59 pages • 1 hour read
We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom
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Book Brief
200
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2019
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In We Want to Do More Than Survive, Bettina Love advocates for dismantling the current educational system and replacing it with an abolitionist pedagogy that emphasizes social justice, civic engagement, and thriving for students of color. The book critiques the "educational survival complex" and proposes a new approach grounded in the real-world experiences and community strengths of students. The text addresses race, racism, and other social issues.
Informative
Inspirational
Challenging
Emotional
Hopeful
Reviews & Readership
8,601 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
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Review Roundup
We Want to Do More Than Survive by Bettina Love has been praised for its passionate and compelling argument for educational reform. Love's call to action and emphasis on abolitionist teaching are lauded as inspirational and timely. However, some critics note a lack of practical guidance for implementation. Overall, the book is seen as a powerful manifesto for educators seeking social justice.
Who Should Read We Want to Do More Than Survive?
Readers who resonated with Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire or Teaching to Transgress by bell hooks will find We Want to Do More Than Survive by Bettina Love compelling. It’s ideal for educators, activists, and those interested in intersectional social justice and radical approaches to education reform.
8,601 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Kalief Browder
Kalief Browder
A Black youth from The Bronx, NY, who spent three years at Rikers Island jail complex after being accused of stealing a backpack. His case exemplifies systemic inequities in the criminal justice system, used by Love to highlight racial disparities in education and incarceration.
Ellen and William Craft
Ellen and William Craft
Formerly enslaved individuals who escaped from a plantation in Georgia and became abolitionist leaders. Their journey to freedom is used by Love to illustrate the importance of community and the abolitionist movement.
Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg
Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg
Youth activists and survivors of the 2018 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. They co-founded Never Again MSD, a student-led gun control advocacy group. Love uses their activism to underscore the importance of collective action in creating social change.
Trayvon Martin
Trayvon Martin
A Black teenager whose death during a visit to a family friend's house in Florida exemplifies the dangers of racism. Love discusses his case to highlight the limitations of character education and the need for abolitionist education to combat systemic racism.
200
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2019
Adult
18+ years
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