The Journal of Educational Controversy’s upcoming issue: Black Lives Matter and the Education Industrial Complex aims to add more voices to
the Black Lives Matter discussion and, as always, provide a forum for examining the dilemmas and controversies that arise in the education of citizens in a pluralistic, democratic society.
Earlier this year, an unprecedented movement of Seattle
educators, staff, students, and community members demonstrated the importance
of this issue to all people who are directly or indirectly affected by how
Black lives are valued at school.
On October 19, thousands of educators, students, staff, and
family members in Washington’s Seattle Public School District organized to wear
Black Lives Matter shirts, promote class discussions, and perform before-school
rallies in an effort called “Black Lives Matter At School.”
The event arose as an expression of solidarity with John
Muir Elementary School, which had previously canceled an event on “Black Men
Uniting to Change the Narrative” after received threats against Black Lives
Matter supporters.
Although not officially sponsored by the Seattle School
District, the event was endorsed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and the Seattle
Educator’s Association and supported by the Seattle teacher’s union. The event
was scheduled to coincide with Seattle’s preexisting “day of unity” which
focuses on promoting equity in education.
According to participants, the movement aimed to draw
attention to inequality in all areas of public education including historical
representation, opportunity gaps, and unbalanced patterns of discipline and
retention rates. The Seattle Public School District made a statement asking
educators and community members to “engage and join the conversation in our
united efforts to eliminate opportunity gaps.”
In an interview which first appeared on SocialistWorker.Org,
event organizer and Garfield High School Teacher Jesse Hagopian talked about
the importance of demonstrations like theirs to embolden the community. “School
is supposed to be a place to talk about the things that matter most, and now
[students] are being allowed to do that,” he said, “I think that a lot of what
the teachers did in wearing that shirt was inspired by the actions of students
who are protesting all around the city.”
In October, the Seattle Public School community made the
statement that Black Lives Matter at their schools. The Journal of Educational
Controversy hopes to continue the conversation and invite more voices into the
discussion with its upcoming issue: Black Lives Matter and the Education
Industrial Complex as well as a panel discussion that will take place later
this year.