Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1390700
15 People see the big, fancy homes, but rarely are they aware of the conditions many of our families are living in—dilapidated apartments or trailers, sometimes with two or more families or multiple generations. Wood is working to make a positive difference for her economically disadvantaged students. She is part of a ten-person cadre of educators participating in social justice work under the Safe and Just Schools Grant (learn more on page 18). "This country struggles to talk about race, religion, and sexual preference," said Wood, "but in my opinion, class is the real elephant in the room. The injustice of economic disparity is profound—like poison pumping through the bloodstream, this injustice is impacting the country on a cellular level." WEA member Michelle Rooks, a teacher at Jackson Hole Middle School, is also participating in the Safe and Just Schools cadre's social justice work. "Our classrooms are some of the most diverse places in Jackson," Rooks told WEA News. "The stories told open the blinds as students rarely hide the truth. It makes it hard not to work for more safe and just schools." Rooks believes that even beyond the immediate needs for better living conditions, Jackson students in low- income households need to feel like they belong. Rooks is thankful for a strong culture of philanthropy and giving in Jackson, saying that it enriches her students' academic experiences. "However," she says, "representation is often a blind spot. There is a difference between donating to someone and actually making room at the table for them." Rooks also points out that many of her students' families are forced to work multiple jobs to get by, making them unable to actively engage with their children and enjoy their family life. "Often, we measure wealth in terms of financial wealth," said Rooks, "one thing that I've been considering with my students is an expansion of the term. We need to focus on eliminating not only poverty in the traditional sense of the word, but also other types of poverty— poverty of time, connection, and mental well-being." As part of their Safe and Just Schools work, Rooks and Wood are developing a template for facilitating difficult conversations. They're broaching ways to talk about socioeconomic class in ways that are both respectful and responsible. They're also focusing on ways to center student voices and include them in developing creative solutions for these issues challenging their community. "Only recently, thanks in part to the work and outreach of the Teton County Education Association," said Libby Crews Wood, "I've come to know more of what WEA and the NEA do, not just for educators but for education. I now see how educators can be more than cogs in the machine of public education. I want to be more than a cog. Being a member of the cadre for Safe and Just Schools is a good step in this direction!" "The injustice of economic disparity is profound—like poison pumping through the bloodstream, this injustice is impacting the country on a cellular level."