Middle school teacher Kevin Melrose advocates for "abolitionist teaching," a concept developed by Dr. Bettina L. Love that requires white teachers to relinquish power and check their "white emotionality." Melrose uses controversial terminology, referring to "dark folks" and "dark spaces," while arguing that white people must "get well" before engaging in social justice work. This pedagogy explicitly aims to move beyond being an "ally" to becoming a "co-conspirator."