Antiracism & Social Justice
Antiracism & Social Justice
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Hello Everyone!
Thank you for visiting this new section of the DL website. The intended goal for this page is to highlight and celebrate members of the St. Paul's community, who are doing the work. Starting with teachers, we will profile a new activist every couple of weeks and continue through the entire school year. As the school strives to become an antiracist institution, we feel strongly the need to celebrate current antiracist/social justice action that is happening now at St. Paul's.
If YOU feel strongly about the need to celebrate a member of the SPES community, please feel free to contact us so we can discuss!
Thank you,
Rolfe Kasling & Leigh Anne Gray
rkasling@spes.orglgray@spes.org
contact tcosgrove@spes.org to check-out children's books on this list
Justice in Action
Justice in Action
Educator Spotlight:
Educator Spotlight:
Christopher (C J) Lee
Christopher (C J) Lee
- 4B Classroom Teacher
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Teacher Leader
- Black Boys' Breakfast
- Boys Varsity Basketball Coach
Christopher Lee (CJ) was born in Oakland, CA to a multiracial family (his mother is white and his father is Black and Cherokee). CJ and his two brothers grew up in the bustling, urban streets of Oakland and attended public schools. They spent their summers in slower, rural towns in Kentucky and Alabama. CJ went to Kansas State University to play basketball and upon graduation he taught for a year on a military base in Kansas before returning to Oakland to continue his teaching career.
Prior to landing at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, CJ was at Archway School in Berkeley, where he ran the aftercare program, taught 3rd grade and a combo 2nd & 3rd grade class, coached the basketball team, started a Black boy empowerment group, and established relationships between the school, People’s Grocery and the Black Panther Party. In 2010, CJ joined the faculty at St. Paul's, as a 4th grade teacher and has been with us for nine years.
CJ live with his family in Oakland. His partner also works in education and they have two Lower School-aged boys, who currently attend St. Paul’s Episcopal School.
Following are excerpts from an interview with CJ:
Why education?
Why education?
Truly, I never wanted to enter education. I did not have strong relationships with teachers and didn’t feel like they really knew or understood me. However, from a young age I realized that I had a skill to connect and lead children. I started by taking care of my younger brother and his brother’s friends, getting praise for how engaged they were. Soon after, I started working at Sarah's Science (This Land is Your Land) Camp. Although not hired as a camp counselor, parents were soon signing their kids up to be in my camp group and Sarah (the namesake and camp founder) started referring to me as teacher. I decided that teaching would break the mold of what I knew.
What outcome are you looking for in your practice?
What outcome are you looking for in your practice?
I am looking to create more socially, racially, and sexuality conscious students, who approach the world ready to fight for and defend their rights and the rights of others.
What are you proud of?
What are you proud of?
I am proud of the curriculum I have been able to create and build at St. Paul's with the help of Hugh Rodman, my former partner. I am proud of my work with Black boys and the way they feel the love, support, and safety in their work and time with me. I am proud of the work that we are doing on the DEI team as we work to make activism and antiracism work more of a staple at St. Paul's.
What compels you to activism?
What compels you to activism?
My life is activism. Everyday as a college educated, forward moving Black father, coach and teacher I am actively setting an example for Black children, displaying a view of Black men that contradicts what white kids have heard and learned about. Pushing back against those stereotypes.
Where would we see social & antiracist justice in your practice?
Where would we see social & antiracist justice in your practice?
My curriculum is centered around principals of the Black Panther Party and building community and connection, each one teach one, and communal learning. All of our social studies units focus on unrepresented voices. We study World War II through the lens of women riveters, Blacks soldiers, Mexican braceros, Navajo code talkers, and interned Japanese citizens. We celebrate the cultures in the classroom and tease out their unique voices, experiences and views into the classroom culture. In my class, we never shy away from honest discussion about discrimination, bias, racism, sexism, ageism, etc.
I run a Black boy breakfast with 8th graders as a part of a larger proposed program for Black boys. There I hold a space for connection, discussions around world events, emotions about school, and topic explorations about: police brutality, relationship with Black mothers, powerful books to read, racism, and tools for survival.
I also run a race conversations elective with Mr. Kasling.
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