by Reagan Reese
The country’s largest teachers’ union suggested a book about kneeling for the national anthem as part of its August 2022 summer reading list, according to its website.
The National Education Association (NEA) listed the book “Why We Fly” by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal, which features marijuana use and tells of two girls on the cheerleading squad who take a knee for the national anthem after being inspired by a football star protesting in the media, according to the website. Discussion questions and related resources on athlete activism are also provided by the NEA to pair with the reading.
Guiding discussion or reflective writing questions for the reading include, “what does it mean to be an ally? An accomplice? When are good intentions not good enough?” and “what examples of discrimination, racism, or racial privilege can you identify from the book? From your own experiences?” the website showed. The discussion guideprovided asks kids to discuss the role of social media in controversial situations, especially in their community.
Other resources linked are “Understanding #TAKEAKNEE And Athlete Activism” which discusses the symbolism of taking a knee and compares Colin Kaepernick to Martin Luther King Jr., the article showed. Students are asked to discuss “how do you think players deciding to boycott games could lead to social change?”
The NEA also suggested “The Year We Learned To Fly,” a book about a black family using their imagination to escape anger like their ancestors did, and “Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood,” which features stories from “Black male and non-binary authors” on the “power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood,” according to the website.
The NEA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Reagan Reese is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “San Francisco 49ers National Anthem Kneeling” by Keith Allison. CC BY-SA 2.0.
