer
Holly M McGhee
Laurie Wallmark
Amy Gilez
Kelly McWilliams
Katie McGarry
Abigail Marble
M.K. Farr
Elly Swartz
Margaret Owen
Mike Chen
Nancy Castaldo

Sheila McGraw
Laura Taylor Namey
Christy Mihaly
Tessa Gratton
Huy Voun Lee
Hayley Barrett
Melanie Ellsworth
Nikki Katz
Halli Gomez
Daria Peoples
Kirsten Miller
Kim Ventrella
Pam Munoz Ryan
Emmy Kastner
Jessica Verdi
Stephanie Greene
Kate Berube
John Coy
Rose Garcia Moriarty
Karen Yin
Vera Brosgol
Kim Holt
R.L. Toalson
Teresa Robeson
Sage Blackwood
Gennifer Choldenko
Mylisa Larsen
Priscilla Alpaugh
Amy Huntington
Aditi Khorana
Adrienne Maria Vrettos
David Goodner
Chris Barton
Rebecca Petruck
Rebecca G. Aguilar
TeMika Grooms
Tiffany Gholar
Lissette Norman
Amy Ewing
Kate Barsotti
Shannon Hale
Rachel Gozhansky
Julien Chung
Michelle Cusolito
Margaret Chiu Greanias
Kit Rosewater
Sarah Aronson
Allen R. Wells
Jodi McKay

Ellen Booraem
Christine Evans
Constance Lombardo
Suzanne Morgan Williams
Ann E.. Burg
Joan F. Smith
Anne AC Gaughen
Andrea J. Loney
Mary Bowman-Kruhm
Judith L. Roth
E. B. Goodale
Laurenne sala
Lisa Katzenberger
Sophie Cameron
Jessie Sima
Melanie Conklin
Diana Sudyka
Maxine Kaplan
Gina Rosati
Sarah Tomp
Cátia Chien
Karen Romano Young
Tonya Duncan Ellis
Ashley Hope Pérez
PJ McIlvaine
Tiffany Schmidt
Beth Revis
Marsha Hayles
Allan Wolf
Jewell Parker Rhodes
Fleur Bradley
Karen Jialu Bao
Venessa Vida Kelley
Cinda Williams Chima
Becky Scharnhorst
Jason Gots
Angie Isaacs
Hayley Rocco
Keely Parrack
Mackenzie Joy
Gareth Hinds
Lori Degman
Katie Slivensky
Lindsay Moore
Joanie Stone
Eric Fan
Gracey Zhang
Madelyn Rosenberg
Michael Leali

Charise Mericle Harper
Mary Crockett
Audrey Helen Weber
Pamela S. Turner
Peter Brown
Shirley Ng-Benitez
Elizabeth Shreeve
Hope Lim
Sally J. Pla
Marcie Wessels
Kimberly Gee
Cynthia Harmony
Henry Herz
Jennifer Wolfe/Bosworth
Cynthia Cotten
Alison Goldberg
Aamna Qureshi
Anna Kopp
Rita Williams-Garcia
Elisa A. Bonnin
Brooke Boynton-Hughes
Leslie Bulion
Farrah Penn
Heather Lang
Travis Jonker
Deborah Freedman
Holly Jahangiri
Stef Wade
Diane Magras
Sarah Jung
Caela Carter
Anne Ylvisaker
Nikki Barthelmess
Carson Ellis
Jen White
Dan Richards
Nicola Yoon
Jodi Meadows
Marcie Colleen
Mary Reaves Uhles
Susan Johnston Taylor
Laura Gao
Dori Hillestad Butler
Melanie Sumrow
Carol Joy Munro
Pam Fong
Julia DeVillers
Jolene Gutierrez
Carmen Rodrigues

Darin Shuler
Tanisia Tee Moore
Uma Krishnaswami
Chris Eboch
Arree Chung
Malia Maunakea
Laura Silverman
Richard Michelson
Ellen Hopkins
Robb Pearlman
Andrea Zimmerman
Faith Pray
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Jennifer E. Smith
J. Anderson Coats
Elise Gravel
Amanda Hosch
Ransom Riggs
Julia Kuo
Karen S. Chow
Dianne White
Corinna Luyken
Ty Chapman
Christine Taylor-Butler
Divya Srinivasan
A.J. Irving
David Wiesner
Lisa Moore Ramee
Gina Perry
Chuck Gonzales
Kelly DiPucchio
Jonathan Stutzman
bryan collier
Cheryl Keely
Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
Tamara Ellis Smith
Nancy Bo Flood
Dana J. Sullivan
Sharon Darrow
Amber Benson
Erika L. Jones
Chris Baron
Kelly Light
Dana Swift
Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh
Jennifer K Mann
Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Anna Meriano
Juliana Brandt

David Yoon
Corey Ann Haydu
Michelle Houts
Randi Pink
Jess Townes
Nicholas Solis
Kimberly Derting
Caroline Carlson
Ana Siqueira
Wendy Shang
Antwan Eady
Debbie Zapata
Tara Altebrando
Karen Rostoker-Gruber
Elizabeth Lim
Lisa Anchin
Alessandra Narváez Varela
Henry Neff
Megan Hoyt
Jia Liu
Cynthia Reeg
Cherie Colyer
Jessica Spotswood
Ben Clanton
Nina Crews
Aida Salazar
Laura Renauld
Lisa L. Owens
Skylaar Amann
Tracy Nishimura Bishop
Miriam Busch
Mae Respicio
Meera Sriram
Eric Velasqquez
A.M. Wild
Jacqueline Jules
Rachel M. Wilson
Marcy Campbell
Nancy Armo
Jennifer Fosberry
Jessica Pennington
Rosanne Parry
Nanci Turner Steveson
Toni Yuly
Lisa Thiesing
Joya Goffney
Shannon Hitchcock
Donna Gephart
Kendare Blake

Denise Lewis Patrick
Fiona Cook
Erica S. Perl
Sara Raasch
Scott Schumaker
Paige McKenzie
Julia Alvarez
Sana Rafi
Chris Garcia-Halenar
Diana López
Katie Mazeika
Jacqueline West
Helaine Becker
Blythe Russo
Fahmida Azim
Jody Feldman
Monica Wesolowska
Gordon C. James
Tracy Deonn
Mariana Llanos
Megan Whalen Turner
Mark Holtzen
Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Lily Williams
Barb Rosenstock
Janie Bynum
Cathy Camper
Selina Alko
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Kari Allen
Molly Beth Griffin
Heather Fox
Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Barbara Dee
Anne Hunter
Lola M. Schaefer
Katie Davis
Yuyi Morales
Kristen Schroeder
Carolyn Crimi
Karen Schneemann
Ena Jones
Tara Lazar
Alyson Greene
Saundra Mitchell
Laura Murray
Stan Yan
Freeman Ng
Carmen Oliver

Jess Redman
Nicole Chen
Tahereh Mafi
Dow Phumiruk
Jessica Lanan
Jessica Petersen
L. E. Carmichael
Laura Purdie Salas
Lindsay Currie
Ann Bonwill
Carrie Finison
Mary Lou Peacock
Viviane Elbee
Anna Sortino
Ellen Hagan
Sabina Hahn
Carolyn Marsden
Joanna Cooke
M. K. England
Shannon Messenger
Lisbeth Checo
Curtis Manley
Elizabeth Brown
Carrie Firestone
Victoria Ying
Lucy Morris
Jon-Erik Lappano
Melissa Iwai
Kurtis Scaletta
Sonya Sones
Tricia Elam Walker
Marissa Moss
Korey Watari
Kaija Langley
Sarah Kurpiel
Alyssa Colman
Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Patricia Wiles
Charles R. Smith Jr.
Mike Wu
Eric Elfman
Shelley Pearsall
Katey Howes
Jacci Turner
Victoria M. Sanchez
Maya Prasad
Benson Shum
Lisze Bechtold
Zara González Hoang

Jess Brallier
Denis Markell
Zetta Elliott
Dinah Johnson
Lenore Appelhans
Pete Hautman
Erika R. Medina
Marti Dumas
Kaz Windness
Meredith Steiner
Laura Freeman
Guadalupe García McCall
Aram Kim
Shelly Anand
Fiona Halliday
Lenny Wen
Margery Cuyler
Rachael Lippincott
Betty C Tang
Anne O’Brien Carelli
Cindy L. Rodriguez
Susan Kusel
Tricia Springstubb
Julie Hampton
Cheryl Willis Hudson
Patricia Toht
Lisa Fields
Gene Luen Yang
Pat Cummings
Anitra Rowe Schulte
Leslie Kimmelman
Tony Piedra
Kathryn Otoshi
Rahele Jomepour Bell
Megan Paasch
Karen Gray Ruelle
Gaby D’Alessandro
Annie Silvestro
Pat Mora
Jasminne Mendez
Megan Bannen
Lauren Abbey Greenberg
Jamie Sumner
Veronica Rossi
Becky Herzog
Peter Pearson
Reggie Brown
Jennie Palmer
Victoria J Coe

She Ganz-Schmitt
Wade Hudson
Lilliam Rivera
Kim Smejkal
Nina Victor Crittenden
Tim McCanna
Joan Broerman
Sarah Plotzker
Kati Gardner
Sarah Henning
Jaime Berry
Lisa Schmid
Susan Muaddi Darraj
Aya Khalil
Lauren Paige Conrad
Anne Key
Zeena M. Pliska
Maleeha Siddiqui
Heather Brockman Lee
Peter Arenstam
Nicole Lesperance
Salima Alikhan
Tammi Sauer
Shirin Shamsi
Norene Paulson
Addie Tsai
Melissa Sarno
Sara K Joiner
Jennifer J. Stewart
Elissa Haden Guest
Cindy Derby
Shawn Harris
Alison Hawkins
Amy Wachspress
Brizida Magro
Sarah Raughley
Sarah & Ian Hoffman
Morgan Matson
Kristen Balouch
Sheetal Sheth
Janice Chiang
Kristy Acevedo
Sara Pennypacker
Julie Hedlund
Lindsay Leslie
Melissa de la Cruz
Nancy Werlin
Bonny Becker
Aimee Lucido

Deborah Halverson
Icy Smith
Haydee Zayas-Ramos
Nazareth Hidalgo Lobo
Esmeralda Santiago
Angelica Shirley Carpenter
Patricia Newman
Paula Yoo
Christina Francine
kevan atteberry
Jean Reagan
Ellen Wittlinger
Laya Steinberg
Francisco Jiménez
Bruce Coville
Theo Baker
Sarah Dessen
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Friday, September 07, 2018

Some thoughts on the use of the word "tribe" by teachers and schools...

Eds. note on Sunday, Sept 9, 2018: Many people responded to the thread I started on Sept. 7. Several asked if I knew about the Tribes Learning Community program. That question prompted me to add to the thread. I am adding the additional tweets as an update at the bottom of the post, along with a summary of some of the responses.


_____


"Some thoughts on the use of the word "tribe" by teachers and schools..."
September 7, 2018

Below is a thread I did on Twitter this morning. I used the spool app to compile the individual tweets so I could paste them here.

A conversation is taking place on Twitter, where some teachers are asking other teachers not to use "tribe" to describe their classrooms of students. 

Some people are trying to push back on those asking that it not be done. They are pointing to dictionary definitions of the word (tribe) to say that it does not mean only Native people--that it has roots elsewhere. 

That's true. The word 'tribe' is not an Indigenous word. It is used to describe many other nations/peoples around the world. But--we are talking about the US. Here, that is precisely what it evokes. 

And one need only do some google image searching to see that teachers are definitely using their ideas of Indigenous people to create classroom materials for their "tribe" of kids. (I did the red x overlay to indicate NOPE.)


Here's another one (and again, I added the red x):

And here's another! I could do this all day long. If you are a teacher, please reconsider. This is a new-ish fad, but like many fads, it is harmful. Don't do it!

I took a look at the site "Teachers Pay Teachers" and found many similar problematic ideas there. "Create a tribe" is one. It is like the too-many "what is your Indian name" activities that are everywhere. They draw on stereotypes. 

When you do these kinds of activities, teachers, you are introducing and/or affirming stereotypes. Remember! You're a teacher and you have a responsibility to educate children. Stereotypes do not educate! They misinform! 

Librarians: when you do these kinds of activities in your libraries, you are also misinforming children. 

Writers/illustrators: when you use stereotypes in your books for kids, you contribute to this problem. Case in point: Lane Smith's picture book, THERE IS A TRIBE OF KIDS, and kids in it shown like this: (…ansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2016/07/lane-s…)



Bottom line: there's too many ways this can--will--and DOES go wrong in a society that knows so very little about Indigenous people and our nations. I recommend you step away from using "tribe" to describe your classrooms.

Update on September 9, 2018:


Picking up on my thread yesterday about teachers using "tribe" to refer to their classrooms.... Several people have written to ask me about the pre-packaged "Tribes Learning Community" and its use of "tribes". 

I gather it was created in the 1970s by Jeanne Gibbs and that its goal is to create classrooms where there was an emphasis on positive environments in the school and classroom. As the project was being developed, someone said "We feel like a family... we feel like a tribe."

Gibbs and all those involved in the development and implementation of this "Tribes Learning Community" meant well. But I wonder--given the length of time it has been in use--if any of the teachers using it had a Native child in the classroom? 

If one of my daughter's teachers had been using it, I would have had a meeting with the teacher. I support efforts to foster a positive environment (I was a classroom teacher, too), but there's no need to use "tribe" to do it. 

When I started this thread yesterday, I shared a few images of how "Tribes" materials look. A lot of those materials reference the Tribes Learning Community. Gibbs and her team are probably not monitoring the kinds of materials teachers use when they adopt Gibbs's program. 

But Gibbs and her team -- however -- are aware that some question its use. One of their trainers is Ron Patrick. On her website, Gibbs has a letter written by him, defending the use of the word. 

Correction: it isn't a letter. It is a statement 'Why the Name "Tribes"'. In it he says his tribe is Eastern Band of Cherokee. In his signature line, he used a phrase I associate with Navajo people (May you walk in Beauty). That's a bit odd, to me. 

Also on Gibbs's website is a pdf "What Tribes Are and How They Work" that opens with this:
"A Native American teacher, Paula Swift Robin, is talking with four other teachers at a conference in eastern Washington."
Let's look at that sentence, critically. 

Why did TLC start with that particular person? With that particular name? I think they are using that person and her identity to protect them from being questioned. 

Now let's look at how they described her, as a "Native American." Is Paula Swift Robin a real person? If so, what is her nation? Does Gibbs know that Native people prefer to be identified by their specific nation? 

Gibbs writes that the Tribes Learning Community is used in Native schools. There's a comment from a person in one, in Ontario, but I don't think she is Native. If you are Native and it is used in your child's school, what have you seen? 

Given that the Tribes Learning Community emphasizes listening and positive classroom environments, I wonder if there's anything in any of their books about stereotyping of Native people? Do they help teachers with any of that? 

I can see parts of REACHING ALL BY CREATING TRIBES LEARNING COMMUNITIES online. It has a "Matrix for Achieving Equity in Classrooms." Columns include linguistic bias, stereotyping, invisibility/exclusion. But

... there's a reference to having a "council meeting" where students can make presentations. A council meeting? Hmm...

On page 140 of the book is a:
"Step by Step Process for Group Problem Solving. 1) Ask the tribes to discuss how they feel about people spraying paint on the wall of the school." 
The "tribes" discuss & then "tribe by tribe" they vote on a solution. 

Are there more than one tribe in any given classroom? Or is this example one where all the 3rd grade classrooms (for example) are participating? How does the person managing all of this designate a particular "tribe"? Is it by teacher name? 

If you have the book, can you share (in a reply, here) how tribes are delineated?

Summary of responses:

One parent said that her child's classroom has a "tribes agreement" and asks if it is part of the Learning Communities program. It is a key component. She also says that arrows, dreamcatchers, and teepees are everywhere. She plans to speak to the principle and is optimistic. 

Many people asked about other words they could use. Others responded, suggesting team, squad, house, and family. In daughter's middle school they used "pathfinders" and "navigators" which I liked ok because they're about action and don't default to imagery that has problematic stereotyping associated with them. 

A parallel conversation evolved about the use of "spirit animal." I've written about that before: What is wrong with Buzzfeed's WHAT IS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL and Neal Shusterman's UNWIND dystology

Some raised questions over other problematic phrases. I've been working on a list of them, here: Common phrases

Some are working hard to understand why it is a problem. They see or use the word to describe their (or a friend's) classroom. I appreciate that they're trying to understand. They strike me as receptive to critical thinking. Others are resistant. They assert that they (or their children) are "part Native American" and think that carries weight. A claim to being "part Native American" is used as a defense of mascots, too. These are well-meaning but ignorant and ultimately, harmful to education.