‘Something is terribly wrong’: VEA PRESIDENT CALLS FOR EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Statement of Virginia Education Association President Jim Livingston on the events in our country:
Words cannot express our outrage at the senseless, immoral, and systemic murder of unarmed black men and women we have seen over centuries of American history, most recently at the hands of law enforcement who are charged with the protection of human life. It is clear that something is terribly wrong and to deny that fact is but another example of the privilege enjoyed by white America.
The Virginia Education Association condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the murder of and marginalization of members of the African American community and calls on all people of moral character to stand with our brothers and sisters of color in demanding an end to the hate and oppression created by racism. The VEA further calls on all educational organizations and institutions to work collaboratively and with intentionality for the elimination of racism and bigotry.
In 2020, civilized people would have expected that racism and bigotry had become an obscure part of our nation’s history, but instead we see the proliferation of a culture of “white supremacy” growing out of control. That culture of privilege has been on display for decades and is now highlighted by the current global health crisis in which people of color have suffered disproportionately. From underfunded public schools and lack of social, emotional, health, and economic resources, to the murder of unarmed African American men and women in American streets at the hands of law enforcement, ours is a society in crisis.
The VEA is united in its belief that our communities can only realize racial justice through educational justice. We are committed to the necessary actions to ensure all marginalized students and their families are treated with dignity and respect, and that their lives are not only enriched by our educational system but are secured by a system of justice that provides for their equal protection.
Anything less is a betrayal of the American Dream.