I have been trying to think of the best way to express some things but haven’t figured out the right words. So here’s what I have:
I’m afraid.
I’m afraid for my students—those who just graduated and those who will be returning in the fall.
(1/11) #BlackLivesMatters

Context: about 60% of my students are black, many from impoverished backgrounds. And for full transparency, I’m white and could never personally understand the dangers and obstacles my students have to deal with because of how others view...
(2/11) #BlackLivesMatters

Them based on the color of their skin. ( and in my opinion any White person who says they do understand or have been through something similar is either naive or an idiot).
(3/11) #BlackLivesMatters

I’m afraid of the world. I love my students (I call them my kids and some of them call me mom) and I’m afraid of what’s going to happen tomorrow, next week, next year. Because there are so many racist people trying to hurt and kill them.
(4/11) #BlackLivesMatters

My students deserve a world where they don’t have to be afraid to wear a hoodie while walking down their own street at night and looking over their shoulder to see if they’re being followed.
(5/11) #BlackLivesMatters

They deserve a world that sees them as the beautiful, intelligent, kind, funny, and amazing young people that they are. They deserve respect and love and compassion.
(6/11) #BlackLivesMatters

Teachers are trained to be advocates for their students and to teach their students to advocate for themselves. But how do we do that when the world is against them? When the government doesn’t protect them?
(7/11) #BlackLivesMatters

Some of my students graduated this week. Some are off to college, others are going straight to the workforce. I am SO proud of all of them. They worked ridiculously hard to get to this day and deserve to enjoy it and the next chapter of their lives.
(8/11) #BlackLivesMatters

But I’m also afraid for their next chapter because the world is burning and it has been for a long time.

This thread is a bit all over the place but to start to sum it up: #BlackLivesMatters

My students deserve better than this.
(9/11)

Their voices deserve to be heard and valued. They are amazing people with so much to give to the world and so much they deserve to receive from the world.
(10/11) #BlackLivesMatters

I’m doing what I can to be an ally and you should too. Donations if possible, protests, using our privilege to help provide a platform/ space for the voices of those being oppressed, suppressed, and repressed.
I’m with my students 110%.
(11/11) #BlackLivesMatters