Nature schools in the United States tend to be filled with white, upper class kids who will eventually matriculate to mainstream kindergartens. Due to various costs and issues of predictability, challenging the status quo is difficult. While Wildwood Nature School is generally more racially and culturally diverse than the city of Portland -- and certainly the Forest Park neighborhoods surrounding the school -- inclusion of differently abled children remains a challenge. When

I recently had the opportunity to watch Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the inspiring biopic about Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood). Kindness, love and a deep and abiding respect for children and their feelings are the hallmarks of his work. Rogers tirelessly advocated for and demonstrated the importance of listening to children and responding truthfully to their questions and concerns. No question was too silly, no remark unminded. He considered with great thoughtfulness