Rethinking Schools

Michael Charney: Teacher, Activist, Comrade

Rethinking Schools reflects on the life of our dear co-conspirator Michael Charney.

Be inspired by Charney's incredible commitment to education and activism at RethinkingSchools.org

https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/michael-charney-teacher-activist-comrade/

Coming Soon: The Teach and Organize Series!

Rethinking Schools is thrilled to announce The Teach and Organize Series, a quarterly workshop where radical educators and community leaders can exchange ideas and best practices for incorporating social justice principles into your classrooms, unions, and communities. This free virtual series will be an open opportunity to raise local/regional issues and conversations and cultivate community. Launching this July! More details to be shared soon. Check out our events page for all Rethinking Schools events!

https://rethinkingschools.org/events/

June is Black Music Month, a reminder how music is education — poetry to express, survive, celebrate, protest, and so much more. Black artistry has a rich history and legacy that is foundational to the fabric of every genre of music.

Use these resources to build a classroom centered on appreciation of the contributions of Black artistry to music.

https://mailchi.mp/rethinkingschools/blackmusicmonth26

To mark Rethinking Schools’ 40th Anniversary, we’re offering the Gender Justice Bundle at a special anniversary price of $40!

The Gender Justice bundle helps educators and young people identify the root causes of gender injustice and fight back against homophobia, transphobia, and sexism.The bundle includes Transgender Justice in Schools, Rethinking Sexism, Gender, and Sexuality, and a gift subscription. We’re making it available at this reduced cost (55% off the retail price) to help put these materials into the hands of educators, organizers, and union leaders who can use them in their schools and communities.

Thank you for being part of our 40-year commitment to teaching for social justice. This anniversary offer is available for a limited time!
https://rethinkingschools.org/product/gender-justice-bundle/

On Juneteenth, America 433+ will gather at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park—a place that embodies the ongoing struggle for freedom, democracy, and justice in America. This Teach-In is a community gathering that reclaims the story of “freedom” as something broader, more inclusive, and still evolving. Harpers Ferry National Historic Site is a crucial place for this event. Not only is John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry one of the most important events in American History and seen by many as the first act of the Civil War, as a historic site it has had a long history of telling controversial and incomplete versions of that story.

America 433+ takes its name from the more than 433 locations that make up the National Parks system, from historic sites and battlefields to monuments, seashores, and national parks. The campaign shines a light on the full network of public lands and institutions that preserve our nation's history, science, and cultural heritage, and affirms that these places should reflect the richness, complexity, and diversity of the American experience.

America 433+ brings together Resistance Rangers, Branch 4, Race Forward Action and Public School Strong, and the Zinn Education Project — a collaboration between Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change — in a shared effort to defend the public’s right to know.

Register here:
https://publicschoolstrong.controlshift.app/events/america-433-teach-in-at-harpers-ferry-1

“A must-have collection of classroom narratives and lessons that show how science teaching can help students understand their world and challenge injustice. A valuable resource for educators committed to building science classrooms that are inclusive, thoughtful, and grounded in students’ lives, while equipping young people to envision and shape a more just future.”

—Janine Al-Aseer, Director of the Boyd Center for Community Schools at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Readers are loving Science Teaching for Social Justice! Get yours in prep of the next academic year!

https://rethinkingschools.org/books/science-teaching-for-social-justice/

Rethinking Schools Was a Revelation.

As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we'll share stories from our editors, staff, contributors, and community about what Rethinking Schools means to us. ⁠
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Check out Bill's story, sign up for our newsletter, and learn how you can celebrate with us all year long!

https://mailchi.mp/rethinkingschools/fundbill

In every culture, holidays matter. They come with a message. With symbols. With a story that reinforces a certain way of looking at society and passes on certain values to the next generation. A new book, Make Holidays Your Own, describes 13 holidays and how they have evolved, and suggests how we can make them less commercial, more meaningful, inclusive, and fun.

“Make Holidays Your Own” is available for $12.95. A discount of 25% is automatically applied to orders of 10 or more books. “Make Holidays Your Own” is also available as an e-book here and may also be available wherever else you shop for e-books.

*ALL royalties go to Rethinking Schools* Get your copy today!

https://www.makeholidaysyourown.com

Since our founding, we have promoted a vision of education that equips students to imagine — and to help create — the transition to a more just society. We help teachers and activists tell stories about their exemplary work and about strategies of resistance. At a time of ferocious attacks on public education, your support is vital.

Throughout all of 2026, we’ll be sharing ways to help Rethinking Schools continue to uplift the education justice movement. Use these actions to help us celebrate 40 years of Rethinking Schools!

Follow this link for the full list of ways to celebrate:
https://rethinkingschools.org/2026/03/09/celebrating-40-years-of-rethinking-schools/