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Was that a long process? Was it hard? Did you encounter difficulty?
It was not a long process per say, it took a few months in terms of crafting the curriculum and forwarding it to the school board and having it approved. I know that the initial reaction of the board was that students will be exposed to some of these women in their regular history classes, but thankfully they took the risk and allowed us to go on forward with the establishment of the class.
The challenge that presented itself was finding a curriculum that met the needs of our student population. I have been fortunate enough to have the students guide me in what they need and how the course can develop to meet their needs so that they can be successful, not only here, but beyond high school.
What subjects or ideas does the class focus on?
In the first semester we tackle issues relating to teen pregnancy, we look at drug and alcohol abuse, self-esteem. Using the girl-on-girl crime of “Mean Girls” we look at bullying, as well as unhealthy dating relationships. What started to emerge from the students is that they couldn’t fully appreciate what these female historical figures had accomplished without knowing who they were first. So the process is identifying cycles or patterns and breaking them so that they can be empowered beyond.
How do you see students respond to the ideas you bring up in class?
Some students are ready for the information they are exposed to, and some students are not and that is my biggest challenge because I want everyone to absorb it, get it and walk away empowered. So, the lesson for me has been that not every student may walk away today understanding the importance of the exposure they have received, but hoping that at some point they do. I have seen that through guest speakers such as Maria Shriver, Dee Dee Myers, and Gloria Steinem. During the actual event or before the event, the students did not fully comprehend the significance of these encounters, but afterward they understood that they were speaking to living historical figures.
What are your initial thoughts when you see students’ reactions to the word “vagina?”
I just think that we need to get to a point as a society where we respect each individual for who they are. It is interesting to see the ease with which students can degrade each other through the use of slang words because that is part of what they say is there “culture” or “language.” So I think it is a matter of slowly working with them [students] to redefine their culture and for females and males alike to find value in their body so as not to abuse it and not allow others to abuse it as well.
What motivates you to teach?
This is my passion! I absolutely, positively want every single person who walks through this door to believe that they are entitled to equality. That they should be valued and respected regardless of their gender, regardless of their sexual orientation, and regardless of how people perceive them because of their socioeconomic background. Every person has a potential and it is up to that person to achieve it.
