What if SCHOOLS were Different?
A mini zine by Hannah Mack (they/them) of mad question askin' (inspired by Akilah S. Richards @fareofthefreechild) for collective reimagining of the purpose and function of schools in society. Download this zine for free below!
Schools have so much POWER and POSSIBILITY!
Where else in society do families from all across neighborhoods come together around the common purpose of educating, caring for, and supporting our children?
Where else do we have such possibility for immediate local community building across backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and languages?
Here we are, forced by law even, coming together with the stated goal of raising the next generation. What if instead of reproducing the harmful status quo, we leaned into new possibilities instead?
What if the purpose of school was to honor and support the reality that young people are living full, whole, meaningful lives right now?
What if schools were community building hubs, where children and grown ups alike were supported in growing meaningful, trusting, respectful relationships with the people living closest to them?
What if schools helped connect people to the truth of the world around them, understanding history as a way to understand the present?
What if schools helped us GROW in right relationship with OURSELVES?
What if we spent our childhoods exploring our interests, playing and discovering pleasures, seeking answers to questions that matter most to our hearts?
What is we were supported and affirmed in knowing ourselves? What is we learned about our identities and histories and how they affect our present experience?
What if we had the time, space, support, and resources to connect deeply with our feelings, our nervous systems, our hearts, and our bodies?
What if we learned to trust our ideas and visions, to value our unique way of seeing the world and relating to it, and were trusted to express ourselves heartfully?
What if our goal was to deeply connect with the natural world and truly see ourselves as part of the divine?
What if schools helped us GROW in right relationship with EACH OTHER?
What if we spent our time together experiencing joy and pleasure and connection?
What if we learned to deeply know and listen to each other, hearing and affirming our stories and experiences?
What if we learned to hold each other and share what we have in abundance, trusting there is enough for everyone?
What if we learned about our privileges and oppressions and how those impact those around us?
What if we learned how to move through conflict in generative ways, trusting that disagreement and misunderstand are actually pathways towards deeper knowing-- of ourselves and our values and each other?
What if we learned to collectively dream and co-create pathways towards a transformed future?
Schools can and should be different. We have the collective capacity to reimagine their purpose in society and usher in transformed ways of learning, unlearning, healing, and growing together in community.
Feel free to download, print, and share this zine with anyone. Download here.
Instructions for folding a mini zine by Ashley Topacio
