Dear John,

America is facing three crises simultaneously: a global public health crisis, economic inequality exacerbated by COVID-19, and racism. All three have been made worse by a president who has shown himself unable—and, worse, unwilling—to meet the moment.

I am haunted by the video of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd as he cried out, “I can’t breathe.” The other officers should have helped Floyd, not watched him being murdered. I believe George Floyd would be alive today if he were White, as would Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, Amadou Diallo, Sandra Bland and Eric Garner.

I was also deeply disturbed by what happened recently in Buffalo, N.Y., where police pushed a protestor, refused to help as he bled, and then objected when the misconduct was confronted. Our communities deserve so much better.

Policing in America needs to change. That’s not new, but because of cellphone cameras, the urgency of the need is being exposed. And change is what thousands have demanded in the overwhelmingly peaceful protests that have happened for 12 days straight, in all 50 states.

And those protests, like the ones I have attended in New York, while they’ve been intergenerational and multiracial, have been led by our students. They are teaching us. America’s teachers and school staff must support our students as they demand justice for George Floyd and for real, honest policing reforms. That’s why National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García and I have written a message to our students, which we hope many of you will consider signing.

You can read the full letter and add your name, whether you are an educator, school staff member, healthcare worker or ally. Our students who are fighting for justice deserve to know we support them.

Activism is how we channel our anger to confront injustice. Our students are teaching that lesson, and we are so proud of them.

But challenges abound. Take the president: He launched tear gas and flash grenades on peaceful protestors, erected barricades in our nation’s capital, and deployed the military in response to calls for justice. But the nation, and the world, isn’t willing to take it.

Racism and inequality must be confronted, and our students are rising up to do it. Even during some of the darkest days, young people have shown that they are willing to take a stand and fight for what is righteous and just. A tipping point has been reached, and young people can change the world with their actions.

Will you join me in signing this letter supporting our students who are demonstrating right now? Let them know that you stand with them.

Black lives matter. We better make sure that’s not just a slogan. We will work to make that a reality—today, tomorrow and on Nov. 3.

In unity,

Randi Weingarten

AFT President