An Exploration of Violence in Education

The issues and challenges within schools and on college campuses often reflect the broader social challenges of the time. Violence has existed and persisted through all societies. It is a constant reality in both historic and contemporary United States society.

While we often seek to shield our children from physical and psychological violence, students live in a world and they are impacted by worldly experiences.

Education must become a space for students to wrestle with these experiences. Further, the school and university environments where students spend their educational lives have been the very sites of incredible acts of exclusion, oppression, and assault. Students have been both victims and perpetuators. Local residents have been both heroes and instigators. Facing this reality is an important step in transforming school environments.

Parts of this exhibition will continue the museum’s examination of activism and freedom seeking by exploring the violent response to activist movements. Additionally, it will look beyond activism to other manifestations of violence in education including gun violence, policing, sexual assault, hate crimes, and cultural oppression.