As part of a new pilot grant program, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) selected five non-profits in 2018 to receive a grant to develop programs and trainings to build resilient communities and reduce the risks of violence and hate in communities across California. Through this program, CLASSRoad has developed a BRIGHT teacher training program designed to help teachers engage students in civil discourse, critical thinking, and the promotion of community values.

BRIGHT represents the core values of Balance, Resilience, Integrity, Goodness, Harmony, and Tolerance. This project integrates experts from the National Humanities Center along with experts from CLASSRoad to deliver a professional online learning curriculum that promotes violence prevention through inclusiveness, engagement, and sensitivity.

BRIGHT participants learn about specific ways in which the humanities – including history, philosophy, art, and politics – can help teachers prevent violence and hate by building civility and comity in the classroom. Educators are given the resources they need to tailor their curricula and lesson plans in ways that encourage collaborative problem solving, cultural sensitivity, and inclusivity. Upon completion of the course, teachers are better able to identify and disrupt some of the drivers of hate and violence in our communities.

BRIGHT Training Course
Let’s Talk: Using the Humanities To Promote Civil Discourse In The Classroom