Opinion
School Climate & Safety Opinion

6 Considerations for School Leaders Making a Statement About George Floyd

Superintendents and principals must use pointed language
By Dorinda J. Carter Andrews & Shaun R. Harper — June 02, 2020 3 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Leaders of K-12 schools, colleges, and universities sometimes release formal statements when acts of racial violence and injustice occur locally and elsewhere in our country. Many are writing now to their communities about the death last week of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis. While these statements are meant to represent solidarity and support, they can miss the mark if not courageously constructed. Dozens of leaders have sought our counsel on what to say in this moment. This essay includes some advice we have offered them on ways to make statements more substantive, trustworthy, and actionable.

We acknowledge that police officers have killed unarmed people across all racial and ethnic groups. But if a statement at this particular time is specifically about the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, then it should specifically address Black people’s long-standing, catastrophic interactions with law enforcement officers and the persistent anti-Black racism that has plagued our nation and its educational institutions. We also insist that leaders cite Black people explicitly, as opposed to referring broadly to “people of color” or “historically disadvantaged communities.”

While we strongly prefer action over written words, we understand that students, educators, parents, and others in local communities often expect (and sometimes pressure) leaders to swiftly release statements. Here are six things we suggest leaders who seriously aim to make a difference do in statements:

Say how you personally feel about police officers killing unarmed Black people. Also say why you feel the way you do."

1. Acknowledge that citizens across the country are protesting not only the death of George Floyd, but also police killings of many other unarmed Black people over time.

2. Say how you personally feel about police officers killing unarmed Black people. Also say why you feel the way you do.

3. Use words that explicitly name racial violence. Do not soften the intensity of systemic racism with broad language about diversity, equity, and inclusion. If the statement does not include words such as “racism,” “racist,” “white supremacy,” or “anti-Blackness,” it is insufficient and therefore should be revised.

4. Call for readers of the statement to ask Black students, Black teachers, Black staff members, and Black families how they are affected by this; what support they need from their schools; and what they would like to have happen in this moment and beyond.

5. Urge readers of the statement to help students and colleagues across all racial and ethnic groups more deeply understand the realities of Black people’s interactions with law-enforcement officers locally and elsewhere. Also encourage readers to form interracial coalitions that peacefully oppose anti-Blackness and pursue racial equity for Black Americans. Be sure to stress that Black people should be involved in these coalitions, and we all must stand alongside them.

6. Articulate actions you plan to take to confirm that Black lives do indeed matter. For example, specify how you will work to eliminate racist discipline policies and practices in your school or district; address the misdiagnosis of Black children for special education; provide Black students equitable access to gifted programs, Advanced Placement courses, and other academically rigorous experiences; integrate anti-racist and Black studies curricula across your academic programs; hire, support, and advance the careers of more Black employees; and provide multidimensional, sustained professional learning experiences for teachers, counselors, staff members, and administrators across all racial and ethnic groups.

Statements that include these elements indicate a clear stance on care for and affirmation of Black students and families. They have the potential to motivate and inspire readers and perhaps bolster their confidence in superintendents, principals, school board members, and other administrators. However, it is what leaders do in the days, weeks, and years ahead that will ultimately make a difference in the dismantling of white supremacy and anti-Black racism that occurs within and beyond schools.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Equity & Diversity Webinar
Classroom Strategies for Building Equity and Student Confidence
Shape equity, confidence, and success for your middle school students. Join the discussion and Q&A for proven strategies.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Disrupting PD Day in Schools with Continuous Professional Learning Experiences
Hear how this NC School District achieved district-wide change by shifting from traditional PD days to year-long professional learning cycles
Content provided by BetterLesson
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Climate & Safety Q&A Making the Case for Schools That Don't Look Like Prisons
Claire Latané, a landscape architecture professor at Cal Poly Pomona, discusses how schools can design environments that support mental health.
6 min read
Freshmen at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., eat lunch outside in the Senior Courtyard on March 1, 2023. The high school has three courtyards where students can access the outdoors during the day.
Freshmen at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., eat lunch outside in the Senior Courtyard on March 1, 2023. The high school was highlighted in Claire Latané's book <i>Schools That Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind</i> for its abundance of outdoor spaces.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
School Climate & Safety Sandy Hook Promise CEO: 'School Shootings Are Preventable'
There have been 152 shootings on K-12 school property that resulted in firearm-related injuries or deaths since 2018.
2 min read
Back of a teen girl walking home from school while wearing a backpack with one strap hanging off her shoulder.
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety 6-Year-Old Won't Be Charged After Shooting Teacher, Prosecutor Says
The local prosecutor said his office has yet to decide if any adults will be held criminally accountable.
4 min read
Students return to Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Va., Jan. 30, 2023. Authorities in the Virginia city where a 6-year-old shot and wounded his teacher will not seek charges against the child, the local prosecutor told NBC News on Wednesday, March 8.
Students return to Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Va., Jan. 30, 2023. Authorities in the Virginia city where a 6-year-old shot and wounded his teacher will not seek charges against the child, the local prosecutor told NBC News on March 8.
Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot via AP
School Climate & Safety A Superintendent Left His Gun in a School Restroom. A Student Found It
A Texas superintendent has resigned after a student found his gun unattended. The incident follows debates over arming teachers.
4 min read
Image of street signs: (1) Stop sign, and (2) Gun Free School Zone.
Education Week and sshepard/iStock/Getty