Senior Science, English Classes Host Joint Seminar

Baldwin held a joint discussion/seminar for seniors taking the English class “Black in America” and Environmental Science. In total, 28 seniors participated. The students were assigned readings for both classes that explored the concept of environmental justice and, specifically, environmental racism. The goal was to have the girls examine the intersection of race, money, power and the environment.

 

The readings included A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind by Harriet A. Washington, Clean and White: A History of Environmental Racism in the United States by Carl Abraham Zimring and Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution and Residential Mobility by Dorceta Taylor. They also read an essay, "Environmental Blackmail in Minority Communities" by Robert Bullard. The students were given a week to do the reading, which built off what they had already read in both classes as part of the regular syllabi.

 

The seniors came prepared with their own questions and connections and showed excellent critical thinking. Maggie Epstein, Science Department Chair and Environmental Science Teacher and Terri Wiley, English Teacher, were both very impressed by the depth of the discourse and the passion their students brought to the discussion.