Speak Up

Many of us are hurt and outraged by the tragic deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor.

These tragedies bring to the forefront the fears and injustice and violence that African Americans have faced every day for generations.

There is an urgent need to confront issues of race, inequality, and social justice

We must stand against racism.

We must stand for social justice.

I believe learning is a force for positive change.

Dr. King wrote in the Preface of his Stride Toward Freedom, « While the nature of this account causes me to make frequent use of the pronoun « I , » in every important part of the story it should be « we. » This is not a drama with only one actor. »

Indeed we must come together to build a deeper understanding of issues around social justice and equity for all.

Teachers believe that learning is a source of human progress and learning is the only tool which will allow us to achieve enduring change.

We, educators, are deeply committed to provide relevant and actionable learning to our students that will allow them to fight racism and inequality.

I think it might be useful for students to see how social movements for justice can be organized and how community and kindness can be created as people come together.

Teachers can play a bolder role in the racial justice movement and become better advocates for an equitable society.

One way to be bolder : SPEAK UP ABOUT RACE

Being anti-racist means more than just writing about racist attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

It means that educators and students must also actively fight racist attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.

Being members and donating to activist organizations and protesting injustices are definitely a good start.

Actively refuting prejudices in our family, and school community circles is key to lasting change, as those ideas and beliefs, are what are our children absorb.

SPEAK UP ! Among family, among friends and neighbors, at school, at work, in public

BE READY ! 

IDENTIFY THE BEHAVIOR ! 

APPEAL TO PRINCIPLES ! 

SET LIMITS ! 

FIND AN ALLY/BE AN ALLY !

BE VIGILANT!

If we don’t speak up, we are surrendering part of ourselves. We are letting bigotry win.

We can promote equality and human rights through small everyday acts.

The UN first marked February 20 as World Day of Social Justice. 

Have a conversation with your family, make a donation, volunteer, join a community group or boycott products or brands to express disapproval....among other activities. 

The key is to move from more passive forms of engagement to more active ones.