Roberto Germán [00:00:01]:
Welcome to our Classroom. In this space, we talk about education, which is inclusive of, but not limited to, what happens in schools. Education is taking place whenever and wherever we are willing to learn. I am your host, Roberto Germán, and Our Classroom is officially in session. What's good, my people? Wasn't quite sure what to talk about this week, but surely enough somebody had to offer up some inspiration. And I want to start with something real. Recently we posted some content, content we stand by, thoughtful in my humble opinion, grounded, intentional, and it did what content does in today's world. Some people engage deeply.
Roberto Germán [00:01:04]:
Thank you very much. Some people appreciate it, and we appreciate you. And some people, not so much. Some people responded in ways that weren't really about the content at all. Comments, messages, opinions. Not all of them thoughtful. I'm just keeping it real. And I saw something that kind of struck me.
Roberto Germán [00:01:34]:
It struck my wife. Uh, some people have zero issues with certain portrayals of topics, but people are still writing about us because they're clearly bored. At least that's our perspective. You know, the devil doesn't sleep. That's what Lordana said. And pause. Moments like this, moments of pushback, misunderstanding, or noise, they might inspire you to react a certain way, but they're actually leadership moments. So not because we need to win an argument or anything of the sort— I'm not here to be the great debater— but we get to choose how we respond.
Roberto Germán [00:02:39]:
So I want to take a step back. Let's get on the 30,000-foot level for a second, if you will. What content sparks reaction, even negative reaction? It usually means one of a few things. It challenged something, it disrupted something, or it made something visible that people would rather not sit with. And recently there's been a lot of conversation around ideas like decolonizing curriculum. Rethinking how we teach texts like Shakespeare, expanding what we consider worthy of study. It was even an article circulating titled 'Lord, What Fools These Mortals Be: Shakespeare's Birthplace to Be Decolonized.' And you can feel the tone immediately. Right, not curiosity, not inquiry, but defensiveness.
Roberto Germán [00:03:45]:
And that tells us something important, right? We're going to look at that as data. When people hear the word decolonize, they often hear erase, remove, destroy. But that's, that's not what the work is asking. The work is asking, what stories have we centered? Whose voices have we left out? What context have we ignored? That's not erasure, that's expansion. When people feel like something they value is being questioned, Even if it's not being removed, they often respond with defensiveness. That's human, so I get it. But here's a leadership move: we don't match defensiveness with defensiveness. So I'm not gonna do that.
Roberto Germán [00:04:49]:
We're gonna meet it with curiosity. We encourage people to lead with curiosity. So instead of asking, why are people attacking this or why are people attacking us? It's often what it feels like. We're going to ask what is underneath the reaction? Is it fear? Fear of losing something familiar? Is it misunderstanding? A belief that expanding curriculum means eliminating what already exists? Is it identity? Is it feeling like critique of a system is critique of self? Because when you read through commentary, and there's plenty of it even in that article, you start to notice something. Again, we're going to look at this as data. The conversation isn't really about Shakespeare, it's about what people believe Shakespeare represents, and that's deeper. So let's be clear, no one is saying stop teaching Shakespeare. I taught Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.
Roberto Germán [00:06:07]:
As a matter of fact, I have some texts that you could pair it with, such as Krumb Snatcha's version of Romeo and Juliet, which I absolutely loved and still love, or Anthony Santos' version of Romeo y Julieta. I love that version also. What we are saying is teach Shakespeare responsibly, teach him with context, teach him alongside of other voices, teach him in a way that helps students think critically, not passively. That's not cancellation. Stop that. That's education. And when we talk about expanding curriculum, we're not asking teachers to lose something, lose yourself in the music, the moment, you know, I'm really, I'm sorry. We're asking them to gain perspective. If you're listening to this as an educator, here's what matters.
Roberto Germán [00:07:15]:
You are going to encounter resistance. It is what it is. Resistance from parents, resistance from colleagues, from online spaces, from people who don't fully understand the work. And in those moments, you have a choice. As Black Sheep stated, the choice is yours. You could deal with this or you could deal with that. You could tell what? Culture I come from. Anyways, you can react or you can lead.
Roberto Germán [00:07:51]:
Again, we're going to encourage you to lead with curiosity. And leading looks like asking better questions, staying grounded in purpose, reducing— better said, refusing to reduce complex Conversations into arguments. Because the goal is not to win debates. Not here to be the great debater. If we're here for that, we would have signed up for the debate club. The goal is to serve students well. Can we work together to serve students well? That's, that's what we're trying to do. And the real work of education has always been this, helping students to see the world more clearly, not less.
Roberto Germán [00:08:38]:
Helping them understand history in full, not in fragments, as has been the case historically in this country. Just keeping it real. Helping them understand multiple perspectives, not just dominant ones. Helping them think, and thinking makes people uncomfortable sometimes. It is what it is. Listen, that, that's— doing all of this is not a failure of education, it's evidence that it's working. So when the noise gets loud, and it will if, if it hasn't already, trust when the comments come in, we see plenty of them, when the reactions don't match the intention— oh, y'all like to react— pause. And ask, what is this moment inviting me to understand? Not to react to.
Roberto Germán [00:09:41]:
Understand. Because curiosity is not weakness. It's leadership. So we're asking you to teach in truth, lead with courage, belong to a community that gets it. We're navigating these moments together. We're trying to hold the complexity. We're trying to stay grounded even against opposition. We want to grow as educators, and we don't have to do that alone.
Roberto Germán [00:10:10]:
There are spaces where the kind of thinking and reflecting and learning happens in community where we can challenge each other to grow. And you already know where to find us. So until next time, keep leading, keep loving, keep learning. Peace and love. As always, your engagement in our classroom is greatly appreciated. Be sure to subscribe, rate the show, and write a review. Finally, for resources to help you understand the intersection of race, bias, education, and society, go to multiculturalclassroom.com. Peace and love from your host, Roberto German.
