How about we improve teaching with the aim of a more green, healthy, and sustainable America?
And we already know what needs improving.
Our country needs to improve
family access to safe neighborhoods, healthy housing, meaningful employment, and
balanced nutrition. We need to improve parents' and guardians' access to time and resources so that they can
make sure their children are curious, energetic, well-fed, well-rested, and
learning ready.
We need to improve student and staff access to green, healthy, and sustainable schools; beautiful schools that conserve energy and water, foster wellness, and advance equity between people, planet, and prosperity are good for students. This will help teachers.
We need to improve the capacity of educators to collaborate on
curriculum, instruction, assessment, and policy that enriches students'
love of learning, critical and creative thinking, and democratic civic
engagement. We need to improve supports for educators as they exercise their professional expertise.
We need to improve teachers' stewardship of the profession.
We need to improve our civic commitment to American values such as democracy, liberty, and justice for all.
I believe that one of the best responses
to economic and social inequity is joy and happiness. After all, what
does a society look with no racism, classism, sexism...?
I want
to live in prospering, abundant, and democratic society, and I want to
help create it. I am probably best situated to do so when I am coming
from a place of well being. It is our well being that we risk when we
maintain inequitable social and economic structures. And our civility
towards our brothers and sisters can become masked if not stunted, as well.
This short video from Matthew Cooke, called Race Baiting 101, profiles some of the complexity of how the Masters
conjure lateral conflict among the 99%. The video has compelling
arguments and stark images that hopefully affirm how we are connected in
our humanity. So although there is a bit of ugliness in the video, I
think it serves as a good reminder of why I am aligned with the hope of Black Lives Matter, sustainability, feminism, and other movements for a better world.
I also remind myself that the embrace of well being, as a political
act, is not a form of surrender. To want to be everywhere, all of the
time -- to right every wrong, to confront every injustice -- is to
succumb to the violence. I choose to acknowledge the violence, educate
myself, and focus on what I want, rather than what I don't want.
Everyday,
teachers work hard to foster passion, engagement, and equity into our
schools. What do we need to make this work sustainable? What has to
happen within our schools -- or within ourselves -- so that students and
staff have beautiful environments that conserve energy and water,
foster wellness, and advance social and economic justice? On Saturday, October 15, 2016,
Francine Locke, the Environmental Director at the School District of
Philadelphia, and I will be hosting a workshop about sustainability at
the Global Education Forum in Philadelphia, USA.
Our workshop, entitled GreenFutures - Local Action for Global Stewardship, will focus on how GreenFutures overlaps with the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDG). As part of our introduction, we're going to ask participants a
series of questions that are designed to cultivate small-group
discussion -- and more questions!
One of our first questions is: "What is a culture of sustainability?" Beautiful green schools that engage students and staff do so, not
because of solar panels, farm-to-cafeteria, or clean air and water,
though these certainly do help! It's something else.
How would you describe a culture of sustainability? Let us know what you think via email, tweet, or the ProgressEd blog.
I've been thinking about your positions on war and peace, and I was especially interested in your comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As an American with Hebrew and Arab roots, I'd like to make a few suggestions about the best way to advance peace here in the U.S., and in the Middle East.
I think that, as Americans, we have to focus on what we want here in the U.S. as we address inequities around the world. I recommend that we advocate for a green, healthy, and sustainable America. I’ve outlined some general principles below.
Green: reduce energy consumption and
conserve water. The result is that we reduce greenhouse emissions,
stabilize our climate, and create green jobs. A green economy fosters
interdependence rather than violent competition for resources such as
energy, land and water.
Healthy: provide free health care and
promote effective working conditions. People have a right to be healthy,
and we need to create a culture that values emotional, social and
physical wellness. We need recreation in schools and communities,
contact with nature, experience with the arts and sciences, and a sense
of belonging. Healthy Americans take care of themselves, their families,
and their communities. Healthy Americans also have the time to
influence local and global politics for a just world.
Sustainable: study and advocate for
systemic economic, social and ecological balance. War isn’t good for
children and other people, and it is expensive. War is a result of fear,
desperation and greed. Conflict in the U.S. and in the Middle East
results from an imbalance that positions economy against people and the
planet. Alternatively, sustainability is a road map to a
flourishing world that ensures a high standard of living for all, in the
present and in the future. For more information, read the U.N.’s
Sustainable Development Goals.
The Middle East is a beautiful part of
the world that could easily celebrate cultural diversity, honor and
protect indigenous people, and even create abundance through low impact
eco-tourism.
For Americans, the best way to bring peace to the Middle
East is to focus on a green, healthy and sustainable America as we
promote a culture of peace and joy at home and abroad.
Yours,
Gamal
A modified version of this letter was published in The Swarthmorean on Mar. 11, 2016.
