By Andrea Stevens
AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com
In the five years that have passed since the death of George Floyd in May 2020, educators across the United States have seen growing calls to incorporate conversations about race, equity and justice into the classroom. While school district responses have varied, Floyd’s passing continues to influence how schools address social justice and current events—though many say there is still significant room for progress.
Candis Saffore, a second-grade teacher, says she made a conscious decision to teach beyond what the standard curriculum provides, particularly given the challenges her students face in their community.
“I don’t sugarcoat things for the kids because the world isn’t going to sugarcoat it,” said Saffore. “I try to give it to them the way it’s going to be given in real life so they know actions have consequences.”
Saffore said since the death of Floyd, she makes an effort to help her students understand “how to deal with anger and frustration differently.”
Saffore said the needs of her students require a deeper level of connection and honesty. Many of her students have relatives in the criminal justice system, and some have experienced domestic instability or witnessed violence near their homes.
While Saffore builds social-emotional skills into her daily instruction, she’s disappointed that broader conversations about race and justice remain absent in official lesson plans.
“Since the George Floyd situation, I haven’t seen any real changes,” Saffore said. “The books we read don’t include racial equity or inclusion—they’re not tailored to the Black children in our classrooms.”
Five years after Floyd’s death, as the 47th president and his administration wage an all-out attack on all things related to inclusion, diversity and equity, educators say more needs to be done to support students while taking their cultural needs into account.
Rebekah Bingham, a first-grade teacher with experience in both kindergarten and first grade said while her school is strong on basic emotional support—like helping students identify when they feel sad or angry —it lacks space for conversations about identity, history and injustice.
“We’re very present in helping kids understand their feelings,” Bingham said. “But we’re not diving deep into the root causes or having culturally responsive conversations. My school’s not there yet.”
The discomfort around race, she said, often leads to avoidance—particularly around Black history and figures like Floyd.
“Schools don’t talk about Black history,” Bingham said. “They’re scared. They don’t even know how to approach it.”
Both educators said their students are eager to learn, but the burden of creating meaningful and inclusive lessons too often falls solely on individual teachers. Despite the challenges, they continue to carve out space for honesty, healing and empowerment.
“The classroom is a second home. It should be a place where students feel safe, seen and able to ask hard questions,” Bingham said. “Even if the system’s not built for it–we have to make room.”
