The teaching staff at Aldo Leopold Charter School (ALCS) regard the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King as an opportunity to study his life and legacy. While many students across the nation observed the day at home, ALCS students were busy in the classroom learning about inequality, social justice, and the contributions of unsung heroes.
In 7th grade science with Maia Chaney, students connected MLK’s message of equality to their recent lesson about Rosalind Franklin, a woman whose work on the structure of DNA went unrecognized. Students researched other “unsung heroes” and made posters about their contributions.
In the 9th grade, teachers Jim McIntosh and Pete Rankin created an "MLK Week" in their Cultural Geography/Economics & Environmental Science collaborative class. They watched and discussed the documentary film Salt of the Earth and plan to visit the site of the strike as well as the mural in Bayard later in the semester. In addition, they shared with students the many obstacles the Salt of the Earth film crew and actors had to overcome in order to launch the film onto theater screens in 1954.
While Salt of the Earth was the main focus for the week, they also listened to and discussed Dr. King's strategies, listened to one of his controversial speeches on America's involvement in the Vietnam War, reflected on the lunch-counter sit-ins in Greensboro and Nashville, and considered contemporary examples of how non-violent action is being deployed throughout the world, in places like Iran, where courageous protestors are challenging the Religious Morality Police after the death of Mahsa Amini.
Pete Rankin’s 11th grade AP U.S. History class developed posters focused on the life and contributions of Dr. King.
In the 12th grade U.S. Government course, Jim McIntosh is devoting this week's classes to another hero of non-violent action, Cesar Chavez. Above all, students are analyzing how power is claimed and used to overcome ethnic and economic inequality. Journal writing, debating, discussions of historical exemplars (like Nelson Mandela, Mohandas Gandhi, and Alice Paul), and evaluations of non-violent political action are part of our learning strategies. The centerpiece of this week's discussion is Diego Luna's 2014 film biography of Chavez.
Dr. Anthony Smith, interim director at ALCS encouraged the staff with the following message: As we celebrate the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, today and every day, we should also celebrate the lives of those that have modeled equity and inclusion for every individual on this planet we call home. My go-to leadership saying is, "Modeling is the most powerful tool in the toolbox." As a five-year-old, I remember my mom coming home after marching in August of 1963 and the impact it had on me in terms of valuing every human being. At that time, it came across as, "Be kind to every person. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect."
Aldo Leopold Charter School is a tuition-free public school serving grades 6-12 with a focus on stewardship of the community and the natural environment. The school offers small class sizes, after-school academic support, opportunity for paid internship with Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), dual-credit coursework with Western New Mexico University, and the opportunity to play team sports with either Silver High School or Cobre High School. Applications for the next enrollment lottery are available at the school located at 410 W. 10th Street or online at www.aldocs.org. You may also call the school at (575) 538-2547 for further information.