Austin Summer Educators' Institute Enlightening, Empowering

Date: June 18, 2010

ADL's five-day Summer Educators' Institute in Austin began with a thought-provoking discussion entitled: Creating Inclusive Spaces: Why Diversity in Education is Important, and the presentation of Austin's Excellence in Education Award to Camino Real Elementary School Counselor Cynthia Anderson.

Anderson helped Camino Real Elementary in the Hays Consolidated School District earn its first No Place for Hate® designation, along with a designation for the entire school district.  Austin City Council Member Randi Shade and Austin Education Committee Co-Chairs Judy Berkowitz and Sherrie Frachtman presented the award to Anderson. 

After the presentation, educators in attendance participated in several workshops designed to help them provide education in diversity and implement the No Place for Hate® Initiative in their schools. 

The second Summer Institute session focused on Religion in the Public Schools.  That session was led by ADL Southern Area Counsel Dave Barkey, and included a panel discussion featuring Barkey, Texas Freedom Network Deputy Director Ryan Valentine, Associate Executive Director for Government Relations with the Texas Association of School Boards Jacqueline Lain, and Director of Programs with the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Kirsten Hund. 

Other sessions over the five-day Institute included a workshop on Civil Rights Issues:  Past and Present, led by Tracy Garrison-Feinberg from Facing History; Trickery, Trolling and Threats: Understanding and Addressing Cyberbullyingincluding the latest on cyberbullying from national expert Sameer Hinduja; and an A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute session providing ADL’s internationally recognized anti-bias and diversity training.

Special benefactors Darryl Tocker and his mother Barbara Tocker of the Tocker Foundation, lead funder of the Institute, attended some of the sessions.