Black Lives Matter in Schools: National Week of Action
Last week, Black Lives Matter made our mission known in the halls of academia.
The Glendale Unified School District board unanimously voted to observe Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action.
Tthe resolution comes after students, parents and community members voiced concerns in previous board meetings about perceived racist treatment of black students throughout the district.
“The intention of the resolution is to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights movement and respect and embrace the communities that have been historically underrepresented,” said Jennifer Freemon, president of the Glendale school board.
Educators from Edison Elementary, Roosevelt Middle and Hoover High presented details on current inclusivity efforts through service projects, anti-bias programs, classroom lesson activities with a holistic approach to history and Black Student Union events.
The efforts were echoed during public comment by a local parent, Tasha Jenkins-Morgan, who said she noticed after the board discussed the resolution in the last meeting, “the climate at the school has lightened.” She observed students celebrating each other and teachers who are uncomfortable “trying to do the work.”
Not to be shown up by their counterparts up north, the Los Angeles Unified School District board made the same commitment.
Intended to affirm the right of Black students to be treated equally with respect and dignity at schools, this initiative started at an elementary school in Seattle in 2016. Conversations and trainings about equity and race renewed the staff’s commitment toward working for racial justice.
The Los Angeles resolution calls for schools to be “places for encouraging equity, fostering understanding and creating pathways to freedom and justice for all people” while also intending the week of action “to highlight, uplift and affirm the rich history and contributions of the Black community and to cultivate in Black students a sense of pride, self-worth, and self-love.”
The resolution also invites educators across grade levels and content areas to use resources inclusive of all learners to enrich instruction throughout the school year.
“I am honored to have had the opportunity to introduce this very important resolution to recognize and uplift the participation of Los Angeles Unified educators, staff, and students in this year’s Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action,” Board Vice President Jackie Goldberg said. “We hope this effort helps to encourage courageous conversations in our schools regarding systemic racism, social injustice, racial and ethnic bias in our society. These are conversations we all should be having, and I applaud the organizers of this ‘Week of Action’ for creating a dedicated time to focus on them.”
Finally, our organization collaborated with Students Deserve to launch a campaign aimed at ending the use of pepper spray against L.A. public school students,
The education students receive heavily informs the adults they will one day become. We strongly support the idea of more equitable, restorative ideas being presented in public education.