Historic events continue to unfold in alarming and troubling ways and yesterday was no exception. Democracy itself was under attack as the revered place where generations of elected officials have met to serve as the voice of the American people was stormed by rioters. We strongly condemn the attack that took place and believe this action does not represent what America is supposed to stand for or the ideals on which this country was founded.
Many in our community are confused, angry, and cannot help but question why Black Lives Matter protestors were treated so differently at the Capitol just months ago. We see you – we hear you – we stand with you. Colonial remains committed to engaging in the work of anti-racism and fostering a more just and equitable community. #PowerofWECSD
Below is a message we shared with our staff
Colonial Nation,
Historic events continue to unfold in alarming and troubling ways and yesterday was no exception. Democracy itself was under attack as the revered place where generations of elected officials have met to serve as the voice of the American people was stormed by rioters. This action does not represent what America stands for or the ideals on which this country was founded.
Many moments over the course of the last nine months have caused us to ask what our role is as educators during these uncertain times. In many cases, we must manage our own feelings and emotions while at the same time work to help our children process these events. We struggle to find ways to explain the good and bad parts of life to our children; in schools, in our homes and in our communities. This work is never done.
We support you if you choose to have conversations with our students. Explain the events that took place and give them space to process. While we strongly condemn the attack that took place, there should always be space for thoughtful, respectful exchanges of opinions. As a society, we need to find a way to re-engage in these conversations and we should model this in our classrooms. It is through these conversations that we grow as people; and empower our students to become leaders for tomorrow.
For those in our community who are confused, angry, and who cannot help but question why Black Lives Matter protestors were treated so differently at the Capitol just months ago, we see you – we understand. We remain committed to engaging in the work of anti-racism and fostering a more just and equitable community. We hope that we can continue to lean on each other as we navigate yet another unprecedented time in our lives we won’t soon forget. We are here as a resource for you, as a shoulder to lean on and as a support network for the difficult work that lies ahead. We encourage you to take some time to take care of yourself and your family.
Together, we have all served through endlessly challenging times and we have never been more confident about what we can do when we all come together.
CSD Leadership Council