Black Minds Matter

Seattle Schools celebrate a 4th year of ‘Black Lives Matter at School’ week

Nestled into the first, full school week of Black History Month is Black Lives Matter at School week. The annual series of educational events and lesson plans has been organized by a coalition of activists, educators and students all under the banner of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Beginning in 2016, Black Lives Matter at School started as an open call for black men to act as role models and high-five elementary students as they enter school. After a bomb threat, the event at Seattle’s John Muir Elementary went off without a hitch and sparked a much larger movement of education and racial justice.

Education and activism are not only key pillars of the Black Lives Matter movement but have also been a theme at recent school board meetings. As a battle for mandatory ethnic studies courses continues both locally and nationally, it is clear students have a lot to say about how education is being offered.

Demands from the NAACP Youth Coalition are synonymous with the programs offered during Black Lives Matter at School week:

In recent months Seattle students, parents and educators have testified alongside the NAACP in support of these principals. Siting issues of racism, discrimination and insensitivity at their schools. “Students of color deserve teachers of color. Says Laveer Brown of Franklin High School and the NAACP Youth Coalition.

“All over the world children of color don’t get our voices heard. Which leads us to feeling like chess pieces in a political game” Says another member of the coalition.

After a racist character was published on the front page of Roosevelt High School’s monthly newspaper in January, attention was once again drawn to the district and their ability to handle issues of racism.

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