Post-K. Dot & The Super Bowl: We Saw. We Analyzed. Now What?

Lamar’s Super Bowl performance was bold, challenging, and unapologetically Black

Education Must Move from Analysis to Action

Authored by Samantha Pugh

Kendrick Lamar didn’t just perform at the Super Bowl—he disrupted it. He turned the world’s biggest stage into a lesson in Black history, storytelling, and resistance. He didn’t ask for permission, and he didn’t soften his message to make America comfortable.

We saw. We analyzed. We are inspired.

Now what?

Because if we stop at conversation—if we settle for think pieces, social media debates, and academic dissections—then we’ve missed the point. We risk falling into analysis paralysis, where we intellectualize without mobilizing, where we celebrate the moment but fail to act on its lessons.

Schools and school leaders can’t afford to be passive spectators. The message was clear, the symbols were intentional, and the moment was urgent. The real question is: What will we do with it?

1. Black Art is a Primary Text—Teach it as Such

Kendrick Lamar’s performance was filled with literary devices, historical references, and layered symbolism—the same qualities that define great literature. The problem is, our schools still don’t teach contemporary Black artistry with the depth it deserves.

We analyze Shakespeare’s political intrigue, Fitzgerald’s critique of the American Dream, and Orwell’s dystopian warnings. But when it comes to hip-hop, too many schools reduce it to “fun” or “extra,” rather than a serious text of resistance and cultural expression.

If we can study Toni Morrison, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin, then we can and must study Kendrick Lamar.

✅ What Schools Must Do Now:

• Stop treating Black artistry as a side conversation—integrate hip-hop, spoken word, and contemporary Black literature into the core curriculum.

• Train teachers on how to analyze and teach hip-hop as literature, using Lamar’s work alongside Baldwin, Hughes, and Morrison.

• Encourage students to critique, interpret, and create their own narratives that reflect their realities.

2. Resistance is a Form of Learning—Make Space for It

Lamar’s Super Bowl performance was bold, challenging, and unapologetically Black—qualities that too many schools try to suppress in their students.

Black students, in particular, are often discouraged from speaking out, from questioning authority, from resisting unjust systems—even when those systems harm them. Instead of cultivating critical thinkers, schools too often value compliance over consciousness.

Lamar used his platform to speak truth to power. Schools should be spaces where students are encouraged to do the same.

✅ What Schools Must Do Now:

• Normalize critical discussions about race, justice, and resistance in classrooms.

• Empower students to challenge narratives and create their own.

• Support student activism—whether it’s through school newspapers, spoken word, or community organizing.

3. Symbolism & Storytelling Matter—Teach Students to Decode & Create

Lamar’s halftime show was a visual, lyrical, and cultural critique of America.

• The fractured American flag formed by dancers? A statement on division.

• The black Buick GNX? A symbol of power, mobility, and survival.

• Samuel L. Jackson’s Uncle Sam portrayal? A call-out to the exploitation of Black artistry.

• The final words—“Game over”—not just an ending, but a declaration of dominance.

This is media literacy in action. And yet, too many schools still aren’t teaching students how to critically analyze the media they consume.

✅ What Schools Must Do Now:

• Teach students to decode messages in media, performances, and cultural moments the same way they analyze texts in English class.

• Encourage creative expression—let students use rap, spoken word, and storytelling in their academic work.

• Bring in local artists, poets, and musicians to expand students’ understanding of Black storytelling.

4. Black History is Now—Stop Treating it as a Past-Only Narrative

One of the greatest failures of Black History Month is that it too often confines Black excellence to the past. Schools will teach about Harriet Tubman, Dr. King, and Rosa Parks, but ignore the Black artists, thinkers, and leaders shaping history right now.

Kendrick Lamar’s performance didn’t just honor the past—it was a continuation of the Black literary and resistance traditions that gave us Langston Hughes, Nina Simone, and Public Enemy.

✅ What Schools Must Do Now:

• Expand Black history curricula to include modern figures like Kendrick Lamar, Amanda Gorman, and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

• Integrate Black history year-round rather than limiting it to February.

• Encourage students to document their own history—through oral histories, digital storytelling, and personal reflections on their place in the movement.

5. School Leaders Must Protect & Invest in Black Creativity

Lamar didn’t ask for permission to tell his story. He claimed the stage and controlled the narrative.

Schools need to do the same when it comes to Black education. They must be bold, intentional, and unapologetic about teaching Black history, uplifting Black voices, and making space for Black creativity. No more watering down. No more playing it safe.

✅ What Schools Must Do Now:

• Audit who has the mic. Are Black educators, students, and cultural narratives truly represented?

• Fund the arts. Invest in culturally responsive music, theater, and media programs that celebrate Black creativity.

• Take a stand. Be bold in supporting policies that uplift Black students and educators—whether it’s hiring more Black teachers, implementing anti-racist training, or advocating for culturally responsive assessments.

Post-K. Dot & The Super Bowl: No More Analysis Paralysis—It’s Time for Action

Kendrick Lamar delivered the lesson. Now it’s up to us—as educators, as school leaders, as communities—to take the next step.

This moment is not just about a halftime show. It’s about how we teach, inspire, and liberate students in ways that honor their voices, their stories, and their truths.

If we stop at analysis, we fail them. If we settle for conversations, we miss the point.

This is our call to action. Let’s make sure our schools answer it.