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Salem State University Associate �鶹���˾�Ʒ of history, Bethany Jay, PhD, played a central role in a Southern Poverty Law �鶹���˾�Ʒ Report released on February 1 detailing the insufficiencies in the teaching of the history of American slavery. Through her work and the work of Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law �鶹���˾�Ʒ, the nation’s educators will be provided with the tools needed to teach the topic correctly.

�鶹���˾�Ʒ Jay, along with Boston College Associate �鶹���˾�Ʒ of history, Cynthia Lynn Lyerly, PhD, co-edited the book, Understanding and Teaching American Slavery, which became the framework for the report. �鶹���˾�Ʒs Jay and Lyerly worked with Teaching Tolerance, serving on the advisory board, to develop the that will guide the larger national teaching framework.

According to Teaching Tolerance, the report, , “traces racial tensions and even debates about what, exactly, racism is in America to the failure of schools to teach the full impact that slavery has had on all Americans. The report examines the lack of coverage that U.S. classrooms provide about American slavery through a survey of high school seniors and U.S. social studies teachers.”

"Our failure, as a nation, to grapple with the reality and legacy of slavery is evident both in the test data from Teaching Hard History and in the near daily acts of racial intolerance taking place in our communities,” �鶹���˾�Ʒ Jay said.

�鶹���˾�Ʒ Jay, along with fellow Salem State University history �鶹���˾�Ʒ Stephen Oliver, were featured on episodes of the  

“We need to acknowledge the massive impact that slavery had on our past - all of our pasts - before we can create a more just present. The best place to begin this work is in our classrooms. I am honored to have contributed to Teaching Hard History. This essential study and suite of materials will continue and expand the job begun by Understanding and Teaching American Slavery," �鶹���˾�Ʒ Jay continued.

According to , “Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.”

Read the Southern Poverty Law �鶹���˾�Ʒ’s announcement of this report .