Education is an opportunity for the growth and emancipation of the individual and collective; it is a resource for gaining knowledge and for learning to live together; it is a meeting place where freedom, democracy, and solidarity are practiced and where the value of peace is promoted.
– Reggio Children: Indications

Over the last month Ann Pelo and Margie Carter (authors of From Teaching to Thinking) put out a Call to Action to Early Childhood Educators concerned about the political climate, including specific attacks and dismantling of educational institutions such as Head Start. They have gotten positive responses from educators in a variety of ECE settings, uncovering a desire to connect with others who want to mobilize courage and efforts to deepen understandings and challenge compliance with resistance to undermining education for democracy. One response came from Lani Shapiro who shared some valuable writing, including citations like this:

“Education is ‘always a political discourse whether we know it or not. It is about working with cultural choices, but it clearly also means working with political choices.’ Lori Malaguzzi

Education is always political. Education for democracy, however, is not inevitable; it is a possibility and choice. Democracy can be understood as a way of thinking, being, acting and living together; as Dewey described, ‘a democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience.’ (Dewey, 1916).”

Ann and Margie, joined by their Canadian Colleague Nicky Byres, have gone on to extend an invitation for those who are ready for some action to come together. They write:

“In these times that call for moral courage and bold action, where do you turn for inspiration in your ECE work? To the activist founders of the schools of Reggio Emilia? To John Lewis, who called on us to make good trouble? To Barbara Bowman, Maurice Sykes, Denisha Jones? To John Dewey, Paolo Freire, your grandmother, a teacher or mentor?

How are you carrying their inspiration forward, taking responsibility to use your leadership in service of justice?

How are you enacting a determination not only to resist the dismantling of democracy, but to ignite our collective imagination for new possibilities?

In this moral moment, let us come together to build the world we want to live in, and to build our courage to act with integrity.

If you are ready to get engaged, please contact Jennifer Keldahi ([email protected]), a Chicago colleague who is volunteering to help coordinate the communication aspects of creating a virtual gathering to explore possible affinity groups for acts of courage.