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John,
Racism and bias have threatened the safety of our children in public schools. Black children are constantly subjected to racial trauma at the hands of school administrators.
In January, DeAndre Arnold, a senior at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu, Texas was suspended for refusing to cut his dreadlocks, and told that he could not attend graduation if he did not cut his hair.1 In the second week of February, a historical month known annually for celebrating the achievements of Black people and our key contributions to U.S. history, a 10-year old girl was instructed to lie on the floor as if on a slave ship during a Black History Month exercise at West Woods Elementary.2 These two incidents do not only attack Black children in their schools but are also an attack on our culture.
Sixty years ago, six-year-old Ruby Bridges did not endure the trauma of being the first Black girl to integrate schools so that heinous racism could run rampant in today's classrooms. John, this Black History Month, will you chip in $5 to fund two critical campaigns Color Of Change is taking on that affect today's Black children?
Eighty percent of public school teachers are white and many believe combating racism means ‘not seeing color’ in the classroom.3 They often view Black history only in the context of traumatic aspects of the Black experience. The emotional, psychological, and physical safety of our children will continue to be in jeopardy if we do not hold administrators accountable for their implicit bias and racist instruction. Will you chip-in $5 to fund our work to remove racism from Barbers Hill High School and West Woods Elementary this Black History Month?
In 2018 during a Black History month lesson, a Bronx teacher made Black students lie on the floor as she stepped on them and asked, “See how it feels to be a slave?”4 This gross and racist classroom moment was the catalyst for over 20,000 Color Of Change members to take action in partnership with Alliance For Quality Education NY and The NYC Coalition for Education Justice, to push New York City to make an investment of $23 million into implicit bias and culturally responsive practice training over the next four years.
John, your donation will contribute to two critical campaigns demanding justice at Barbers Hill High School and West Woods Elementary. We know we can win because we’ve done it before with your help. Education is a means of justice for Black people. Will you chip-in $5 so we can continue to fight for our children?
Until justice is real,
--Brandi, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Jade, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade, Jenette, Cierra and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
- “Texas Teen Told He Won't Be Able To Walk At Graduation Unless He Cuts His Dreadlocks,” CBS News, January 24, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/229006?t=9&akid=41016%2E4731121%2EvT6U-B.
- “Connecticut Parents Say 10-year-old Biracial Daughter Cast As Slave In School Play,” WTHR 13, February 2, 2020, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/227929?t=11&akid=41016%2E4731121%2EvT6U-B.
- “The State of Racial Diversity in the Educator Workforce,” U.S. Dept. of Education report, July 2016, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/227931?t=13&akid=41016%2E4731121%2EvT6U-B.
- “Bronx Teacher Sparks Outrage For Using Black Students In Cruel Slavery Lesson,” NY Daily News, February 1, 2018, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/226464?t=15&akid=41016%2E4731121%2EvT6U-B.
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