"A way that every student could see themselves in"
Vol 4, Issue 8: August 2024
Welcome back to the Lighthouse! There has been a lot going on this month. Another Black August comes to a close, as well as another Abolition Week from Scalawag, National Breastfeeding and Chestfeeding Month, and Black Breastfeeding Week. The Democratic National Convention has come and gone, which was met with protests leading up to and during the event despite efforts to prevent it. People supporting the Uncommitted Movement — including people from Wisconsin — protested throughout the week-long event and set up a sit-in after Democrats refused to allow any Palestinians to speak on the main stage. We witnessed reproductive justice and pro-Palestinian organizations work together to show how interconnected these issues are while exposing the many failures of the Democratic party at the convention: Biden “both sides”-ing the genocide while Democrats in attendance cheerfully support him and stifle dissent; pushing a “law and order,” pro-police message that aligns them more with Republicans than the left; and attempting to silo issues of abortion access from its intrinsic tie to what Palestinians are facing. Organizations like SWOP Behind Bars and Decriminalize Sex Work also shared what Harris could do to support sex workers, especially given her past actions and the way Democrats use sex work as a punchline.
On the COVID-19 front, levels across the country remain high overall. While so much more can be done (and is owed to us!), it’s good to hear that updated vaccines are finally becoming available again, and we’re also getting more free rapid tests soon. WPR shared what to expect for the new vaccines here in Wisconsin, including that (as usual), you can get your COVID and flu shots at the same time, which can make it easier to fit into your schedule. The (very limited) free rapid tests unfortunately won’t be rolling out until late September, and while it’s great to get them for free when you can, it’s also important to remember the limitations of them.
In other positive news, I really enjoyed this article from The Sick Times that highlights the drag artists and organizers who are incorporating COVID mitigation into events, as well as generally sharing about mutual aid efforts to provide things like air purifiers and high-quality masks to local events and people. Fight for the Future also has resources for fighting mask bans, and the World Health Network has been putting out Kids’ Zone Magazine, a free COVID-conscious magazine for kids! In less-good news, mpox is becoming a global emergency again as it mutates into a more contagious (and deadly) form, and it’s been difficult for people most affected to access vaccines.
Now, onto the newsletter!
What Makes a Baby, Really?
“We talked for a while about the wide range of human diversity, and although embryo grade does correlate to the success rate of a pregnancy, it has not been found to have any effects on the babies born as a result. It was a reminder of how important it is to create an open space for students to express concerns and questions, and how an inclusive curriculum can make a big difference in how a student conceptualizes their own history and experiences in the context of science and the broader world.”
From Rethinking Schools, educator Lewis Steller’s article What Makes a Baby, Really? is an intimate look into what it’s like to co-create inclusive reproductive resources with students. Told through the lens of guiding a middle school classroom through illustrating what they called What Makes a Baby: 8th-Grade Edition, it explores the many facets of what comprehensive sex education can look like, including how it extends beyond standalone sex ed classes — after all, this example takes place in a human biology class.
After setting up his background as a teacher and the current landscape of reproductive education, Steller walks us through how he collaborates with students to find new language that is both more broad (enough to include the vast variety of human bodies and experiences) and more precise (to be more specific about what we’re actually talking about). He then explains the project of creating an updated What Makes a Baby book with his students, aimed at their age group versus the much younger audience the original book was created for, and how the students went about working on their assigned sections. He shares stories about what this activity brought up for students as they worked, from questions about IVF and the ethics of gene-editing to misconceptions about sperm, that showcase how collaborative education can spark questions and create lifelong learners.
Instead of focusing on simply sharing information in a top-down approach, like most modern teaching does, Steller helps students find answers to their questions through trusted resources and research. He also helps them contextualize the information in their own lives, allowing students to bring their full selves into the classroom and learn from one another as well as the teacher. I’ll be honest, I teared up a bit reading this article. I imagined what it would have been like to have education like this growing up, with teachers that cared about the unique lives of students and how they could better understand themselves (and those around them) through truly engaged learning in a robust, people-centered curriculum. He finishes the article with a list of resources that can help teachers and parents/caregivers alike with their own young learners.
In a time when basic sex education is under attack, both in schools and at libraries, it’s important for us to think about (and share) what better options are out there and imagine new approaches so that we can bring comprehensive, student-centered education to our own schools and lives. Young learners — and all of us, really! — deserve better, and we can make it happen!
See also: I remember using Scarleteen growing up, and I’m so grateful that they’re still around, offering, “progressive, inclusive sexuality and relationships education, information and support” for people of all ages looking for accurate, in-depth education in easy-to-understand language. There are a lot of ways to support their work, too! I also really enjoy Amaze as a resource, which is creating age-appropriate puberty and sex education videos that cover a wide variety of topics. They’re available in many languages, too, and make it easy for parents and educators to create playlists tailored to their learners’ ages and needs. And it’s all free!
What's Happening at Lakeshore Liberation?
Nothing new to share this time!
What’s Going on in Reproductive Justice
I’ve talked about the risks of extreme heat to pregnant people (and everyone!) in past newsletters, but there’s another climate-crisis-related issue that poses a threat: wildfire smoke. The 19th covers how wildfire smoke causes issues for pregnant people — both physically and mentally — and what Human Rights Watch is recommending to address it.
As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, there have been a lot of discussions happening around the often-ignored and downplayed pain of IUD insertions. It appears that the CDC took notice, and they’ve released new guidelines that includes talking to patients about pain management options such as lidocaine. Of course, guidance from the CDC doesn’t necessarily get implemented everywhere (and certainly not immediately), but at least it’ll be something to point to when getting an IUD so we can demand adequate care from our healthcare providers. So I’ll take the win!
Remember when I talked about the new child tax credit that the House passed earlier this year, which would have been especially helpful for low income families? The Senate killed it, mostly due to Republicans who are hellbent on any kind of support being tied to working (although some Democrats and Independents also voted against it, since they want it to do more for families and less for corporations). It’s especially funny to see it play out this way when J.D. Vance just lied about Harris wanting to end the child tax credit when she wants to expand it, as this would have done. We deserve so much better.
What’s Going on in Wisconsin
Details about the annual Footprints On Our Hearts Walk, a community walk for those who have experienced or otherwise been affected by pregnancy or infant loss, have been announced for this year. It will take place October 4th at the Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County, and you can find more details about the event on the flyer Sheboygan County WIC shared.
A complaint has been filed against the Menomonee Falls School District after they removed over 30 books from school libraries as part of the on-going attempt by conservatives to remove all mentions of queer and trans people from schools. It’s good to see parents and community members fighting back against these book bans and removals!
Speaking of community pushback, activists groups banded together to file a federal lawsuit related to the plans to expand 1-94 in Milwaukee rather than alternatives like Fix at Six. The more I learn about transportation justice (and how awful US transportation options are, given how wildly car-centric the country is), the more I understand how important these efforts are!
In less-great local news, La Crosse is beginning to do unhoused encampment sweeps as of August 28th. WPR talked to one of the Common Council members who is one of the authors of the regulation that prohibits camping on city property, and er…the interview kinda speaks for itself.
Deadly police encounters (aka cops killing people) are up in Wisconsin and may exceed the modern record soon. Don’t call the cops on people!
What I've Been Reading
From All Cats Are Beautiful, How to Get Started offers a wide variety of ways to start building the world you want to see.
I really enjoyed this article from In These Times that makes the case for libraries as vital, socialist endeavors and shows how things made by and for communities are both popular and necessary.
The 19th’s recent series, The toll of America’s anti-trans war, includes a lot of great articles about the many-armed threat of anti-transness sweeping the country.
There’s been a lot of cool progress being made for both tenant and debtors’ unions, including a national tenants union AND a national debtors’ union being created!
What I'm Watching
I haven’t actually had a chance to watch yet, but as I write this, the Socialism 2024 conference is going on in Chicago (and virtually)! Haymarket Books will have all virtual events streaming on YouTube, but you can also help make the work sustainable by purchasing a sliding-scale ticket on the conference website.
What I'm Listening To
I’ve been catching up on some Throughline episodes lately, so here are some of the ones that stood out to me:
Their episode on the 4th Amendment, which traces the history of how something meant to curb government power has ended up strengthening it.
The one about Ralph Nader, who I knew surprisingly little about.
The one about, as the name says, The Rise of the Right Wing in Israel.
The one about people who dared to dissent, which includes some really fascinating stories.
Reveal’s recent episode A Baby Adopted, A Family Divided tells a shocking story that highlights the limitations of the Indian Child Welfare Act, when a wealthy politician was able to “benevolently” adopt a Native child.
Outward’s recent episode Is Telehealth the Answer for Gender Affirming Care? discusses the benefits — and limitations — of telehealth for things like gender affirming care.
Places to Donate To & Actions to Take
Seraj Aburaida has been raising funds to support his own family as well as distribute mutual aid to others fighting to survive in Gaza. You can support him and his work by donating to and sharing the GoFundMe.
Yintah Access is raising funds for two Indigenous land defenders as they face legal challenges that, unsurprisingly, are expensive in numerous ways. Help ease the burden by donating and sharing!
CTOAN Co — a fat art small business that primarily makes gorgeous body-shaped candles — needs our help to survive and thrive! Donating to the GoFundMe will help owner Jodyann (who I’ve met before, and she is so dang awesome!) keep the company afloat and make the business more sustainable.
Haley Hammerand is a disabled single mother of three (plus a few kitties) that needs help covering some bills and vet care. You can help her family by donating to and sharing the GoFundMe.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Feel free to share them below or contact me directly.