Helping Students Make Sense of January 6
As we mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attacks last year on the U.S. Capitol, many of us are remembering and re-experiencing the trauma of that violent insurrection. It was an attack not only on our public servants in Washington, D.C., but on the idea of democracy itself.
Members of Congress, their families and staffs spent hours hiding and afraid. Capitol police were beaten and killed by angry mobs shouting racist epithets. At home across the nation, people already traumatized by the uncertainties of COVID-19 watched in horror and disbelief as the chaos unfolded on TV.
In the year since, many educators have grappled with how to talk with students about what happened — taking into consideration both our students’ critical need for honest conversations and the wide range of perspectives in our communities. As educators, we find ourselves mustering our courage and integrity to say what must be said.
Fortunately, Washington Education Association (WEA) members have rights that ensure that we are not alone. Our right to teach the curriculum honestly is in our contracts. Our union strength has made the difference in winning these critical protections in bargaining strong language for academic freedom. Learn more here.
Here are some resources to help us lead this discussion in classrooms:
- Resources for Teaching After the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol: Facing History & Ourselves provides a webinar, several topic explainers, discussion topics and other resources.
- Teaching the Historical Context of January 6: Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) contextualizes the insurrection as part of an ongoing white supremacist thread in U.S. history.
- 8 ways teachers are talking about Jan. 6 in the classrooms: This story from an NPR station in New Mexico offers tips on helping students understand what happened.
- How teachers plan to talk to their students about Jan. 6: This Christian Science Monitor story describes the struggle educators are going through on this topic.
Our students’ understanding of this moment in history is the key to ensuring a better, more equitable future. As educator Kristen Crews says in the "8 ways” story, “A true patriot is someone that questions and investigates.”
With our guidance, our students will come to understand the fragile nature of our democracy and the importance of protecting it together.
