Know Your Neighbor: Back-to-School Campaign

Find aggregated content from this campaign by visiting here!

Back-to-School Campaign for Educators, Parents, and Students
Sharing Best Practices for Creating Inclusive Classrooms and Schools

September 7– 15, 2017
Follow us at #KnowYourNeighbor or #KYN

As the divisive language of hate groups mushrooms in our nation in the wake of Charlottesville, we need to recognize and combat the detrimental impact of such rhetoric on our nation’s school-age youth. The attitudes represented by such groups are swelling beyond a tiny fringe; a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 9% of Americans consider it acceptable to hold racist and xenophobic views, while 10% support the so-called “alt-right,” a leading source of such views.

While incidents of bullying are not unique to the current generation, the current escalation of hateful language and actions against religious and ethnic minorities is unprecedented. The impact upon Muslim, Sikh, Jewish, and LGBTQ students even before this escalation is striking. For example, in the case of Muslim students, a recent survey found that over 40% of American Muslim parents reported that their child had suffered bullying or harassment from peers or school personnel on the basis of their faith, while a 2015 study by a civil rights organization, based on reports from students themselves, found an even higher rate of religious-based bullying, with 55% of Muslim students saying they had been bullied at least once over the previous year.

Bullying impacts students’ mental health, leading to stress and worry that inhibits their ability to learn.

In light of recent events, the Know Your Neighbor: Multifaith Encounters program, comprised of over 80 partners across the nation, has launched a Back-to-School Campaign to share best practices to help educators, students, and parents counter hate and bigotry at school and create more inclusive classrooms and schools. We invite you to participate in this campaign by sharing your success stories, concerns, and best practices and resources for countering bias and bigotry and creating more inclusive classrooms and schools.

Below you will find content for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram that we want you to share using the hashtag #KnowYourNeighbor or #KYN.

Working together, we will create more inclusive classrooms and schools.
Join us by sharing the following social media content, using #KnowYourNeighbor

Social Media Content to Share

Bullying Prevention

  • Learn more about student and parental rights in public schools: https://ing.org/student-and-parent-rights/ #KnowYourNeighbor
  • Students—learn more about your rights in schools. https://ing.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Student_Resources_Handout.pdf #KnowYourNeighbor
  • Access ING’s Parental Resource Guide to Bullying in Schools: https://ing.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Parental_Resources_Handout.pdf #KnowYourNeighbor
  • “Everyone in America likely has a bullying story, whether as the victim, bully or witness.” Michael M. Honda, former Congressman - Let’s help end bullying. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
  • “You can't be against bullying without actually doing something about it.” Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers - Take a small step today by joining this campaign to stop bullying. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
  • “(Bullying) poisons the educational environment and affects the learning of every child.” - Bullying specialist Dan Olweus. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
  • We must be neither the aggressors nor indifferent to aggression. Help in the fight against bullying. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
  • Allowing aggression to go unchecked when people are young only sows the seeds for aggression in the future. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
  • Know your rights as a Muslim youth at school: Access CAIR’S guide: https://www.cair.com/images/pdf/KYR-National.pdf #KnowYourNeighbor
  • Learn more about bullying and bias against Hindu students in American schools—visit HAF’s resource: https://www.hafsite.org/sites/default/files/HAFN_16_008-BullyingReport_final_RGB_r2.pdf #KnowYourNeighbor
  • Muslims are nearly twice as likely to report bullying among their school-age children as Jewish Americans (42% vs. 23%), and four times as likely as the general public (10%). Become a partner in helping end bullying. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school Data from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s 2017 American Muslim Poll.
  • Muslims (38%) and Jews (27%) are most likely to express fear for their personal safety or that of their family from white supremacist groups as a result of the 2016 elections. This compares with 16% of people not affiliated with a faith, 11% of Protestants, and 8% of Catholics. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school Data from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s 2017 American Muslim Poll.
  • Muslims are nearly twice as likely to report bullying among their school-age children as Jewish Americans (42% vs. 23%), and four times as likely as the general public (10%). Are you a victim of bullying? Or know someone who is being bullied? Check out the resources on the Back-to-School campaign to see how you can help stop bullying #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school Data from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s 2017 American Muslim Poll.
  • Parents - join the Tyler Clementi Foundation and the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign in raising your voice to your school and school district that bullying prevention can be as simple, easy, and effective as Standing Up and Standing Out! Access this resource to learn how to talk to your child’s school administrators and educators to make bullying prevention a priority in your school district: https://tylerclementi.org/standupstandout/
  • Ready to Stand Up and Stand Out to end bullying? Learn how with free guides, letters, and more: https://tylerclementi.org/standupstandout For more resources be sure to follow the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign www.ing.org/kyn-school
 

Create Inclusive Classrooms

 

Resources for Educating About Religious Traditions, World Cultures, etc.

Social Media Images for Promoting the Campaign

Save these images to your computer then upload to your various social media channels, or share the links themselves. Be sure to use the #KnowYourNeighbor hashtag for wider distribution!
   

Videos from Educators, Parents, and Students to Share

Use the arrow in the upper-right corner of these videos to share them with your friends. Be sure to use the #KnowYourNeighbor hashtag for wider distribution!
 

Quick Tips for Creating Great Videos

You don’t need expensive movie cameras to create a good-looking video. Smartphones these days tend to have advanced video capabilities. Here are some quick tips for creating a great video:
  • Choose a location that’s well lit (but not backlit) and doesn’t have a lot of background noise. An empty park or your own home is better than a loud coffee shop.
  • Stabilize your phone while recording. You can either hold the phone yourself, prop it up on something, or have a friend or family member film you.
  • Make sure that the frame includes at least a bit of your shoulders — having your face occupy the whole frame can look a little unnerving.
  • Have a good idea of what you’re going to say before you say it. Practice a few times in front of a mirror or with friends. Don’t be afraid to write your key points on notecards as a reminder. You can even tape a notecard to your phone while recording so you don’t have to look away from the camera.
  • Keep your videos to less than 90 seconds. Shorter is better!

Tweets about the Campaign to Share

Use these tweets by clicking the "Tweet This" button or copying and pasting the text into your favorite Twitter client. Be sure to use the #KnowYourNeighbor hashtag for wider distribution!

Counter Bullying

Tweet: Find out your child's religious 1st Amendment rights in school. Join the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school Find out your child's religious 1st Amendment rights in school. Join the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Peer to peer dialogue counters bullying. These tools can help. Join the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school Peer to peer dialogue counters bullying. These tools can help. Join the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Bullying impacts students’ mental health, causing stress & inhibiting their ability to learn: www.ing.org/kyn-school #KnowYourNeighbor Bullying impacts students’ mental health, causing stress & inhibiting their ability to learn: www.ing.org/kyn-school #KnowYourNeighbor
"You can't be against bullying without actually doing something about it.” Randi Weingarten #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: We must be neither the aggressors nor indifferent to aggression. Help in the fight against bullying#KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school We must be neither the aggressors nor indifferent to aggression. Help in the fight against bullying #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Letting aggression go unchecked when we're young only sows the seeds for aggression in the future. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school Letting aggression go unchecked when we're young only sows the seeds for aggression in the future. #KnowYourNeighbor www.ing.org/kyn-school
 

Creating Inclusive Classrooms

Tweet: #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign for Educators, Parents & Students — Create Inclusive Classrooms: www.ing.org/kyn-school #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign for Educators, Parents & Students — Create Inclusive Classrooms: www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Safe school environments don't happen by themselves. Learn more at the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school Safe school environments don't happen by themselves. Learn more at the #KnowYourNeighbor Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Educators face diverse classrooms every day. #KnowYourNeighbor's Back-to-School Campaign has resources for them: www.ing.org/kyn-school Educators face diverse classrooms every day. #KnowYourNeighbor's Back-to-School Campaign has resources for them: www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Muslim kids — all children — need inclusive learning environments. Join #KnowYourNeighbor's Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school Muslim kids — all children — need inclusive learning environments. Join #KnowYourNeighbor's Back-to-School Campaign: www.ing.org/kyn-school
Tweet: Teachers—study up on how the First Amendment impacts your classrooms: https://buff.ly/2ePc60e #KnowYourNeighbor Teachers—study up on how the First Amendment impacts your classrooms: https://buff.ly/2ePc60e #KnowYourNeighbor
Tweet: Create inclusive classrooms with this free activity kit from #KnowYourClassmates. Sign-up here: http://knowyourclassmates.org #KnowYourNeighbor Create inclusive classrooms with this free activity kit from #KnowYourClassmates. Sign-up here: http://knowyourclassmates.org #KnowYourNeighbor
 

Resources for Educating About Religious Traditions, World Cultures, etc.

Tweet: Want a lesson plan that covers common values shared by five major religions? Download here: https://ing.org/multifaith-curriculum-shared-values-among-faiths/ #KnowYourNeighbor Want a lesson plan that covers common values shared by five major religions? Download here: https://ing.org/multifaith-curriculum-shared-values-among-faiths/ #KnowYourNeighbor
Tweet: Curious how practitioners of five major religions live their faith in the U.S.? Check it out: https://ing.org/multifaith-curriculum-living-the-faith/ #KnowYourNeighbor Curious how practitioners of five major religions live their faith in the U.S.? Check it out: https://ing.org/multifaith-curriculum-living-the-faith/ #KnowYourNeighbor
Tweet: Can’t find a comprehensive lesson plan on Islam and Muslims? We can help! Download here: https://ing.org/lesson-plans-muslims-islam/ #KnowYourNeighbor Can’t find a comprehensive lesson plan on Islam and Muslims? We can help! Download here: https://ing.org/lesson-plans-muslims-islam/ #KnowYourNeighbor
Tweet: Check out our overview of Ramadan and fasting in this slide deck here: https://ing.org/an-overview-of-ramadan-and-fasting-presentation/ #KnowYourNeighbor Check out our overview of Ramadan and fasting in this slide deck here: https://ing.org/an-overview-of-ramadan-and-fasting-presentation/ #KnowYourNeighbor
Tweet: An overview of Islam with slides and scripts: https://ing.org/getting-to-know-american-muslims-and-their-faith-presentation/ #KnowYourNeighbor An overview of Islam with slides and scripts: https://ing.org/getting-to-know-american-muslims-and-their-faith-presentation/ #KnowYourNeighbor
Tweet: A resource for understanding the impact of Islamophobia and how to counter it: https://ing.org/islamophobia-and-its-impact/#KnowYourNeighbor A resource for understanding the impact of Islamophobia and how to counter it: https://ing.org/islamophobia-and-its-impact/ #KnowYourNeighbor

If you are also an educator, parent, or student, click below to join the Campaign:

Share Your Best Practices Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

We want you to share and inspire other educators with successful strategies that have worked for you in the classroom to address any of the following issues:

  • Countering bullying
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
    • Leading conversations on religion, culture, race and diversity
    • Encouraging students to discuss and practice their own faith traditions
    • Cultivating understanding between students of different faiths
    • Making students feel safe sharing about their differences in your classroom
    • Talking about challenges facing our world and conflicts such as Charlottesville and Barcelona
  • Educating your students on world cultures, religious traditions and global studies

Watch this video for an example:


Share Your Best Resources Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

What resources have you found or created to best promote more inclusive classrooms? These resources can pertain to any grade level and address any of the following issues:

  • Countering bullying
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
    • Leading conversations on religion, culture, race and diversity
    • Encouraging students to discuss and practice their own faith traditions
    • Cultivating understanding between students of different faiths
    • Making students feel safe sharing about their differences in your classroom
    • Talking about challenges facing our world and conflicts such as Charlottesville and Barcelona
  • Educating your students on world cultures, religious traditions and global studies

Watch this video for an example:


Share Your Concerns Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

  • What holds you back from discussing these issues in the classroom?
    • What are your fears and hesitations about having these conversations?
    • Has anything ever gone wrong while trying to discuss these issues?
    • What tools and resources would be helpful to enable you to have these conversations?  
  • What are student attitudes towards having these conversations? What are parent attitudes? Administrators?
  • What issues do you believe most need to be discussed in classrooms?

Watch this video for an example:

Share Your Child's Experiences Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

Tell us what you’ve seen done in your child’s classroom or what you wish teachers had done to best address any of the following issues:

  • Countering bullying
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
    • Leading conversations on religion, culture, race and diversity
    • Encouraging students to discuss and practice their own faith traditions
    • Cultivating understanding between students of different faiths
    • Making students feel safe sharing about their differences in your classroom
    • Talking about challenges facing our world and conflicts such as Charlottesville and Barcelona
  • The best ways teachers have taught about world cultures, religious traditions and global studies

Watch this video for an example:


Share Your Child’s Educators' Resources Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

What resources have your child's educators found or created to best promote more inclusive classrooms? These resources can pertain to any grade level and address any of the following issues:

  • Countering bullying
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
    • Leading conversations on religion, culture, race and diversity
    • Encouraging students to discuss and practice their own faith traditions
    • Cultivating understanding between students of different faiths
    • Making students feel safe sharing about their differences in your classroom
    • Talking about challenges facing our world and conflicts such as Charlottesville and Barcelona
  • The best ways teachers have taught about world cultures, religious traditions and global studies

Watch this video for an example:


Share Your Concerns Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

  • What do you wish teachers knew before leading these conversations?
    • What would you like to tell teachers about your child’s identity, faith, race, etc.?
    • What issues do you believe most need to be discussed in classrooms?
  • What holds your child back from talking about these issues?
    • What are your fears and hesitations about having these conversations?
    • Has anything ever gone wrong while trying to discuss these issues?
  • What are parent attitudes towards having these conversations?
    • What are student attitudes? Administrators?

Watch this video for an example:

Share Your Experiences Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

Tell us what you’ve seen done in your classroom or what you wish teachers had done better:

  • Countering bullying
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
    • Leading conversations on religion, culture, race and diversity
    • Encouraging students to discuss and practice their own faith traditions
    • Cultivating understanding between students of different faiths
    • Making students feel safe sharing about their differences in your classroom
    • Talking about challenges facing our world and conflicts such as Charlottesville and Barcelona
  • The best ways teachers have taught about world cultures, religious traditions and global studies

Watch this video for an example:


Share Your Educators' Resources Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

What resources have you found or created to best promote more inclusive classrooms? These resources can pertain to any grade level and address any of the following issues:

  • Countering bullying
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
    • Leading conversations on religion, culture, race and diversity
    • Encouraging students to discuss and practice their own faith traditions
    • Cultivating understanding between students of different faiths
    • Making students feel safe sharing about their differences in your classroom
    • Talking about challenges facing our world and conflicts such as Charlottesville and Barcelona
  • The best ways teachers have taught about world cultures, religious traditions and global studies

Watch this video for an example:


Share Your Concerns Using the #KnowYourNeighbor Hashtag

  • What do you wish teachers knew before leading these conversations?
    • What would you like to tell teachers about your identity, faith, race, etc.?
    • What issues do you believe most need to be discussed in classrooms?
  • What holds you back from talking about these issues?
    • What are your fears and hesitations about having these conversations?
    • Has anything ever gone wrong while trying to discuss these issues?
  • What are student attitudes towards having these conversations?
    • What are parent attitudes? Administrators?

Watch this video for an example: