Lessons in Liberation: An Abolitionist Toolkit for Educators

nThe movement for abolition is expanding faster and faster. Born from Black and women-of-color feminism, disability justice, and environmental movements, the call to end our reliance on imprisonment, policing, and surveillance and to imagine a safer future has a new terrain of struggle. This toolkit for educators, parents, and youth, shines a light on innovative abolitionist projects, particularly in the K-12 teaching and learning contexts. The book consists of three parts, each divided into sections on analysis, knowledge, and power. Part One covers the roots of abolitionist work, Part Two explores the everyday application of the lessons and principles, and Part Three highlights growing and expanding the work. Topics include student power in schools, immigrant justice in the face of ICE, approaches to sex education, arts-based curriculum, and building abolitionist skills and thinking in lesson plans. Contributors include Mariame Kaba, Jay Gillen, Bettina L. Love, the Black Organizing Project, and the Chicago Women's Health Center, among others. Born of patient and urgent work, and more than five years in the making, Lessons in Liberation expands our scope beyond defunding the police and to our wildest freedom dreams. nBorn from sustained organizing, and rooted in Black and women of color feminisms, disability justice, and other movements, abolition calls for an end to our reliance on imprisonment, policing and surveillance, and to imagine a safer future for our communities. Lessons in Liberation: An Abolitionist Toolkit for Educators offers entry points to build critical and intentional bridges between educational practice and the growing movement for abolition. Designed for educators, parents, and young people, this toolkit shines a light on innovative abolitionist projects, particularly in K-12 learning contexts. Sections are dedicated to entry points into Prison Industrial Complex abolition and education; the application of the lessons and principles of abolition; and stories about growing abolition outside of school settings. Topics addressed throughout include student organizing, immigrant justice in the face of ICE, approaches to sex education, arts-based curriculum, and building abolitionist skills and thinking in lesson plans. Born of patient and urgent work, and more than five years in the making, Lessons in Liberation invites educators into the work of abolition. Contributors include Black Organizing Project, Chicago Women's Health Center,