Social Justice Key Terms
a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.
Privilege
Clean cut, ROTC student at Springfield high. Faces constant pressure from his father. Victim of police brutality as a result of racial profiling and bias.
Rashad Butler
"There's no better opportunity for a black boy than to join the army"
David Butler
What events led to Rashad's brutality at Jerry's?
Rashad was profiled by clerk immediately upon entry. Grabs chips, opens duffel bag to grab phone, Katie Lansing trips over Rashad sending beer bottle and chips flying. Clerk assumes Rashad is stealing. Paul attacks without giving Rashad or Katie a chance out explain.
Describe social media's role in social justice.
Spreads awareness through quick and easy access to information. Can unite and mobilize people around a common cause.
he act of suspecting, targeting or discriminating against a person on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religion, or nationality
Racial profiling
White student at Springfield high whose father died in Afghanistan and whose legacy he struggles living up to. He was a witness to police brutality and wrestles with speaking up about the incident.
Quinn Collins
“Man, listen, I had to make sure we controlled as much of the narrative as possible. If I ain’t send that photo in, they would’ve dug all through the Internet for some picture of you looking crazy.”
Spoony Butler
What was tagged outside the school building, who did it, and what was the result?
Rashad is absent again today. Carlos. Spread awareness towards Rashad's brutality throughout the school, community, and the nation after trending on social media.
You have chosen the side of the oppressor and nothing will change.
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another by seeing things from their perspective. Showing you care. Required for social justice.
Empathy
Police officer with a history of violent behavior. Father figure to Quinn once his passed away.
Paul Galluzzo
“It wasn’t about loyalty. It was about him standing up for what he believed in. And I wanted to be my dad’s son. Someone who believed a better world was possible––someone who stood up for it.”
Quinn
What did Mrs. Fitzgerald tell Quinn about why he should protest?
She said he should protest because because he will be scared either way, he will regret not using his voice while he can, and it was for a cause bigger than him.
These can be used on social media to spread awareness towards instances of injustice and create change. Rashad is absent again today, me too, I can't breathe, and black lives matter are all examples of this.
Hashtags/trending topics.
1. A loosely organized but sustained campaign in support of a social goal. 'Me too' and 'Black Lives Matter' is an example of this.
2. A public expression of objection, disapproval, or dissent towards an idea or action. The die-in is an example of this.
Social Movement/Protest
White woman who accidentally trips over Rashad in Jerry's corner store. Offers to testify on Rashad's behalf.
Katie Lansing
“I watched the clips on the news . . . and realized that my brother, in fact, was the most courageous man I knew, because Selma had nothing to do with him. Well, one could argue that it did, a little bit. But he was doing it for us. All of us.”
Shirley Fitzgerald.
How do supporters of Rashad ultimately decide to protest and why do they do it that way.
Protesters participate in a die-in by lying on the ground and reading off names on a list of those who were victims of police brutality. They choose this method of protest to prevent violence towards them and represent the deaths of the names on the list.
These are typically the requirements of successful protests.
Engagement from a portion of the population. Nonviolence. Clear goals.
Automatic, unintentional judgements and assumptions we make about people based on varying factors. These are developed over time and impact the way we interact and communicate with people. Quinn overcomes this throughout the story.
Implicit Bias
Young black man who was wrongfully shot and paralyzed from the waist down by Rashad's father when being robbed by a white guy walking home in his own neighborhood.
Darnell Shackelford
“White boy like you can just walk away whenever you want. Everyone just sees you as Mr. All-American Boy, and you can just keep on walking, thinking about other things.”
English Jones
FINAL JEOPARDY
Based on what we read and discussed in the novel, why is it important that we don't run away from tough conversations about social justice? What is required to create the change necessary for a socially just society?
Write answer on slip of paper with point wager and group number. Once completed, turn in to Mr. Lobb. Correct answers receive amount of points wagered. Incorrect answers lose amount of points wagered.
These three steps are how you overcome your bias.
Question your assumptions, Educate yourself, Take a stand.