Safe Spaces
She lurked around the classrooms, noting the classes that had the “Safe Space” rainbow stickers displayed outside their doors. With her son in tow, she marched over to the unassuming counselor who was greeting our upcoming 5th graders, and proceeded to ask the counselor where the Christian teachers were.
“Pardon me?” the counselor asked.
“Where are the Christian teachers?” she demanded. “I see only ‘woke’ teachers work here.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. This is a public school. All students are included and welcome, regardless of their religion or any other identifying factor,” our courageous and slightly annoyed counselor answered, and she turned on her heels and walked away.
Hearing this story, I knew I would not have handled that as well as our brilliant counselor did with such grace and patience. My response may have been more clipped with a side of snark. Since when did inclusion, empathy, love, and compassion become inflammatory trigger words for the far right? So-called Christian parents’ groups all over the country are trying to hijack school boards to eradicate any semblance of diversity and inclusion training for teachers and students. In a bizarre twist of irony, they claim to be discriminated against while simultaneously discriminating against other people.
And to that I cry out an emphatic, “WHY?”
Was Jesus not the ultimate safe space teacher? Did he not preach inclusion for the outsider, equity for the disenfranchised, and compassion for the sinner?
So, in answer to this mother, the Christian teachers are most likely the ones with the safe space stickers on their doors. We stand proudly, welcoming your child with open arms, teaching with an open heart, and leading with open eyes.
And if you ask me, Jesus was (and still is) pretty woke.
Holy One,
Help us to be safe spaces for everyone whom we encounter on this journey called life.
Amen
Kelly is a teacher, a mother, a wife, and an advocate. She is constantly finding ways to sharpen her skills in the art of subversive teaching.