ZinnEducationProject's Podcast

Hipkins explains why he not a Washington football fan anymore, and the "Change the Name" campaign his 11th grade students are planning to undertake. "I'll never forget the look on his face. He said, 'Why would they use a racial slur for their football team?'"

Elizabeth rouses her students' interest in the history of their school, John Philip Sousa Middle School, a National Historic Landmark in the nation's capitol because it is one of the five schools involved in the Brown v. Board decision. The students learn that their school building will be torn down as part of a school redesign -- and this sets them on a campaign to preserve it. "They said, 'But why won't the community stop it?' I said, 'You're the community. . .so what are you going to do about it?'"

In Elizabeth's first year as a teacher, she faced discrimination. That set her on the path to being a career-long teacher for social justice. "The principal asked me to return to Personnel because he did not want a woman teaching a shop class in his school."

Elizabeth rouses her students' interest in the history of their school, John Philip Sousa Middle School, a National Historic Landmark in the nation's capitol because it is one of the five schools involved in the Brown v. Board decision. The students learn that their school building will be torn down as part of a school redesign -- and this sets them on a campaign to preserve it. "They said, 'But why won't the community stop it?' I said, 'You're the community. . .so what are you going to do about it?'"

Roth offers an example of when the school textbook came up empty on El Salvador and how he used "A People's History of the United States" and other resources to create curriculum to spark discussion with his students. Holtzman asks him whether teaching the truth somehow tends to knock down the heroes of America. Roth says, "I think that if you're afraid the challenge some of the fundamentals of the mainstream view of America history, you're dancing around reality."

Roth discusses why it’s important for teachers to not compromise their values, the rewarding experiences you get from it. He recounts the story of a Philipina student who questioned beyond the textbook––she asked why there was no mention of the U.S. war with the Philippines in the textbook. Roth sets her on an independent study that has had a resounding impact throughout the student’s adult life. "There are many, many times where you have the choice of being honest with students or backing off. I think the more times you are real and honest and take risks, the better you are as a teacher."

Roth describes Zinn’s impact on teaching history by providing a full view of historical moments. “Zinn’s approach to teachers was to honor teachers, to work with teachers, and to have dialogue with teachers and that was appreciated.”

Holtzman and Roth describe their experience with Howard Zinn--Holtzman as a student at Boston University and Roth as a public high school teacher who participated in the Zinn Education Project's "Ask Howard" live call-in program in January 2010. Roth asked Howard what kind of importance is there to teach about Haiti in its relationship to the United States.