Dr. Jade E. Davis, Director of Educational Technology and Learning Management at University of Pennsylvania Libraries cautions educators against the knee jerk tendency to use videos of violence in classroom discussions: “As much as I think it’s important to bear witness for certain things, when we don’t have the voice of the person saying it’s OK to watch me die in this way, and when we don’t know who else will see or how else it might be used, it’s important to be cautious.” In a moment where teachers may feel compelled to address the recent violent deaths, Dr. Davis says: “We are in the middle of lots and lots of traumatic things right now. And we don’t know where our students are coming from. So even if a student doesn’t see themselves implicated on either side of the video, meaning the person who is doing the violence or the person who is being murdered. It might be too much for them right now.” Listen to Dr. Davis’ recommendations for engaging in compassionate discussions, how to create a safe space for talking through the trauma of this moment, and how, as educators, to practice self-care.
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