Police

Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow changed the conversation about race, racism, and incarceration in this country. In this activity, students explore Alexander’s argument that our criminal justice system has relegated millions of people of color to a permanent second–class status, and...

Through quotes, photos, and video, students explore responses to Freddie Gray's death while in Baltimore police custody, and the protests that followed.  

Students consider nonviolence and violence by discussing the reactions of activists, the police, and others to the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, MO, on March 12, 2015.    

Students consider a wide range of statements in response to the killing of NYC police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. In guided discussion, students consider the statements, what the speaker intended to achieve,  and whether they feel the statement was helpful.

Our lessons and guidelines on Michael Brown and Eric Garner have been used in schools across the country. Here they are, all in one place.

This lesson includes two parts. In Part 1, students review the facts about the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases.  In Part 2, students break into small groups to discuss six different proposals that have been made to address injustices related to these incidents.

Students consider a range of responses to the police killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. 

In this brief activity, students share their thoughts and feelings about the grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer who killed unarmed black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. 

Students discuss the police killing of Michael Brown, 18, in Ferguson, MO, and consider the racial and economic backdrop to the killing and the protests that have followed. 

Two student readings examine the history of stop and frisk and the debate surrounding this policing practice.