Penn GSE News Archive
How COVID-19 has made some colleges question the academic calendar
Peter Eckel said the pandemic has given colleges a chance to reevaluate their summer offerings and other scheduling matters. “The pandemic has raised a lot of questions about long-held traditions about how to deliver higher education,” he said. “The academic calendar is one of them.”
Mid-major conferences brace for inevitable cuts in sports budgets because of pandemic
Karen Weaver discussed how enrollment totals may impact sports budgets for colleges and universities.
Learning and Teaching Hope
Sharon Ravitch joined a filmmaker and a pediatrician as guest speakers on the Reinventing School podcast in which they explored the many aspects of hope in the midst of challenging times.
’The protesters had to deescalate the police’: Demonstrators are the ones defusing violence at protests
Krystal Strong said, “The continuity across these spaces, the cruelty, the egregious militarized force, it forces you to come to the conclusion that this is systemic,” recalling watching a young black man get rammed with a police bike at a recent demonstration. “It’s not just Minneapolis. It’s not just Chicago or LA.”
Big questions about COVID-19 and athletics before college sports come back
Karen Weaver discussed the college sports landscape and the big questions universities and athletics programs are tackling during the coronavirus pandemic.
White parents, want to raise anti-racist kids? Be mindful of your actions
Howard Stevenson spoke about how parents can best address race with children. “They’re listening to you, but they’re also watching how you say it,” he said.
George Floyd protests bring new organizers to protests in Philadelphia
Krystal Strong, a member of BLM Philly and a longtime activist in the city, said most protests in the city were orchestrated by groups well-versed in community organizing, such as her organization. She welcomes the new faces.
How to talk to kids about racism, explained by a psychologist
Howard Stevenson spoke with Vox about how parents can teach their children about racism. He explained that simply being a good person is not enough. To teach their children, parents need to understand how racism works and how to fight it.
When police kill black people, the whole community suffers. Experts offer coping strategies.
Howard Stevenson said, “We underestimate the negative effects of swallowing our feelings during racial moments. Research is showing more and more that if we don’t manage racial stress and trauma, it comes out in our health and bodies and sleep.” To make progress, people need to start having hard conversations about race to improve racial literacy — the ability to read, recast, and resolve a racially stressful moment.
‘Racist’ and ‘culturally offensive’ images pulled from hugely popular trading card game
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas said racist imagery and tropes in popular media can reinforce negative attitudes about people of color.
Kids need to talk about George Floyd, protests and racism. With coronavirus school closures, it's hard to do.
Howard Stevenson said, "Teachers can be incredibly powerful in teaching young people to engage in these conversations rather than avoid them."