Gerler Symposium on Race & Equity in Philosophy for Children [with videos]

The philosophy for children movement builds on children's curiosity about the world around them and helps young students to develop critical questioning and thinking skills through exploring philosophical topics. In philosophical discussions, children explore a wide variety of issues related to ethics, justice, freedom, mind, perception, knowledge, and aesthetics. Given its critical dialogical methods, and its emphasis on respectful engagement on contentious issues that matter to students, philosophy presents an important opportunity for teachers and students to grapple with difficult issues of race and equity in the classroom.

In this public day-long symposium, philosophy for children experts and a nationally acclaimed critical race scholar from the field of education presented their insights on using philosophy to explore issues of race and equity in the classroom.

The following presentations from the Gerler Symposium can be viewed on the Department of Philosophy's YouTube Channel and can be viewed on this page.

Keynote Address: “Children as Amateur Intellectuals: Edward Said and the Reconstruction of Authority” Zeus Leonardo, University of California, Berkeley

“Philosophizing Identity and Oppression” - Amy Reed-Sandoval, University of Texas, El Paso (presented over Skype)

“Creating a Philosophical School Culture” - Ben Lukey, University of Hawaii

“Creating a Philosophical School Culture” - Karen Emmerman, University of Washington & John Muir Elementary

“Working to Bridge Race and Class Divisions in Schools” - Jana Mohr Lone, University of Washington; Debi Talukdar, University of Washington; Drego Little, Rainier Scholars; Colin Pierce, Rainier Beach High School

Thank you to Daniel Gerler whose generous support of the Department of Philosophy made this symposium possible.