2020: the year of “I can’t breathe”. From the horrific murder of George Floyd and the ensuing global protests, the respiratory distress experienced by millions within months, or the vitriolic echo of the ‘anti-maskers’ – the legacy of that one short polyseme will undoubtedly be felt in years to come. Already, the most tangible and provocative impacts have been felt in education – rethinking both what we teach, and how we teach it.