Kavya: NIOS has Changed 'My Outlook on the World'

I’ve been in the Unit 5 School System for over 11 years, meaning I have gone to school with the same kids since elementary school. We all used to eat lunch and play during recess together; however, that feeling of camaraderie does not exist anymore.

I've experienced, as have many others, the realities of 'bias' as I've matured.

Ideas, people and the environment that surround us shape our innocent minds in both good and bad ways as we grow older. These external sources of influence could be new-found friends, teachers or even a parent's banter.

Influences that give rise to a negative bias often result in students becoming ignorant about and close-minded toward others.

What caught my attention when I first heard about Not In Our School (NIOS) was the use of the world 'inclusive' in the NIOS mission statement - 'building safe and inclusive environments in schools'.

From my vantage point; most of the uninformed attitudes in school are due to the lack of exposure to other cultures and differences.

So as President of NIOS, I focus heavily on making our club an opportunity for students to get to know more about the diversity of our student body.

We have held a Culture and Religion Fair during school and the one stipulation for the NIOS members was to choose a culture/religion you were not very knowledgeable about to become better informed.

As part of our meetings, we hold discussions on current issues to broaden students’ horizons and to hear different viewpoints.

Furthermore, we conduct outreach to Unit 5 elementary schools to start students thinking of inclusion at an early age.

Most of the funds we raise come from selling signs, posters, and pins with the mantra: 'No Matter Where You Are From, We’re Glad You’re Our Neighbor'. Seeing the signs in almost every teacher’s door has positively impacted our school. Students feel welcome especially because we have many immigrants.

I am overwhelmed by the difference we make in our school environment.

At NIOS, we are bipartisan and firmly believe that through open-minded education and cultural exposure, our school environment will become even more inclusive.

The importance of a school with culturally aware students is a supportive school environment where students are free to unlock their full potential.

On a personal note; NIOS has helped strengthen my leadership and speaking skills. I have gained so many new speaking opportunities which hone my abilities every time I have the chance to speak.

I've also learned that organizing events is tougher than it appears as is applying the art of compromise when dealing with students and adults who share differing perspectives.

If you want to get out of your comfort zone and truly grow, I highly recommend Not In Our School.

It has changed my outlook on the world.

- Kavya Sudhir, Veteran Scholar

McLean County Diversity Project

Kavya: Education, Exposure Key to School Inclusivity

I’ve been in the Unit 5 School System for over 11 years, meaning I have gone to school with the same kids since elementary school. We all used to eat lunch and play during recess together; however, that feeling of camaraderie does not exist anymore.

I've experienced, as have many others, the realities of 'bias' as I've matured.

Ideas, people and the environment that surround us shape our innocent minds in both good and bad ways as we grow older. These external sources of influence could be new-found friends, teachers or even a parent's banter.

Influences that give rise to a negative bias often result in students becoming ignorant about and close-minded toward others.

What caught my attention when I first heard about Not In Our School (NIOS) was the use of the world 'inclusive' in the NIOS mission statement - 'building safe and inclusive environments in schools.'

From my vantage point, most of the uninformed attitudes in school are due to the lack of exposure to other cultures and differences.

So as President of NIOS, I focus heavily on making our club an opportunity for students to get to know more about the diversity of our student body.

We have held a Culture and Religion Fair during school and the one stipulation for the NIOS members was to choose a culture/religion you were not very knowledgeable about to become better informed.

As part of our meetings, we hold discussions on current issues to broaden students’ horizons and to hear different viewpoints.

Furthermore, we conduct outreach to Unit 5 elementary schools to start students thinking of inclusion at an early age.

Most of the funds we raise come from selling signs, posters, and pins with the mantra: 'No Matter Where You Are From, We’re Glad You’re Our Neighbor'. Seeing the signs in almost every teacher’s door has positively impacted our school. Students feel welcome especially because we have many immigrants.

I am overwhelmed by the difference we make in our school environment.

At NIOS, we are bipartisan and firmly believe that through open-minded education and cultural exposure, our school environment will become even more inclusive.

The importance of a school with culturally aware students is a supportive school environment where students are free to unlock their full potential.

On a personal note; NIOS has helped strengthen my leadership and speaking skills. I have gained so many new speaking opportunities which hone my abilities every time I have the chance to speak.

I've also learned that organizing events is tougher than it appears as is applying the art of compromise when dealing with students and adults who share differing perspectives.

If you want to get out of your comfort zone and truly grow, I highly recommend Not In Our School.

It has changed my outlook on the world.

Kavya Sudhir, Veteran Scholar
McLean County Diversity Project

November to Remember: NIOTBN Welcomes National Director, Heads Community Dialogue

WGLT/

Anti-immigration voices are growing stronger around the U.S., and an advocate for tolerance and education said the best way to combat that kind of speech is by introducing immigrants to their neighbors.

Not In Our Town Movement Director Patrice O'Neill said it's particularly troublesome the largest increase in reports of have speech is among K-12 schoolchildren.

"Students are confronting Latino students and saying, 'Build a wall build a wall, you're going to be deported.' I think it is causing an incredible amount of trauma," said O'Neill.

O'Neill said people also don't realize how hate groups are using things like memes and Facebook to spread their message.
     
She said hate groups have been getting braver following the election results last year. Speaking during GLT's Sound Ideas, O'Neill emphasized the importance of preparedness and spreading awareness.

"People who don't feel the harm do not understand the pain, and when they don't feel it, it's easier to ignore it," said O'Neill.

O'Neill says change will happen only when people feel brave enough to stand up for each other. The cure, she said, is to make sure people know their immigrant neighbors, their names, their stories, and their feelings. She said that makes it easier to call a halt to objectionable words and actions.

O'Neill was in Bloomington to screen a documentary called "A Light In The Darkness," and host a panel discussion of schoolchildren about ways to combat intolerance.

Twin City leaders meanwhile showed their commitment to tolerance through Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal during a dialogue the morning following the screening.

Bloomington-Normal is among five communities in NIOT's Gold Star Cities pilot program, an effort to showcase communities that make a concerted effort to end hate, fear and violence.

Interested communities can choose from a variety of goals based around "safety, respect, and diversity for all" to become certified by the national NIOT program, which plans to offer special city welcome signs and to profile successful communities on its website and publications.

Though Bloomington-Normal has been part of NIOT, which started with a 1995 PBS documentary on local response to hate crimes in Billings, Mont., for 21 years, the pilot offers officials a chance to "take our efforts to the next level," said local organizer Mike Matejka.

"We're considering how we can work as a community and where we can go together," he said.

Goals include forming a committee; holding events in diverse settings; raising money; organizing multicultural leadership training; creating an interfaith group; bringing NIOT into schools, including bullying prevention; working with law enforcement; and sharing anti-hate messages publicly. 

Bloomington-Normal has a solid foundation in those goals already but can still do more, said NIOT founder Patrice O'Neill. She singled out getting NIOT into schools — it's already in more than a dozen McLean County Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 schools — and buy-in from local government and police departments as successes.

"(Bloomington-Normal) needs an ongoing structure. There needs to be a commitment (to NIOT)," she said. "More awareness is another key thing."

Officials kicked off the effort with a brainstorming session Friday at Moses Montefiore Temple in Bloomington. Civic, business and public safety leaders shared their ideas after hearing a presentation from O'Neill on the program.

"When something horrible happens, we show up, and that's a great thing. We have each other's backs. ... But can we do something to change the perception that we're a little bit more preventative (rather than) building the community and strengthening connections so that these things don't happen," said Jill Blair of Bloomington. "That's really what we're about. ... 'It never happens here,' not, 'We react when it does.'"

District 87 to Consider NIOS Resolution

Bloomington District 87 School Board will consider a Not In Our Schools support resolution on Wednesday at the District Office, 300 E. Monroe Street, downtown Bloomington.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., and the resolution is set later on the agenda. Come by and show your support. You can see the agenda at http://www.boarddocs.com/il/district87/Board.nsf/Public

Not In Our School is expanding into new local elementary schools as well as in junior high and high schools. In addition, Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal is exploring new university outreach and participation.

Study: Campaign Rhetoric Spurring Bullying, Fear in Schools

A survey of approximately 2,000 teachers by the Southern Poverty Law Center indicates that the presidential campaign is having a profoundly negative impact on schoolchildren across the country, according to a report released today.

The report – The Trump Effect: The Impact of the Presidential Campaign on Our Nation’s Schools – found that the campaign is producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom. Many students worry about being deported.

Teachers also reported an increase in the bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates.

“We’re deeply concerned about the level of fear among minority children who feel threatened by both the incendiary campaign rhetoric and the bullying they’re encountering in school,” said SPLC President Richard Cohen. “We’ve seen Donald Trump behave like a 12-year-old, and now we’re seeing 12-year-olds behave like Donald Trump.”

The online survey, conducted by the SPLC’s Teaching Tolerance project from March 23 to April 2, is not scientific. But it provides a rich source of information about the impact of this year’s election on the country’s classrooms. The data, including 5,000 comments from educators, shows a disturbing nationwide problem, one that is particularly acute in schools with high concentrations of minority children.

• More than two-thirds of the teachers reported that students – mainly immigrants, children of immigrants and Muslims – have expressed concerns or fears about what might happen to them or their families after the election.
• More than half have seen an increase in uncivil political discourse.
• More than third have observed an increase in anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant sentiment.
• More than 40 percent are hesitant to teach about the election.

While the survey did not identify candidates, more than 1,000 comments mentioned Donald Trump by name. In contrast, a total of fewer than 200 contained the names Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. More than 500 comments contained the words “fear,” “scared,” “afraid,” “anxious,” or “terrified” to describe the campaign’s impact on minority students.

“My students are terrified of Donald Trump,” wrote a teacher from a middle school with a large population of African-American Muslims. “They think that if he’s elected, all black people will get sent back to Africa.”

In state after state, teachers reported similar fears.

A K-3 teacher in Oregon said her black students are “concerned for their safety because of what they see on TV at Trump rallies.” In Tennessee, a kindergarten teacher said a Latino child – told by classmates that he will be deported and blocked from returning home by a wall – asks every day, “Is the wall here yet?”

A number of teachers reported that students are using the word “Trump” as a taunt or chant as they gang up on others. Muslim children are being called “terrorist,” or “ISIS,” or “bomber.” One teacher wrote that a fifth-grader told a Muslim student “that he was supporting Donald Trump because he was going to kill all of the Muslims if he became president!”

Educators, meanwhile, are perplexed and conflicted about what to do. They report being stymied by the need to remain nonpartisan but disturbed by the anxiety in their classrooms and the lessons that children may be absorbing from this campaign.

“Schools are finding that their anti-bullying work is being tested and, in many places, falling apart,” said Teaching Tolerance Director Maureen Costello, author of the report. “Most teachers seem to feel they need to make a choice between teaching about the election or protecting their kids. In elementary school, half have decided to avoid it. In middle and high schools, we’re seeing more who have decided, for the first time, not to be neutral.”

The long-term impact on children’s wellbeing, their behavior or their civic education is impossible to gauge. Some teachers report that their students are highly engaged and interested in the political process this year. Others worry that the election is making them “less trusting of government” or “hostile to opposing points of view,” or that children are “losing respect for the political process.”

The SPLC urged educators to not abandon their teaching about the election, to use instances of incivility as teaching moments, and to support children who are hurt, confused or frightened by what they’re hearing from the candidates.

Hudson Elementary Latest to Declare Not In Our School

As Normal's Unit Five School District prepared to ring out the 2015-2016 school year, Hudson Elementary Monday joined the growing corps of local grade schools flying the colors of the Not In Our School commitment to fight bigotry and bullying.

Principal Scott Myers presided over skits, student-crafted bulletin boards, and PA announcements touting the principles of the Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal spinoff program, which has spread downward from Twin Cities high schools and junior highs to the elementary level.

Open House/Open Schools

Hindu Temple of Bloomington Normal is hosting a March 19 community event for all Bloomington-Normal residents, to help promote Not in our Town: Bloomington/Normal faith and outreach efforts.  Attendees will have the opportunity to see the temple sanctum, learn about Sanatana Dharma – Hinduism - "and get a better sense about Hindus," temple President Chetan Desai said. The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at 1815 Tullamore Avenue, Bloomington. As seating is limited, visitors are asked to RSVP at http://goo.gl/forms/qEZtKioea1.

Meanwhile, McLean County Diversity Project Veteran Scholar Aishwarya Shekara -- daughter of Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal Steering Committee member and Hindu community leader/McLean County India Association President Archana Shekara -- shared her experiences working to create a Not In Our School organization at Normal Community High School, in the latest Diversity Project newsletter:

"In case you don’t know me, my name is Aishwarya Shekara, I am sixteen years young, and I am a junior at Normal Community High School. I am sixteen years young. Yes, if you read that correctly, I am not old. I have not experienced life at its fullest, I have not endured heartbreak, struggle, or poverty. But, I have felt hope. Hope so great for our small town, our diverse nation, and our ever changing world.

 In October, tennis season was coming to end, and I was looking forward to binge watching Netflix and catching up with friends. I still hadn’t chosen a project for Diversity and the decision was looming over me. This was the first time since 7th grade I had no project, no ideas, nothing that would get me on the trip! My guess is (Diversity Project Director) Jeff Schwartz used his Ozark/Salem/Ceil witch magic (do we even know what that means?) to decipher my need of a project. He approached me and asked if I had heard of Not In Our School (NIOS). I said yes, because my mom had mentioned it. So, Jeff told me to contact (NIOTBN Education Chairman Camille Taylor), and we all decided to meet at Barnes and Noble. My comrade and fellow Diversity Project Scholar, Kavya, was there as well, and we discussed and brainstormed ways to start a NIOS club in Normal Community. I left the meeting feeling inspired, and hopeful that I could make a change in my high school.

I want to thank Jeff and Camille for sitting down with Kavya and I that day. Without your belief in us, NIOS wouldn’t exist in NCHS. I never would have met so many amazing people from Not in Our Town, and the community. I want to thank you guys so much for all your support and blessings. No thank you will ever be enough;  NIOS has given me hope for students that we can change the world by solving everyday issues at school.

 Starting the club was easier said than done. Kavya and I faced several dilemmas, but we never gave up. We want NCHS to support intolerance, anti- bullying, and end racism. Our goal is to make the school a more inclusive environment that supports the entire student body.

I think we're getting there.

With the help of our esteemed advisor Mr. Kelly Keogh, Normal Community’s Not in Our School had its first official meeting in the first week of February. The very next week we organized an event called Operation Beautiful for Valentine's Day. Operation Beautiful reminds students that they are important through compliments and nice words. Our goal was to write a compliment on a sticky note for every locker. There are approximately 2000 lockers at Normal Community! Through the help of NIOS students from Normal West, Future Business Leaders of America members, and Culture Club, we finished writing and putting up the sticky notes in an hour! I thought it was a miracle we finished at 3:45! I expected to stay until 5:00, but with the help and support from so many amazing people, we made every student smile the next day.

As I strolled down the hallways after all the sticky notes were put up, I took a moment to document this image in my memory. I have volunteered in the past, but this was different. This was something beautiful. I was part of something beautiful, something that would make a stranger smile, something that would remind students that they are loved and cared for at our school. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled so much in my life or felt true happiness until that day.

So when asked about my life and experiences, I say this: I have faced no real hardships, heartbreak, or pain. But I am lucky to enough to have felt hope and happiness. Serving Not In Our School has given happiness I will never forget, and hope that our future will be a better place if we choose to make it one."

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Operation Beautiful Offers Affirmation to NCHS Students

Normal Community High School students Thursday found something different in the school's hallways -- positive affirmation, courtesy of an NCHS' Not In Our School project Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal (NIOTBN) Education Subcommittee Chairman Camille Taylor deemed "seed planting."

"This afternoon, Not in Our School put compliments on about 2000 lockers at Normal Community!" student Aishwarya Shekara recounted. "But it wasn't just NIOS students from NCHS who helped.

"(Normal Community West High School Project Oz coordinator) Jessica Jackson and students from Normal West's NIOS and Hype club came to Normal Community after school to help us accomplish this task! Working together was so much fun, and though the rivalry between both schools is strong, it was put aside for friendship. Students from Culture Club and Future Business Leaders of America took part as well, and we finished around 4. I expected us to take three hours, but we did it in one! All of our clubs worked in unity today and it was beautiful to watch! Thank you all so much for your time and support. I can honestly say that I am blessed to go to Normal Community. Thank you for everything!"

Shekara is the daughter of Illinois State University arts instructor Archana Shekara, a member of the NIOTBN Steering Committee.

Glenn Elementary Launches Not In Our School

Not In Our School kicked off at Normal's Glenn Elementary School Friday in an effort by the Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal program to reach children at an earlier stage.

Glenn Elementary held an assembly to kick off “Kindness Month,” during which students will be rewarded for acts of kindness, including defending against bullying. WJBC was on hand to interview participants in the program, which previously established a base in Twin Cities junior high and high schools.

"Just like anything else, the earlier you start the better!" NIOT:B/N Education Chairman Camille Taylor related. "The mission of Not In Our School is to stop hate, address bullying, and create a safe, inclusive community. Children at the elementary level, from kindergarten through fifth grade, can learn specific skills to be an upstander when they witness bullying.

"They can also learn the importance of speaking up and speaking out to make their learning environment safer. Students will become accustomed to this and expect/demand that their school environment be like this as they progress through middle and high school."

Jan Meadows, a retired teacher who according to Taylor helped NIOS "make the Glenn connection," stressed kindergarten is "the beginning of outside the family socialization."

"We start at the beginning," Meadows said. "That is where we start. When we expect high schoolers to succeed in algebra, we forget that once they didn't know any numbers. The same applies for social skills. When we teach the littlest child the language and the actions of inclusion, they accept it, they practice it, we reward and recognize their efforts and they will use it. "

"We often don't recognize that our brains are wired to search out danger in all settings, anything that looks or sounds different sets off internal alarms. But just like other biological responses the brain learns to accept and ignore these alarm triggers through practice and knowledge. These are skills we can and must teach our children."

Taylor reported Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 superintendents have given "100 percent support" to NIOS developing elementary-level programs on a school-by-school basis.

NIOTBN Working to Foster Renewed Season4Reason

Camille Taylor

WJBC Forum

Tis the “Season4Reason” and “Peace on earth, good will towards men!” Does it seem odd that during a season of peace and hope you can’t turn on the TV without seeing so much hate?

Not In Our Town has a message on electronic billboards that proclaim this to be a “Season4Reason” amidst all of the ignorant and hate-filled messages we are receiving. It stands to reason that we’ve always had people of all faiths living not only in America but around the world. It stands to reason that we have both good people and bad people in every faith, non-believers, race, income, and gender.

Some people take the opportunity to promote their own agenda when people are afraid and try to turn people against one another. It stands to reason that we should get the facts before we jump to conclusions against others. It also stands to reason that everyone should not be lumped into one group and labelled when a small minority of individuals does something bad.

That’s why I’m happy to give you “good news” about some events in our community that reflect a “Season4Reason.” The WJBC Brotherhood Tree is in full speed this week at the National Guard Armory. Volunteers are needed each night this week to wrap, sort, and bag gifts that need to be delivered on the morning of Saturday, the 19th. This effort reaches people who are struggling financially from all faiths, races, and genders. Gifts are particularly needed in the 13-18 age categories, specifically young men 17 to 18. The focus is for them to have a decent Christmas, not to judge who they are or where they came from.

Last week, over twenty students from area schools came together to get the tools and resources they need to develop their Not In Our School Clubs. Their goal is to stop hate, address bullying, and to make their schools more safe and inclusive.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 16 at 6 p.m., Not In Our Town is sponsoring an interfaith, community solidarity event on the east side of the Old Courthouse in downtown Bloomington. Co-sponsors are First Christian Church, New Covenant Community, the Presbytery of Great Rivers, and Moses Montefiore Temple in collaboration with the Islamic Center of B/N and Masjid Ibrahim Mosque. By bringing all faiths together, we show that stereotyping groups within our community is not acceptable.

We have the opportunity to make this a “Season4Reason” and spread “Peace on earth, good will toward men!” We just need the collective will to do it! I’m Camille Taylor for the WJBC Forum.

In addition, listen to Not In Our Town: Bloomington/Normal's Kelley Becker, associate minister at Bloomington First Christian Church, discuss the need for interfaith understanding and cooperation with WGLT-Radio's Charlie Schlenker, at http://wglt.org/post/interfaith-muslim-solidarity-event-set