Jacob Pursel

"I think a lot of [being an ally to black educators] is leaning on the fact that I am a white educator and that I am learning and that knowing that learning is a process. Knowing that I don’t know everything, knowing that I will make mistakes and will continue making mistakes, but knowing that I still have a responsibility to learn everything I can, to do everything I can, to read up on the legacy of racism, to make sure that I am being as culturally responsive for every single student as I can be. And really leaning on the fact that I do care about this, that I do care about every student, that I do care about every interaction I have with people, and knowing that sometimes I am going to mess up and you apologize when that happens, and you learn from that, and knowing that it’s a process and that the work is happening and always ongoing."

Jacob Pursel is a middle school teacher in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools District. He discusses his experience teaching in this district and how local history plays a role in his classes. He notes the lack of equity and the race-based achievement gaps that exist within the district and explains how he works to overcome these gaps with his students and his fellow teachers. He reflects on how his whiteness has impacted his experiences teaching and the people who helped him overcome biases. He emphasizes the importance of continuing to grow and learn. The interview dives into his social studies classes, how he incorporates fromtherockwall.org and other local history sources into his teachings, and how his students react to history and news, both local and worldwide.