Diversity Statement and Resources
JTHS Diversity Statement
Joliet Township High School District 204 is committed to cultivating an inclusive community that values and embraces diversity and respects the humanity of all people.
JTHS School counselors recognize and distinguish individual and group differences and strive to value all students and groups equally. We promote the equitable treatment of all students in school and the community through a curriculum that teaches tolerance and addresses the issues of nonviolence and social justice on a regular basis. It is in this spirit and in the spirit of JTHS’s Anti-Racism statement that we share these resources. Additionally, students are encouraged to reach out to their counselors for additional support as needed. Hate has no home at JTHS.
Resources for families:
Race and Equity Resources
100 race-conscious things you can say to your child to advance racial justice
Talking to kids about race
Talking to children after racial incidents
Books and Resources to Help You Raise Anti-Racist Children
Yale African American History Course (Free)
NPR's Michel Martin talks to Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America, about how to talk with white kids about racially-charged events.
Radical Self-Care in the Face of Mounting Racial Stress
This article from Psychology Today provides steps for cultivating hope during times of distress and provides self-care strategies for adults.
Teaching Tolerance: Black Lives Matter Still Matters
This resource outlines why it is important to teach young people of all races about the Black Lives Matters movement, its origins, and its continued relevance.
The American Nightmare
This think piece provides insight to the mental, social, and historical impacts of systemic racism in America on Black people and how we have arrived at our current state in America.
Anti-Defamation League: George Floyd, Racism and Law Enforcement “Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events”
This reading provides suggestions for how educators, parents, families, and caregivers can discuss George Floyd, police violence, racism, and protests with youth. It also includes discussion questions and suggestions for how to take action.
Safe Space Radio: Tips and Strategies “Talking to White Kids about Race and Racism”
This resource provides tips for educators and parents on how to have a conversation on race and racism with white youth.
Children Community School: Social Justice Resources
This site contains resources and considerations for how to discuss race and social justice topics including racism, police brutality, and protests with youth.
Edutopia: Teaching Young Children About Bias, Diversity, and Social Justice
This resource contains five strategies for engaging youth in learning and discussion on bias, diversity, and social justice.
Oakland Library: Talking to Kids about Racism and Justice, a list for Parents, Educators, and Caregivers (Pre-K and up)
This resource provides a list of educational resources to engage young people (Pre-K and up) in learning about racism and justice.
Teaching Tolerance: Living with the Bear
This article focuses on concerns about the impact of fake news by helping youth know and understand confirmation bias (our tendency to more readily believe information that supports—or confirms—our existing worldviews and to exclude information that might contradict previously held assumptions).
Teaching Tolerance: Teaching Students about Confirmation Bias
This article focuses on concerns about the impact of fake news by helping youth know and understand confirmation bias (our tendency to more readily believe information that supports—or confirms—our existing worldviews and to exclude information that might contradict previously held assumptions).
New York Times: A Conversation on Race
This resource includes a series of videos on different racial and ethnic groups describing their experiences with racism, including the following:
- A Conversation with my Black Son
- A Conversation About Growing Up Black
- A Conversation With Black Women on Race
- A Conversation with Latinos on Race
- A Conversation with Asian-Americans on Race
- A Conversation with Native Americans on Race
- A Conversation with White People on Race
- A Conversation with Police on Race