January 18, 2022 - On Monday, Jan. 17, SSD celebrates the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He devoted his life to realizing the dream of equality, peace, and dignity for all people. In SSD, our first core value is equity for a very important reason. We strive to ensure diversity and inclusion are valued in our schools, with our students, teachers, staff, and partners. Our students and staff are best served in environments where they feel safe and respected.

Dr. King reminded us of our society’s imperfections, as well as our potential for compassion and kindness. He shared his vision of the type of world we could live in if everyone made decisions driven by compassion, instead of negativity and hate. We are aware that despite the passage of more than 50 years since Dr. King’s death, though progress has been made, his intention is far from being achieved.

We challenge the SSD community to take the time to reflect and get involved in civil rights issues across the globe. MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service, to encourage all Americans to volunteer their time towards improving their communities. AmeriCorps has resources available to help match volunteers with opportunities in their area.

Use the resources below to help guide conversations with your children about equality, race, and social justice. 

Items Available in SSD School Libraries or PEDA’s Family and Community Resource Center:

• “Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King Jr,” by Doreen Rappaport
• “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,” by Meredith Dash
• “My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers,” by Christine King Farris
• “Kindness is My Superpower,” by Alicia Ortega

Items Available to View Through Free Online Resources:

• “The Cart That Carried Martin,” by Eve Bunting
• “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,” compilation of songs and stories for PreK-Grade 1
• “Happy Birthday Martin Luther King,” by Jean Marzollo
• “A Lesson for Martin,” by Denise L. Patrick
• “The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr”, animated biography
• “March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World,” by Christine King Farris
• “Martin Luther King, Jr. - Minister & Civil Rights Activist”, Biography video
• “When Martin Luther King, Jr. Wore Roller Skates,” by Mark Weakland
• Merv Griffin Interview Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - 1967

Dr. King was clear about what he wanted for our children and our world. It is now up to us to teach our children and nurture the very best of who we are as people to realize his intention. As Dr. King said, “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”