Colin Kaepernick has been an elite quarterback in the National Football League. But he’s also one of the most controversial athletes in the NFL. Kaepernick has faced a backlash for refusing to stand during the national anthem. Instead he kneels in silent protest against social injustices such as police brutality. Some people saw this as disrespect for America, and some people supported his protest. Now he is a player without a team as no football franchise has selected him for the 2017/18 season. Listen to hear about Kaepernick’s situation and the NFL’s reaction and then debate: Should a social protest affect football?
Story Length: 4:00
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July 19, 2016
4:46
Americans have been shocked and saddened by the targeted killing of 5 Dallas police officers in apparent retaliation for the many police shootings of black men. The Black Lives Matter movement has organized peaceful protests to bring awareness to these events. Kwame Alexander, an award-winning poet and children’s author who touches on the themes of love, education and race, reflects on the shooting of the officers and the killing of two black men by police - Alton Sterling and Philando Castille. Listen to hear about how he communicates with kids, and why he thinks it’s important for students to think outside of themselves to understand these events.
Read MoreSeptember 3, 2015
4:49
The phrase “hands up, don’t shoot” has become a rallying cry and trending hashtag across the country. The expression, “to throw your hands up,” can indicate hopelessness or that something is too difficult to continue, which resonates with how helpless some feel after the many incidents of shootings of black men by police. “Hands up, don’t shoot” is used to protest police abuses and started after the death of Michael Brown, who was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri last August. Some officers say this chant makes teens more emboldened and non-compliant with the police, along with being a questionable retelling of the events of Michael Brown’s death. Listen to hear how this chant is seen in different ways to different people.
Read MoreMay 14, 2015
3:51
An NFL investigation has confirmed that staffers for the New England Patriots purposefully deflated footballs used in the football game that qualified the Patriots for this year’s Super Bowl. The report also suggests that star quarterback Tom Brady knew. This scandal, known as Deflate-Gate, has led to a stiff penalty against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The penalty has the sports world talking about how it will affect the Patriots next season and whether the rule about ball inflation should be changed. Listen to learn more about this scandal and come to your own opinion.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2014
4:30
On Sunday November 23rd, a grand jury in St. Louis, Missouri decided there was not enough evidence to indict, or bring a case against, Darren Wilson. Wilson is the white Ferguson police officer who killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on August 9, 2014. The city and surrounding communities erupted into protests at the news that the police officer wouldn’t be charged. There were also peaceful protests around the country. Use this public radio story to discuss the decision and the protests.
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