The verdict in the trial George Floyd’s killing marked the latest challenge for teachers around the U.S. who have grappled all year with how to address the country’s reckoning with racial injustice. In the moment and the immediate aftermath, some have looked to challenge students’ thinking or draw historical parallels. Others primarily sought to give youths space to process their reactions. Large school districts including Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Houston stressed that counselors would be available to support students. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Superintendent Scott Elder called on educators to provide guidance to help students process events.
