Staff seminar at Cashmere High School

On Thursday 24th May Mr Poole-Smith, Ms Hiku, Ms McLachlan and Mr. Coster of the History Department attended a day long series of seminars hosted by the Canterbury History Teachers Association at Cashmere High School. These seminars focused on civil rights in the United States of America, History teachers throughout Christchurch and Canterbury attended this unique day. The speakers included Professor Clarence Lusan who is Associate Professor of Political Science at American University's School of International Service, and Minniejean Brown Trickey. Mrs Trickey was one of the nine African America students who attended, in 1957, the newly desegregated Central High School in Little Rock, USA. This seminar was timely as our Year 11 students had recently begun the topic ‘Black Civil Rights, USA in the 1950’s – 1960’s’. The Burnside High teachers gained an immense amount of knowledge regarding what occurred in one of the iconic American civil rights events when Mrs Trickey and eight other African American’s attended Central High – her talk was an eye opening experience in understanding the amount of harassment these students endured. Professor Lusan provided insight into the current climate of civil rights in the US including the some of the actions taken by President Donald Trump. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, one which will greatly benefit our teaching!

Mr. Sean Coster (H.O.D History)