Reading
Books on Community Building, Democracy and Education
Hello friends! I’ve been delving more deeply into the rabbit hole that is politics, education policy, and what is ultimately how our world is organized and presented to us by our government and leaders. The personal is political. The political is personal. And it’s a vast and fascinating arena to me these days. I want to be informed, so I have been reading a lot. I’ve felt really green, but even more I have felt curious and drawn to ask questions and make friends. How does the world work and how do we operate in it? How does love spread and how is it stifled? I’ve read a fair amount of books to help give insight to the experiences I am having. I wanted to share some of them here with you and tell you why I loved or liked these books. If you have read any of them, tell me. If you want to talk about them or tell me what you think about them, I would love that.
School House Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy, Derek W. Black. I am in the middle of this book. It is very much like reading a history book. Some parts are tedious, some are easy and quick to read. All of it feels important. It’s history we didn’t get to know. How embedded in our American history is the belief that without public education, our citizens would not maintain the capacity to protect and support our democracy. We need schools to keep an educated citizenship.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, Trevor Noah. A quick read! It’s Trevor’s story about growing up in apartheid in South Africa. His mother is black and his father is white. The South African government at the time created incredible structures of racism (which they based a lot on American segregation and racism). Lately, I am constantly struck by how purposefully the government creates systems of inequality to increase power and money for certain groups.
The Great Oklahoma Swindle: Race, Religion, and Lies in America’s Weirdest State, Russell Cobb. I had the pleasure of talking with Russell recently! He’s a really nice and interesting person who is from Oklahoma and is a professor in Canada now. He mentions in the book how boring Oklahoma history was and then shares some incredible Oklahoma stories that are not in the textbooks. In a time when the teaching of history is a big subject of conversation (HB1775 limits teaching that might make someone feel uncomfortable or ashamed because of their race, sex, etc. This law has made teaching about racism and systemic racism difficult. The progressive left feels very stifled by this law. And interestingly Oklahoma Republican leadership is also pressing for teaching more history, more focus on our country’s founding. It’s funny we all want more history taught…). Anyway, Russell’s book really offers some ways to think outside of the boxed history our government has offered students in Oklahoma.
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, Heather McGhee. This book is SO beautiful and super informative. I learned a lot of history in really easy to consume writing. The book covers ways our country has been divided and thus deprived of services, rights, and quality of life, as well as instances of what she calls “the solidarity dividend” where people cross racial and socioeconomic divides to advance civil and human rights for a majority. I was again struck by how intentional politicians (and people who fund politicians) have been about dividing people using race. Again, we are talking about a view of history and a series of events that are not taught in school. I left this book in love with unions and collective bargaining. I don’t know what this means for how I identify politically. I just know that I think people should see unfairness and group together to make it better for everyone. Power and money really do motivate many who have it to hoard it at all costs. There is lots of hope in the book though about how decisions got us into where we are and how choices can get us out. Her accompanying podcast has stories not in the book that are inspiring and great to listen to.
Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of Former White Nationalist, Eli Saslow. AGAIN, the intentionality with which humans aim racism and hate is fascinating and scary. Derek Black was the son of leading White Nationalist Don Black. Derek is my age, in his late 30s now, and helped to architect the language of the White Nationalist movement to where it was palatable for a wider, more mainstream audience. Once shunned for their beliefs of white superiority, they are now more openly celebrated and engaged by current politicians, including Donald Trump and too many other conservative-leaning government leaders. This book gives insight into the White Nationalist movement and also into how to talk to people who think differently than you. It tells the story of how Derek came to renounce his beliefs. It’s a very quick and great read.
How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Failure and Success from One of the Nation’s Longest-Serving Secretaries of Education, Arne Duncan. So Arne is a controversial subject in education discussion it seems. He was under President Obama (As I navigate the political scene, I find myself saying “who is good and who is bad” and often sorting based on basic associations. Arne is with Obama, Obama = good, Arne = good, right? No friends. I’m constantly stopping my brain of this sorting and labeling habit. Good and bad is not a thing with humans. It’s more complicated. Feels obvious, but watch how your brain sorts for ease of comprehension and story. More on this later.), and I learned a lot about how schools run and tactics that could be taken in efforts to improve them. There is criticism for Arne’s financial rewarding of improved test scores. A lot of criticism for linking teacher quality (and advancement) to test scores. I think if anything, I learned more ways that people try and have tried to help the public school system. I don’t get the sense Arne was ill-intentioned. And I do think schools need accountability (What does that look like exactly?). I also learned from this book the idea that schools may pass kids along even if they are not truly advancing in their skills. It’s critical that children learn in their youth because once adulthood sets in, there is less time (and developmental window) for acquiring those skills (reading, critical thinking)—skills essential for college, jobs, and successfully navigating society. Not the best read, but interesting!
Healing the Heart of Democracy; The Courage to Create Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit, Parker Palmer, Can we talk about beauty? Parker Palmer is a favorite human of mine. His podcast, The Growing Edge, is just lovely. It’s been a minute since I read this one, but I am often thinking of how he writes about developing the skills to participate in a democracy. How to listen, how to speak civilly, how to build environments where this is possible. How to tend our hearts so that we can be truly useful in making a better world. I LOVE this book. Anger and hate will hurt our souls, whereas listening, patience, and speaking our truth from a calm heart is deeply powerful. Building community and learning to be with others we don’t perfectly agree with is essential to peace and democracy. I call on this book and its principals when I speak at the State Board of Education and when I sit and mingle at the Tulsa Public School board meetings.
See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Valarie Kaur. Valarie tells her fascinating, inspiring life story as an activist. She traveled the country as a college student working on a documentary about Sikh hate crimes in the aftermath of 9/11. Her story is adventurous and brave, full of wisdom. She says to fall back on curiosity when hate rises up in your body, especially in conversation with someone perceived as the enemy. I’m constantly reminding myself to be curious and not filled with venom. This book is a powerful experience.
The Different Drum: Community Making and Peace, M. Scott Peck. This book is so interesting in its explanation of community building and how group dynamics work. Peck did workshops putting various groups of humans in one room/setting and studied/doula-ed these groups through predictable stages of group behavior. Just writing about it reminds me how much I want to watch for this throughout life and remember ways to set up groups for success in forming a cohesive, civil community. I can’t remember if it was this book or Parker Palmer’s, but it’s so important that we don’t only spend time with people we agree with. We have to learn to listen and care for all people. I think the divisiveness of the current political landscape has a lot to do with a lack of fellowship and community building. We can create environments where democracy can thrive. I remember feeling inspired to teach Harriet that we should know all our neighbors on our street. They are our randomly assigned community and our opportunity to learn love for others.
Learning in Public: Lessons for Racially Divided American from my Daughter’s School, Courtney E. Martin. I really got to thinking about public education when I read this almost a year ago. I’ve taken a lot in since. Courtney has a lovely substack newsletter called The Examined Family. She is friends with Parker Palmer (glorious Quaker activist). This book is easy to read too and offers a lot of paths into thinking about how society is set up and how we can help build an equitable world for the community around us.
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Jaron Lanier. We are being messed with. Social media is for profit. It is addictive. It is intentionally addictive. It does not lead us to be our best selves. I have seen great things happen in my life by putting social media down for an extended time (the better part of a year). I started picking up a book every time I habitually reached for my phone and incredibly, I read nearly a book a week in those times. I got back on social media to connect with people and organize for election stuff. I’m finding balance right now. I want to remember that my real life, the one I want to lead and experience, is out here in the flesh. It’s breathing the air, connecting with others, making art and taking in the beauty that is everywhere.
My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies, Resmaa Menakem. It’s been a long time since I read this one, but I wanted to include it because it was an early read that emphasized the need for community building. I learned a lot about epigenetics and how we scientifically are each filled with the experiences and reactions of our ancestors. Because of this book I have researched my ancestors and contemplated family stories. I pause more. I sit in rocking chairs more. I get settled in to rooms by taking in all the walls, breathing in, grounding my feet. I remember to monitor my body—am I tense? I will not operate peacefully and productively out of a tense and frenzied body. I want to be a calm body. A person who can pause and chose my reaction, vs being controlled or led by my reactions.
Those are the books! Have you read them? Does one sound interesting? Have you read similar things? Thank you for reading my newsletter. I hope you have a wonderful day.
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