Cassandra C. Gustafon

The goal of this project is to put high-quality books that deepen understanding of racial and gender equity in the hands of the staff and students at Norway Vulcan Area High School. This school is located in a rural area where 97% of the population is White. Staff will engage in a professional development book study using the following texts: “Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in School,” “Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain,” and “How To Be An Antiracist.” They will also order for school libraries 30 copies each of seven different texts that feature diverse characters and address current social issues. Together they will work to reflect on how they can incorporate books on racism and equity into the curriculum. They also plan to survey students about their thoughts on various social issues before and after teaching these texts to see how students grown and respond to the experience. They plan to share their findings at the county and state level.