How teachers can help kids find their political voices | Sydney Chaffee

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

To me, social justice is a simple concept.

對我來說，社會正義 是個簡單的概念。

It's the notion that all people in a society

它的想法就是，社會上所有人

deserve fair and equitable rights, opportunities and access to resources.

都應享有公平公正的權利、

機會，與資源取得通道。

But it's become controversial and nebulous,

但它已經變得模糊又爭議，

because we've stopped talking

由於我們已經不再談論 為社會正義努力

about what working for social justice actually looks like.

看起來是什麼樣子的了。

Working for social justice can look like this ...

為社會正義努力 看起來可能是這樣……

or this.

或這樣，

It can look like this ...

可能看起來是這樣⋯⋯

or it can look like this ...

也可能是這樣⋯⋯

or my favorite ...

或是我最中意的⋯⋯

it can look like that.

可以看起來是像那樣。

Those are my students,

那些是我的學生，

and whenever I'm asked to articulate my work or my priorities as a teacher,

每當我被要求說明 我身為老師的工作及優先順序時，

I explain that I believe education can be a tool for social justice.

我會解釋說我相信教育 能成為社會正義的工具。

But a few months ago, I logged onto Twitter -- as I do --

但幾個月以前，我登入 推特——跟平常一樣——

and I saw that a fellow teacher had taken issue with that belief.

看到一位教師同仁在爭論這個信念。

"Teachers," he said, "should not be social justice warriors,

他說：「老師不該當社會正義的戰士，

because the purpose of education is to educate."

因為教育的目的是在做教育。」

And he ended his argument by saying,

他的論點以此作結：

"I teach my subject."

「我教我的科目。」

But I reject that simplification,

但我反對那種簡化，

because teachers don't just teach subjects,

因為老師不只是教授科目，

we teach people.

我們教的是人。

When our students walk into our classrooms,

當我們的學生進入我們的教室時，

they bring their identities with them.

他們帶著他們自己的身分。

Everything they experience in our rooms is bound up in historical context,

歷史的脈絡緊繫著他們 在我們教室中經歷的一切，

and so if we insist that education happens in a vacuum,

因此若我們堅持教育 是在真空中進行，

we do our students a disservice.

我們是在幫學生倒忙。

We teach them that education doesn't really matter,

我們等於是在教他們： 教育不重要，

because it's not relevant to what's happening all around them.

因為教育跟他們周圍 發生的事無關。

And what's happening all around them?

他們周圍發生了什麼事？

Well, racism for one.

種族主義是其一。

According to results of the Implicit Association Test,

根據內隱聯結測驗（IAT）的結果，

fully 88 percent of white people harbored subconscious biases against black people,

整整 88% 的白人

對黑人有潛意識的偏見，

believing them to be less intelligent, lazier and more dangerous than whites.

認為黑人智商較低、較懶惰，

且比白人更危險。

And that's just one concrete example of the insidious effects

這僅是一個具體例子， 說明歷史上與體制上的種族主義

of historic and systemic racism on our country.

對於我們的國家有著 潛在的不良效應。

For more evidence, we could look at incarceration rates;

若想要更多的證據， 我們可以看看監禁率，

we could look at statistics on police violence against black people;

我們可以看看警察 對黑人施暴的統計數字，

we could look at the opportunity gap in education --

我們可以看看教育機會的落差——

so yeah, social justice belongs in our schools.

所以，是的，在學校裡 應該要談社會正義。

Social justice should be a part of the mission of every school

社會正義應該成為美國每間學校、

and every teacher in America,

每位老師的使命的一部分。

if we want "liberty and justice for all" to be more than a slogan ...

這樣「給所有人的自由與正義」 才不會淪為口號……

because schools are crucial places for children to become active citizens

因為學校是很重要的地方，

能讓孩子能成為積極的公民，

and to learn the skills and the tools that they need to change the world.

並學習改變世界所需的技能與工具。

So what are those skills?

上述的技能是指什麼？

OK, here's a secret:

告訴你們一個秘密：

many of the skills that people need

籌劃改變來朝正義邁進

to orchestrate the kinds of change that will lead to justice

需要的那些技能，

are already built into the work of schools.

其實早已是學校工作的一部分了。

Things like problem-solving,

像是解決問題、

critical thinking, collaboration, perseverance --

批判性思考、合作、堅毅不撓——

none of that should be revolutionary on its own.

上述每一項都是以前就有的。

Combine that with the ability to understand history

將這些技能結合了解歷史的能力，

not as one static and objective narrative on which we all agree,

知道歷史並不是人人同意、 不會改變的唯一客觀說法，

but as a series of intertwined events

而是一連串彼此交織的事件，

about which there can be countless interpretations.

且有無數的詮釋方式。

If we deliberately choose to explore history with our students

如果我們刻意帶學生去探索歷史，

rather than just teach it,

而不是只教他們歷史，

we help them understand that history is ongoing

我們就能幫他們了解 歷史是現在進行式，

and that it's connected to current movements for justice.

並與目前的正義運動連結在一起。

And we help them see themselves as potential players

也能幫他們了解，

自己就是活歷史中的潛在參與者。

within a living history.

So those are the skills I'm talking about

當我說教育能成為幫助孩子，

when I say that education can be a place

學習如何為正義努力的場域時，

to help kids learn how to work for justice.

我講的技能就是指這些。

But maybe the reason

但或許在推特上批評我的人，

that my Twitter critic wasn't happy with that idea

不喜歡這個想法的原因，

is because he doesn't agree with my definition of justice.

是因為他不同意我對正義的定義。

Fair enough.

很公平。

Maybe he and I don't see eye to eye, politically.

或許我跟他在政治上的看法不一致。

But here's the thing:

但重點來了：

our aim is to encourage students to articulate their own opinions,

我們的目標是要鼓勵學生 清楚說明他們自己的意見，

not to coerce them into agreeing with us,

而不是強迫他們同意我們的意見，

so it actually doesn't matter if he and I agree.

所以他跟我是否有共識並不重要。

What matters is that we're helping students have those conversations

重要的是，我們在幫助學生

和彼此進行那些對話。

with each other.

And that means that as adults,

這表示，身為成年人，

we need to learn how to become effective facilitators

我們得學習如何成為有效的推手，

of our students' activism.

促進學生的行動主義。

We've got to help them learn how to have really tricky conversations,

我們得要協助他們學習如何 進行真的很棘手的對話，

we have to expose them to different opinions,

我們得要讓他們接觸不同的意見，

and we have to help them see

我們得要幫助他們了解

how what they're learning in school connects to the world outside.

他們在學校所學的， 與外在世界有什麼樣的連結。

So here's an example of that.

讓我舉個例子。

Every year, my students study the history of apartheid in South Africa

每年，我的學生會研究 南非的種族隔離歷史，

as a case study of injustice.

做為個案研究，主題是「不公正」。

Now for those of you who don't know,

以防有人不知道，

apartheid was a brutally racist system,

種族隔離是一種殘酷的 種族主義體制，

and the white-ruled government in South Africa imposed racist laws

南非由白人統治的政府 實施種族主義的法律，

to oppress people of color,

來壓迫有色人種，

and if you resisted those laws, you risked jail time, violence or death.

若你違抗這些法律，

你就有可能被監禁、 被暴力對待，甚至死亡。

And around the world, other countries' governments,

全世界其他國家的政府，

including ours in the United States,

包括我們美國政府，

hesitated to sanction South Africa, because ...

猶豫是否要制裁南非，因為……

well ...

嗯……我們能從南非的資源獲益。

we benefited from its resources.

So in 1976, the South African government passed a new law

1976 年，南非政府通過一條新法律，

which required that all students in South Africa

要求南非所有的學生

learn in the language Afrikaans,

都要用南非荷蘭語學習。

which was a white language,

它是白人的語言，

and many black South Africans referred to that language

許多南非黑人稱它為

as the language of the oppressor.

壓迫者的語言。

So not surprisingly,

有色人種的學生對這條法律震怒， 這並不讓人意外。

students of color were outraged at this law.

They already attended segregated schools

他們上的學校已經是隔離學校，

with overcrowded classrooms,

教室過於擁擠，缺乏資源，

a lack of resources

and a frankly racist curriculum,

還有明目張膽的種族主義課程，

and now they were being told to learn

而現在還要他們學習

in a language neither they nor their teachers spoke.

一種他們和他們的老師 都不說的語言。

So on the morning of June 16, 1976,

因此，1976 年 6 月 16 日早上，

thousands of kids from the township of Soweto

數千名索維托鎮的孩子

walked out of schools.

走出學校。

And they marched peacefully through the streets to protest the law.

他們穿越街道， 和平地遊行抗議那條法律。

At an intersection, they met up with the police,

在一個路口，他們與警察相會，

and when the kids refused to turn back,

孩子們拒絕掉頭，

the police officers set dogs on them ...

警察放狗攻擊他們……

and then they opened fire ...

接著警察就開火了……

and the Soweto uprising ended in tragedy.

索維托起義在悲劇中收場。

Apartheid itself didn't end until almost 20 years later,

種族隔離本身 到近二十年後才結束，

but the activism of those kids in Soweto profoundly changed

但在索維托的那些孩子們的 行動主動深深地改變了

the way the world viewed what was happening in South Africa.

世界對於南非當時狀況的看法。

News outlets all around the world published this photo

全世界的新聞管道 都刊出了這張相片，

of 13-year-old Hector Pieterson,

這是十三歲的海克特彼特森，

who was one of the first people killed by police in Soweto,

他是在索維托被警察 最先射殺的人之一，

and it became nearly impossible to ignore the brutality

接下來幾乎不可能再忽視

種族隔離政體的殘酷。

of the apartheid regime.

In the months and the years that followed the Soweto uprising,

在索維托起義之後的 數個月、數年，

more and more countries exerted political and economic pressure

越來越多國家對南非政府施加政治

on the South African government to end apartheid,

和經濟壓力，要求終止種族隔離，

and it was largely due to the activism of those kids in Soweto.

這大一部分的原因， 就是那些索維托孩子的行動主義。

So every year my kids learn about this.

每年我的學生都會學習這個事件。

And invariably, they start to draw connections

而他們總是會開始將索維托的孩子

between those kids in Soweto and themselves.

與他們自己連結起來。

And they start to ask themselves

他們開始捫心自問，

what kind of political power and agency they have.

他們有什麼樣的 政治力量與政治自由？

They ask themselves whether there would ever be a reason

他們問自己：是否會有一個理由

they would risk their lives

讓他們願意冒生命危險

so that a future generation could live in a more just world.

讓下一代能有更正義的世界。

And most profoundly for me, every single year,

對我來說最刻骨銘心的是，

每年，他們會問自己，

they ask themselves whether adults will ever listen to their voices.

大人是否會聆聽他們的聲音？

A few years ago,

幾年前，

my principal got an anonymous email from one of our students.

我的校長收到一封 來自學生的匿名電子信，

It informed him that the following day,

通知他學生們打算 在隔天要出走校園。

the students planned to walk out of school.

This was in the wake of Michael Brown's death

這是密蘇里州佛根森的 麥可布朗命案發生後的行動，

in Ferguson, Missouri,

and the students were planning to join a walkout and march

學生們打算要走出校園和遊行，

in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

來支持《黑命貴》運動。

So at this point,

在這個時點，學校的職員 得要做一個決定。

the staff at the school had a decision to make.

Would we use our authority and our power to try to control the students

我們要運用我們的權威 與權力來試圖控制學生，

and prevent them from leaving,

不讓他們離開，

or would we support them

還是我們要支持他們？

as they put into practice the principles of social justice

他們正是要將我們自九年級以來

that we had taught them about since the ninth-grade year?

就一直教導他們的 社會正義原則付諸行動。

So the next morning, the kids left school en masse

所以，隔天早上， 孩子們集體離開學校，

and they gathered on the lawn.

在草坪上集合。

And one of the seniors jumped up on a picnic table

其中一位高年級學生跳上野餐桌，

and went over safety expectations.

超過了安全期待。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And the younger kids took it very seriously.

年紀較小的孩子認真對待此事。

And as teachers and as staff we told them,

身為老師與職員，我們告訴 他們：「好，注意安全。」

"OK, be safe,"

and we watched as they marched off.

我們看著他們揚長而去。

The kids who chose to stay spent that afternoon in class.

選擇留下的孩子， 在教室度過那個下午。

They debated the merits of protest,

他們辯論抗議的好處，

they talked about the history of the Black Lives Matter movement,

他們談論《黑命貴》運動的歷史，

and they went on with classes as scheduled.

然後繼續上原定課程。

And those who chose to leave participated in a citywide student walkout

選擇離開的學生， 參與了全市的學生走出校園活動，

and raised their collective voice for justice.

大聲發出他們集體的正義之聲。

But no matter where they chose to spend the afternoon,

但不論他們選擇 在哪裡度過那個下午，

our kids learned valuable lessons that day.

我們的孩子們都在那天 學到寶貴的一課。

They learned that the adults in their lives would support them

他們學到，他們生活中的大人

就算擔心他們的安危， 也一樣會支持他們。

even as we worried for their safety.

And they learned that they didn't need us to tell them how or when

他們學到，他們不需要 我們來告訴他們

如何、何時，甚至為何要去抗議。

or even why to protest.

They learned that they were members of a community of young people

他們學到，他們是 年輕人共同體中的一員，

with a shared vision of a more equitable society,

有著共同的願景： 一個更公平的社會，

and they learned that they had power within that society.

他們學到，他們 在那個社會中也有力量。

They learned that events like the Soweto uprising

他們學到，像索維托起義 這樣的事件

are not ancient history,

並非古老歷史，

and they don't have to end in tragedy.

也不必以悲劇收場。

And that's what education as a tool for social justice can look like.

把教育當作為社會正義的工具， 看起來就是這個樣子的。

And here's the thing:

重點是，我們的孩子 已經準備好做這些事。

our kids are ready for this kind of work.

So in 2015,

所以，2015 年， 大學新生接受了一項調查，

incoming college freshmen were surveyed,

and 8.5 percent of them said

8.5% 的新生表示，

that there was a "very good chance" they would participate in a protest

在大學期間，他們「非常有可能」

sometime during their college career.

會參加抗議活動。

That might not seem very impressive,

那似乎沒有很讓人印象深刻，

but consider the fact

但那是 1967 年以來

that it's the largest number of students to say that since 1967.

最多學生如此作答的一次。

And 75 percent of those kids

75% 的孩子說，

said that helping other people who are having difficulty

幫助有困難的人

was a "very important" or "essential" goal for them.

對他們來說是「非常重要」 或「必要」的目標。

Again, the highest number of people to say that since the late 1960s.

同樣的，也是六十年代末期之後， 最多人這麼作答的一次。

And research shows us that working for justice doesn't just follow

研究顯示為正義努力

from building all those skills I talked about earlier --

並不只是接續在我先前說的 那些技能之後的事——

it actually goes the other way, too.

這關係其實是雙向的。

So working for justice, engaging in activism,

為正義努力，投入行動主義，

helps students build skills like leadership and critical thinking,

都協助學生建立技能， 如領導力與批判性思考，

and it correlates positively with their political participation

這也和他們的政治參與

及公民投入有正相關性，

and their civic engagement

and their commitment to their communities later in life.

也和他們未來對社群的 承諾有正相關性。

So in other words,

換句話說，

students are telling us that social justice matters to them

學生在告訴我們， 他們在乎社會正義，

and researchers are telling us that it helps students learn.

研究者在告訴我們， 社會正義能幫助學生學習。

So now it's up to us to listen,

現在，就由我們決定是否要聆聽，

and that might not be easy.

那可能不容易。

In 1976, one of those kids who participated in the Soweto uprising,

1976 年， 參加索維托起義的一位學生說，

he said that that event represented divorce

那個事件代表著黑人孩子

between black children and their families,

與其家人的分離。

because their families had grown up under apartheid,

因為他們的家人在種族隔離下長大，

and they knew how dangerous it was to speak out.

他們知道把話說出來是多麽危險的事。

They wanted their kids to lay low and stay safe.

希望他們的孩子 保持低調和注意安全。

And when our kids threatened to walk out,

當我們的孩子揚言要走出校園，

a lot of the adults in our community were really conflicted, too.

我們社區中的許多成人 也感到很矛盾。

Some of us worried that they might encounter violence.

我們有些人擔心他們 可能會遭遇暴力對待。

Other people worried that they would walk out

還有些人擔心他們走出校園

but they wouldn't really know why they were protesting.

卻不是真的知道他們在抗議什麼。

有些人，包括學生的家人，

And some, including some students' families,

對於學校沒有做更多來防止 學生走出校園，感到很生氣。

were really angry that the school hadn't done more

to prevent them from leaving.

And all of those fears that adults have about getting this stuff wrong --

成人們擔心會出差錯的所有恐懼，

all of those fears make total sense.

所有這些恐懼都很合理。

But despite those fears,

但儘管有這些恐懼，

we have got to prove to our students that we will listen to their voices

我們必須向我們的學生證明，

我們會聆聽他們的聲音，

and that they do have the power to effect change.

且他們也確實有影響改變的力量。

It's our responsibility to equip our students

我們有責任讓我們的學生

with the tools and the skills that they need

具備他們所需的工具與技能

to insist on a more equitable world --

來堅持追求更公正的世界——

and then sometimes, to get out of their way,

且，有時候， 我們不能擋他們的路，

and let them apply those skills to things that they care about.

要讓他們把那些技能 用在他們關心的事物上。

Living up to that vision is going to require

若要達到那個願景，

我們得要有彈性，

that we are flexible,

and it's going to require that we're creative.

我們也得要有創意，

It's going to require that we're brave enough

我們還得要夠勇敢

to stand up in the face of people who try to silence

去反抗那些試圖息事寧人，

or delegitimize dissenting voices.

或抹黑不同聲音的人。

And hardest of all,

最困難的是我們得要接受現實，

it's going to require accepting the fact that sometimes we will be the ones

有時我們可能會是學生反抗的對象。

our students will rebel against.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Sometimes they're going to point out ways in which systems that we have created,

有時，他們會指出，

我們所建立或參與建立的體制

or in which we are complicit,

contribute to inequity.

導致不平等。

It's going to be uncomfortable, and it's going to be painful

那會讓人不舒服，會很痛苦，

as they push us to question our own assumptions and beliefs.

因為那迫使我們質疑 自己的假設與信念。

But what if we change the way we think about rebellion in our kids?

但如果改變我們看待 孩子反叛的方式呢？

When our kids rebel --

當我們的孩子反叛時——

when they thoughtfully push back against our ideas

當他們深思熟慮後選擇推回

or the way that we do things,

我們的想法或做事的方式時，

what if we chose to see that as a sign that we're doing something right

如果我們能選擇將這個狀況 是個徵兆，表示我們做對了，

and that they're becoming liberated?

所以他們才會變得自由解放？

I know it would be easier

我知道比較容易的做法是

if their critical thinking skills manifested in more convenient ways --

讓他們把批判性思考 做出更便捷的應用——

on their essays or their standardized tests --

用在作文或考試上——

I get it --

我懂——

but convenience and justice do not often go hand in hand.

但便捷與正義通常不是相輔相成的。

And when our kids learn to think critically about the world around them,

當我們的孩子學會對他們 周圍的世界做批判性思考時，

they become the kinds of engaged citizens

他們就成了投入的公民，

who will recognize and question injustice when they see it

在看到不正義時， 他們會發現並提出質疑，

and work to do something about it.

並努力去為它做點什麼。

Welcoming rebellion into our schools is going to require some rethinking

若要歡迎反叛進入學校，

會需要重新思考教與學 看起來該是什麼樣子的，

about what teaching and learning look like,

because there's this misconception

因為有種錯誤觀念，

that if we give students any wiggle room, they're going to walk all over us

認為如果我們給學生彈性空間， 他們會騎到我們頭上來，

and classrooms and dinner tables will devolve into total chaos.

教室跟餐桌就會陷入完全的混亂中。

And if we expect kids to sit silently and passively receive knowledge from us,

如果我們預期孩子安靜地坐著，

被動接受我們給他們的知識，

then their voices will always feel overwhelming.

那麼將永遠會覺得 他們的聲音難以負荷。

But if we accept instead that learning is sometimes messy,

但如果我們能改接受 學習有時會是一團亂，

that it requires opportunities to brainstorm and mess up

接受需要有機會去做腦力激盪、

搞砸，再試一次，

and try again,

that our kids dislike chaos and want to learn

接受我們的孩子到學校時， 其實不喜歡混亂，想要學習，

when they come to school,

then we can set up schools to facilitate that kind of learning.

那麼我們就能設立學校 來促進這種學習。

So do me a favor and close your eyes for a second

所以，幫我一個忙， 閉上雙眼一下子，

and imagine schools where teachers are thought partners,

想像一下，在學校裡， 老師是思考夥伴，

letting students grapple with complex, hard issues

讓學生努力解決複雜、 困難的議題，

and not necessarily giving them the right answers.

且不見得會給他們正確的答案。

And imagine schools where we let students make choices --

想像一下，在學校中， 我們讓學生做選擇——

we trust them enough to do that

我們相信他們能做選擇，

and we let them experience the consequences of those choices.

且我們讓他們體驗 那些選擇的後果。

Imagine schools where we let students be humans,

想像一下，在學校裡， 我們讓學生能當「人」，

with all of the messiness and the uncertainty

身為人，就一定會伴隨有

that is bound to come with that.

混亂與不確定性。

Whatever you just imagined,

你們剛剛所想像的，

it's not mythical,

並不是神話，

it's not unrealistically idealistic,

也不是不切實際的理想主義，

because teachers all over the country are already pushing the boundaries

因為全國各地的老師

已經在向外推移 教與學的邊界該什麼樣，

of what teaching and learning can look like

with amazing results for kids.

和孩子們有了驚人的成果。

They're doing that in all kinds of schools,

他們在各類學校中都在這麼做，

and there are countless models for teachers who want to get better

有無數的典範可以提供給 想更精進的老師，

at helping students learn in a way that's more authentic

讓他們了解如何幫學生用更真實、

and engaging and empowering.

更投入、更自主的方式學習。

I was a reading a book recently,

我最近在看一本書《學生在看》，

it's called "The Students Are Watching,"

and it was by Ted and Nancy Sizer,

作者泰德與南西賽澤書中提到，

and in that book, they said that the work of education

教育工作常被描述為一連串的名詞，

is often described as a series of nouns,

like "respect," "honesty," "integrity."

像是「尊重」、「誠實」、「正直」。

And they say those nouns sound really impressive,

他們說，這些名詞聽起來 讓人印象深刻，

but often, they fail to actually mean anything in practice.

但實踐上往往沒有任何意義。

But verbs, they say, are "active,

他們說，但動詞是「主動的，

no less demanding

標準並沒有比較低，

but requiring constant engagement.

但還需要持續的投入。

Verbs are not structures but, rather, engines."

動詞不是結構，而是引擎。」

And so as I read that, I wondered:

在讀的時候，我很納悶：

How do we make justice into an engine driving our work as teachers?

我們該如何把正義變成引擎，

來帶動我們教師的工作？

What's the verb form of justice?

正義的動詞形式是什麼？

I think there might be an answer to be found in the words of Cornel West,

我想，在康乃爾威斯特的話中 可能可以找到一個答案，

who famously said that "justice is what love looks like in public."

他的名言是「正義就是 公眾眼中愛的模樣。」

And all of my nerdy English teachers in the crowd

而我所有的怪咖英文老師都知道，

know that love can be a noun and a verb.

愛既是名詞，也是動詞。

School has to be bigger.

學校必須要更大，

It has to mean more than "I teach my subject."

它的意義不能只是 「我只教我的科目」。

School has to be about teaching people

學校的重點必須是教導大家

to change the world for the better.

讓世界變得更好。

若我們如此相信，那麼教學 將永遠會是一項政治行為。

If we believe that,

then teaching will always be a political act.

We can't be afraid of our students' power.

我們不能懼怕我們學生的力量。

Their power will help them make tomorrow better.

他們的力量會協助他們 讓明天變得更好。

But before they can do that,

但在他們能做到之前， 我們得給他們在今天實踐的機會。

we have to give them chances to practice today.

And that practice should start in our schools.

而實踐應該要從我們的學校開始。

Thank you very much.

非常謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）