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Master's Thesis: “Good on paper, terrible in practice”: The Unspoken Ideals of High School U.S. Government and Civics Courses
No full textWithin the current literature surrounding high school government and civics courses, the primary question that is repeatedly asked is: What is the point and/or the end goal of teaching these courses? Whilst this is a very important question to ponder, it still leaves a very important question unasked—What should we be teaching? Within this paper, I argue that the ways that government and civics classes are currently being taught is both factually incorrect and morally wrong. Through the lens of political philosophy and classical Marxism, I comb through the textbook that my previous administration assigned (Magruder’s American Government and Civics: Tennessee Edition). I discover the deeply entrenched philosophical and political biases of both the textbook author and the people who continuously assign this work. The book’s anti-communist message furthers beliefs in students about the goodness of capitalism, imperialism, militarism, and nationalism. Further, I utilize these sentiments present in Magruder’s to further discuss how government and civics courses are taught as a whole in our country. This piece serves to act as a catalyst for conversations about political propaganda in classrooms and the lengths that the United States is willing to go in order to uphold the status quo of belief and faith in the U.S. government
"Enchanted Forest Fire" exhibition image
No full textThis digital image was taken by Chip Pankey and uploaded to DLynx by the Visual Resources Center in July 2022.This is an image documenting the "Enchated Forest Fire" exhibition, which was held in the Clough-Hanson Gallery through October 6. This exhibition was created by the Art Department Professor Raina Belleau. In this exhibition Belleau tackles climate change through a fantastical look at a possible future which utilizes familiar creatures and humor. Belleau's instillation centers around her sculptures throughout the gallery which creates an atmosphere in this gallery space
Walker Ave
No full textThis project, Walker Ave, is my love letter to Memphis, Memphis music, and Memphis musicians. As an outsider originally from Colorado, I have teamed up with local musicians and producers to help capture the “Memphis Sound”—samples from Memphis musicians like Three Six Mafia, “scary” synthesized strings, quick hi-hat patterns on the Roland TR-808 drum machine (or synthesized version of the “808”), Blues themes and chord progressions, and the dialectic slang and accent unique to the region can all be responsible for a Memphis musical identity. Despite Memphis often being described in the news as a dangerous cesspit of an inner city buoyed only by the prevalent positive advertisement of the histories of Elvis Presley and the blues, the
city of Memphis creates music that influences and inspires musicians across place and time. In hip hop specifically, Three Six Mafia created a unique form of southern trap characterized by sampling, “scary” synth strings, dark, brooding keyboard lines, trap hi-hats, triplet rhythms, and 808 drum lines that is constantly innovated and embellished upon by Memphis’ new generation of rappers and producers. New-age artists like Moneybagg Yo, Young Dolph, Key Glock, Duke Deuce, and Pooh Shiesty team up with producers like Tay Keith, HitKidd, RealRed, and TP808s to continually evolve the “classic” 808 drum sounds and beats and utilize the typical synth sounds, but in new ways—infusing their own individual styles and voices into the current version of the “Memphis Sound.” As a result of the stereotypical view of Memphis as crime-ridden and unremarkable (a perspective motivated by its demographics as one of the few majority-Black cities in the country), evidenced by its label as “the most dangerous city in America” according to U.S. News and its low quality of life rankings on travel sites, very little credit is given to individuals, organizations, and creatives in the city. Music is a large part of both the illness (in that the benevolent focus on Presley discredits other music from the city) and the remedy in this sense, and by exposing and promoting the unique and remarkable musical characteristics of Memphis, I believe this image can be shifted. The negative connotations typically associated with the city can be racist and harmful in many ways, but with music as a vehicle this project serves to push back again those narratives and educate outsiders on the groundbreaking and trendsetting nature of Memphis music of all genres
Student Sharing Story at GSA Open Mic Night 2
No full textImage born digital and submitted to Archives by Jess Newman (DPS Project Manager)Image of student sharing story at Gay Straight Alliance "Open Mic Night" event celebrating National Coming Out Day
The Plague Within the Pandemic: COVID-19 and the School-Prison Pipeline
No full textSince March of 2020 COVID-19 has affected the lives of many around the world and continues to do so, even as the world has reopened for the conduction of business. Considering how in the United States specific marginalized communities have endured a history of dehumanization and destruction, this current state breeds alarm for how Black children’s education, youth, and innocence is up for grabs by those designing and maintaining systems of inequality. Proceeding in colorblind ideologies with an absence of necessary, honest conversations, this country refuses to take responsibility for the livelihood of Black bodies and them being funneled through the School-Prison Pipeline. As a result, Black children attending schools in low-income communities are at risk as existing elements of inequity and disparity are exasperated during this time. Through review of literature and survey data, I use this research to bring light on how we are living in the wake of continuous violence while systemic transformation should bea
priority. This work highlights an issue between the educational and criminal justice systems that could otherwise be faded into the background as the world continues to resist the holistic humanization of Black bodies
"Enchanted Forest Fire" exhibition image
No full textThis digital image was taken by Chip Pankey and uploaded to DLynx by the Visual Resources Center in July 2022.This is an image documenting the "Enchated Forest Fire" exhibition, which was held in the Clough-Hanson Gallery through October 6. This exhibition was created by the Art Department Professor Raina Belleau. In this exhibition Belleau tackles climate change through a fantastical look at a possible future which utilizes familiar creatures and humor. Belleau's instillation centers around her sculptures throughout the gallery which creates an atmosphere in this gallery space
Master's Thesis: Teaching Black Experiences in Schools: The Importance of Diversifying the Curriculum in the Wake of a Divided World
No full textBlack experiences are being left out of the current curriculum. One way to educate American citizens on the Black experience is by offering a collection of lesson plans and texts that offer teachers the tools to teach Black experiences in schools. Police brutality has been a topic for conversation and this issue should be taught in academic spaces. In this thesis, I analyze the current curriculum at Dexter Middle School in Memphis, Tennessee for evidence of Black experiences in the current sixth grade English curriculum as well as design a unit that centers around police brutality and the Black experience