Hate Crime Response Resources

Source Name/Type

Description

Policy language examples, what should be done in the aftermath of an incident

Very broad, more organization-level than individual/classroom-level.


(scroll down to the text in a box with the title 鈥淔irst Steps鈥︹��)
  1. Don鈥檛 lose faith in yourself or abandon your convictions. You have every right to think for yourself and speak your mind. Don鈥檛 rush to apologize if you have done nothing wrong and have nothing truly to apologize for.
  2. Don鈥檛 respond to public attacks until you鈥檝e sought and received good advice. If you confess to an offense you didn鈥檛 commit, or if you concede to a claim or accusation that is factually inaccurate or not truly an offense, the admission can and will be used against you.

This is a K-12 resource, but pretty general prevention ideas that should apply to college classrooms.


Below are suggestions, strategies and resources to help make those discussions rich and productive for students. The suggestions below build in opportunities for students to read, write, research, speak, listen and understand vocabulary, addressing ELA common core standards.

1. Be aware of words, images and situations that suggest that all or most members of a group are the same.

Stereotypes often lead to assumptions that are unsupportable and offensive. [Example: The writer who describes Mexican children as 鈥渨ell-dressed鈥� may be unconsciously portraying this as an exception to a mental image of a 鈥減oor鈥� or 鈥渦nkempt鈥� Mexican.]

PDF download link in the middle of the page (scroll down a little)


The sections 鈥淲hat to Say, What to Do鈥� and everything below it is good too.

Despite that backdrop of ongoing trauma, HBCU leaders at the roundtable said they were united in their resolve not only to keep their communities safe, but also to use the incidents to further their educational mission to strengthen the resolve, resilience and leadership of Black young people.

Objectives

This self-paced mini-lesson will enable you to:

  • Use the Pyramid of Hate to explore the escalation of bias and hate with your students.
  • Guide your students to identify ways to counter bias and hate and be an ally to those who are victimized and targeted.

Length

20 minutes. Go at your own pace, pausing and resuming as needed.

Many people are unsure what to say or do when confronted with offensive humor or slurs. When bystanders choose to stand silently by, however, they may be inadvertently communicating their acceptance of the behavior to others. The following process outlines a way to respond that has proved helpful for many people, from elementary school children to adults.

Also contains 5 minute video.


How do you engage with a student who writes hateful graffiti on a bathroom wall or calls a classmate a slur? Especially if the incident completely changes how you perceive that student鈥檚 character?

First, resist the urge to condemn the student. Instead ask what was behind their action?

Responding to Bias and Hate at School is designed primarily for school administrators, but teachers, staff, counselors, students and others also may find guidance here. The guide is divided into three sections: Before a Crisis Occurs. How can you and other school leaders assess your school鈥檚 climate with an eye toward defusing tension, preventing escalation and avoiding problems? When There鈥檚 a Crisis. What are the nine key points to consider when responding to a crisis that has been triggered by a bias incident at your school? After the Worst is Over. How can you address long-term planning and capacity building for the future, including development of social emotional skills?

Teachers are encouraged to be change agents as opposed to passive bystanders when they encounter race-based hate speech, jokes, and subtle prejudice-oriented references intended to insult and harm students. Ignoring and tolerating such behavior fosters a toxic classroom culture and dynamics that could have a long term negative impact emotionally, academically, and socially. Aside from protecting students who are targets of race-based microaggressions and hate speech, teachers need to work with students who initiate the behavior and help them learn from their inappropriate behavior.

(Not In Our Town)

Not In Our Town is a movement to stop hate, racism and bullying, and build safe, inclusive communities for all.


This Action Kit provides introductory advice to assist school leaders, faculty, and parents on effective ways to prevent, respond to, and lead ongoing action to address bullying, hate, and bias incidents.


Interview of USC students reacting to prompts like 鈥渨hat is hate speech?鈥� and 鈥渁re all white people racist?鈥�

(George Lucas Educational Foundation)

5 REASONS STUDENTS USE HATE SPEECH

Let鈥檚 start by examining why students use hate speech. Here are a few of the more common ones:

  1. To express bigotry and racism
  2. To express their own internal anger and unresolved pain
  3. To feel superior
  4. To feel powerful when they feel powerless in other areas of their lives
  5. To show off for friends

With these reasons in mind, there are specific activities we can use to engage students in deeper reflection and eliminate hate speech in the classroom. These are the steps I recommend for teachers, refining them for students鈥� age and grade level.