The group Caucus for Working Educators will be engaging students in the city of Philadelphia with its “Black Lives Matter Week of Action” beginning January 23, and it’s “encouraging” city teachers to participate.
The Caucus’s Tamara Anderson told WPHT-1210 radio host Dom Giordano this morning that they want to “bring attention to the 13 guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter Movement.”
She said “A lot of times, when teachers or students or past people that we have had at rallies for Black Lives Matter in a response to an incident, we would like take this opportunity to actually create a space for introspection and dialogue, deeper connections between educators, parents, students and community organizations […]”
Anderson added that the week would act as an “extension” of the district (high school) African-American history requirement, and would also look at “restorative justice, empathy, and loving engagement … diversity and globalism, transgender-affirming, queer-affirming and collective value …”
Fellow Caucus member Amy Roat said that at the present time, the group is unsure how many schools will be participating. She told Giordano that “part of the Black Lives Matter ideology is an affirmation black folks’ contribution to society, our humanity and the resilience in the face of some really serious oppression over the whole history of our country.”
Giordano brought up the fact that BLM largely began as a result of the mistaken narrative that Michael Brown by a “rogue cop.” Anderson replied that although the Brown shooting was a catalyst for the movement, the 13 guiding principles were drawn up as a response to the killing of Trayvon Martin.
On the Caucus’s webpage, it encourages (Philly) teachers to wear BLM shirts and buttons beginning on the 23rd.
On its FAQ page, one of the “justifications” for the Week of Action program states “Bringing issues of racial justice into the classroom not only affirms the identities of our students, but is crucial to fostering critical engagement with the world […]”
MORE: Two thousand Seattle teachers engage in Black Lives Matter protest
MORE: Four arrested for beating student who supported police in BLM argument
MORE: Teacher who angered Black Lives Matter activists is forced into retirement
Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter
IMAGE: Teacher Dude/Flickr
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.