In reference to the last post on empowered youth voices, I wanted to publish a few links to some articles and resources which have been influential, thought provoking and empowering for me on this and related subjects. Please check out these articles from Cooperative Catalyst, as well as some of the other resources here:

Youth Rights, Dignity, and the Anti-Democratic Values of Pubic Schooling – A powerful article on the ways in which traditional public schooling poses an inherent threat to youth empowerment, and which also includes a free pdf link to an amazing resource called The Teenage Liberation Handbook.

Ten Reasons to Abolish Homework (and Five Alternatives) – A succinct and persuasive article which outlines the ways in which homework supports and recreates all kinds of oppressive power structures, and shows how learning can be radically reimagined when this arcane tradition is challenged.

Permission to Speak: Content Classes, Democracy, and the End of School – An honest reflection from an educator’s perspective about the ongoing process of actively stepping back to give students the space they need to step up.

And just for good measure, watch this ill video of members of FIERCE–a queer youth of color collective from NYC–mic checking members of the Obama administration at a conference. An inspiring example of what empowered and collective learning–entirely free of the classroom–can look like: