Articles and news stories are constantly pushing me to consider something new, broaden my perspective, or change the way I look at an issue. My husband likes to joke that my brain explodes with something new on a daily basis. These articles – and the brain explosions that result from them – are so beneficial for me that I wanted to create a place where I could share them, in case you might want to read them, too. Learn more about Things that Made My Brain Explode – and see past posts – here. 

Here’s a recent batch of Things that Made my Brain Explode:

• “Go stand next to the white door.” “You can’t say that – that’s racist!” I overhear this kind of conversation at my school every single day. And it’s not because the kids are bad – it’s because they’re testing, learning, and listening. This brilliant article breaks these jokes and questions down, piece by piece, explains why they shouldn’t be ignored, and provides clear and helpful instructions for teachers to speak up in a helpful, non-confrontational way. Kids’ Misuse Of The Term ‘Racist’ Is Dangerous —So Let’s Disrupt It.
• 1.7 Million Students Attend Schools With Police But No Counselors, New Data Show. “Schools are under-resourced and students are overcriminalized,” says the report, released Monday by the ACLU. 
• I was really surprised by the strong opinions that these kids – some as young as 7 – had about their photos being posted online. This made me think about what I post and share of the children in my life, and whether that’s fair to them. When Kids Realize Their Whole Life Is Already Online. Thank you for sending this my way, Breton!
• After our Firebird lesson last week, my readers are obsessed with Misty Copeland. (Aren’t we all?!) They’ll be so excited to hear this: Misty Copeland And Calvin Royal III Become The First Black Couple To Dance Lead With The American Ballet Theatre.
• Our first grade team has been passing around this awesome resource list to prepare for Women’s History Month, and I thought you might like it, too. Ignite Her Curiosity: 70 Books to Inspire Science-Loving Mighty Girls. So many of these are favorites in our library!
• “‘We have built a school funding system that is reliant on geography, and therefore the school funding system has inherited all of the historical ills of where we have forced and incentivized people to live,’ Sibilia says. Public schools are primarily funded by local and state sources — the federal government pays for less than 10 percent, on average, of K-12 education.” Why White School Districts Have So Much More Money.
• Selma Blair spoke to Good Morning America this week about her Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, how it has changed her life, and why she’s speaking out. Chronic illness can be so hard to talk about. I’m grateful that she used her platform in such a powerful way, giving a voice to so many.
• “‘One thing Brendan and I talked about in the process of writing All American Boys, and still talk about often, was the default image that comes to mind whenever the term ‘all-American’ is used,” says [author Jason] Reynolds. ‘We’ve often stood in front of crowds and asked them to point out which of us is the all-American boy, and then deconstructing why it never seems to be me.’ ” The Authors Of ‘All American Boys’ Think ‘Esquire’ Failed To Address Toxic Masculinity In A Meaningful Way.
• Adaptive Video Game Controllers Open Worlds for Gamers With Disabilities. Awesome! 
• What I Gave My Kid Instead of a Smartphone. Parents, you don’t have to hand over an iPhone if you don’t want to – there are other options.
• Along the same lines, Why Social Media is Not Smart for Middle School Kids, written by a child psychologist. Includes helpful tips for how to help your family navigate the social media transition successfully.
• 31 YA Books By Black Authors That You Can’t Miss This Year.
• Ian. Watch this award-winning short film, cry, and then go get involved with Bennett’s Village, an amazing organization looking to bring an all abilities playground to Charlottesville.
• Where do you stand on going gray? My sparkles (as Mr. Fitz and I lovingly call them) are trickling in, and I go back and forth between thinking they’re fun and wanting to yank them all out.
• “ ‘It’s important to me that we can tell Black stories without it being about race,’ Peele says. ‘I realized I had never seen a horror movie of this kind, where there’s an African-American family at the center that just is.’ “ Jordan Peele On the Importance of Telling Many Kinds of Black Stories. 
• Undirected time for creative play changes the way kids think, interact, and grow. I’m glad to see that the research is finally starting to back what teachers have known for years, and that said research is trickling down to the uninformed people making the decisions that impact us all. States Consider Longer School Recess, and the Adults Aren’t Complaining. 
• We have all of Hena Khan’s joyful, colorful books in our library, and they’re constantly checked out by curious and excited readers. This newest title is coming in our next order and I can’t wait to share it! Hena Khan inspiring children to embrace Muslim culture with new book, “Under My Hijab”.
• 4 Feet: Blind Date Is a Captivating Film Showing That Disabled People Have a Right to Their Sexuality. This film looks amazing, and I love that at the center of the team is an OwnVoices writer. (Also, wow Teen Vogue! Where was this amazing content when I was younger?) 
• FYI, You Can Watch Astronauts Read Popular Kids Books From Space. One of my wonderful coworkers shared this link last week and IT IS SO COOL. Thank you, Heidi!
• 3 things schools should teach about America’s history of white supremacy. I didn’t learn the truth about America’s history in school – not one of these topics was ever touched on, I barely understood how our government worked, I was completely and utterly racially illiterate – and it had a dramatic impact on my life once I graduated. The ways that my school, and my hometown, failed me are daily reminders of why my job is so important.
• The Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools has used “his authority to prohibit symbols, lettering, or insignia associated with white supremacy, racial hatred, or violence from schools in the division.” Reactions in the county – coincidentally, where the independent school I work in is located – are mixed. Albemarle County Superintendent Says No Confederate Imagery in Schools.
• Florida Teacher Whose Colin Kaepernick Door Decoration Went Viral Forced To Take It Down. 
• “I get it. You grew up on Dr. Seuss. I did too! It’s probably safe to assume that most people did and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. But we have to recognize that two things can be true at the same time: Dr. Seuss is a prolific children’s book author and global icon. And Dr. Seuss has a history of racial baggage that educators should understand when introducing his writing to their students.” The researchers behind this study (shared a few weeks ago) are getting death threats over their work. Why are we so attached to Dr. Seuss? If you do still want to use Dr. Seuss in your classroom, here are some ways to give students the full context: It’s Time to Talk About Dr. Seuss.