Schools That Can stands in solidarity with individuals across the country demanding justice for Black lives. We realize these actions are not only responses to the murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, James Scurlock, David McAtee, Laquan McDonald, Rekia Boyd, Antwon Rose, and countless others, but a confrontation of 400 years of structural racism and inequity that is built into America’s systems, including our educational system.
At Schools That Can, 87% of the students we serve in our regions are Black or Latinx. The issues that have long impacted students of color, and Black students, in particular, are at the forefront of the American education system. These include segregation, unconscionable funding disparities, the pervasiveness of the school to prison pipeline, and the lack of trauma-informed mental health support and culturally-relevant pedagogy. Racist structures, experiences, microaggressions, and institutions are something students, teachers, and school leaders in our network experience every day.
In our work, we are committed to closing the opportunity and skills gap, working to level the playing field, and closing the equity gap that impacts too many young people. We know that includes analyzing our own work and programming to ensure it is inclusive and responsive, working with partners as allies to create opportunities that are equitable and accessible for students we serve, and pursuing continuous improvement within our own staff, including examining the values we hold and programming we create through the lens of racial equity. Our team mourns every Black life impacted by racial injustice and every Black life lost, and we commit to doing everything we can to build a better America, where Black children and families can thrive and be valued.
Black Lives Matter.
(Image courtesy of Black Lives Matter.)