CTCTE supports the family, friends, and community of George Floyd as their journey of loss, grief, and suffering evolves. The conviction of Derrick Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd is an important moment of accountability in our country. While we recognize the significance of this moment, we also recognize that our work is far from complete. Systemic racism in our country and in our schools continues to create barriers that harm students and educators.
CTCTE pledges to continue to pursue justice, equity, and accountability as we confront racism and build systems and practices grounded in antiracism.
We believe:
All students, especially students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color need, deserve, and have the right to an equitable education free from explicit and implicit racism.
All educators, especially educators who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color need, deserve, and have a right to work in an educational system that is equitable and free from explicit and implicit racism.
All people, especially people who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color need, deserve and have a right to an education that is representative and encompasses the full spectrum of identities and cultures.
To continue the work necessary to actively promote justice and equitable practices we renew our commitment to the following.
CTCTE will:
Facilitate the understanding of and promotion of antiracist teaching practices
Reflect individually and collectively on our biases and racism
Provide the time, space, and reflection necessary to identify and understand the complexities of systemic racism and its impact
Design, coordinate, and orchestrate professional learning opportunities that empower educators and students to discuss, dissect, and dismantle personal biases
Work to dismantle educational policies and structures that continue the oppression of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
Literacy provides an outlet to discuss, dissect, and dismantle racism (Sealey-Ruiz, 2016)