Family Engagement and Conflict about Teaching for Social Justice

In the summer of 2020, the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police — and growing public awareness of all kinds of violence and discrimination directed toward Black and Brown people in the United States — persuaded many Americans of the urgent need to press for greater economic, racial, and social justice. The country had reached a boiling point, and educators were not immune to impassioned pleas for change. Across the country, teachers began to educate themselves about anti-racist pedagogies, and many school districts ramped up their support for professional learning initiatives focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).