LYNN — The Lynn School Committee unanimously passed a resolution in support of eradicating racism on Thursday night.
Included in the resolution is a condemnation of “unjustified violence linked to systemic injustice like the killing of George Floyd,” at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, which has sparked protests against police brutality and racism across the country.
Before the vote, School Committee member John Ford took some heat from his fellow committee members for suggesting that a phrase in the resolution be changed from “Black Lives Matter” to “All Lives Matter.”
“This may be a moot point, but we’ve got a pretty diverse school population,” said Ford. “Could we say all lives matter? I just think it’s all inclusive.”
Committee member Michael Satterwhite said changing the phrase to “All Lives Matter” would defeat the purpose of the panel’s resolution, which is to eradicate racism in the community.
Satterwhite asked Ford if he was attuned to what was going on in the community in recent weeks, in terms of the peaceful protests that have been held on the Lynn Commons and outside the Lynn Police Station.
“As leaders, in this community, we need to stand behind them because these aren’t just random people — these are our students, these are our teachers, these are our police officers (and) firefighters,” said Satterwhite.
“There are people in our community that agree with us that ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Saying ‘All Lives Matter’ would defeat the entire purpose of this resolve that we’re attempting to put forward.”
Committee member Jared Nicholson said the need for the committee’s resolution is based on the violence that’s been seen against black people and the protests it has inspired.
“By saying ‘Black Lives Matter,’ we can show our solidarity against the kind of racial oppression that people are suffering with,” said Nicholson. “And unfortunately, there are people in this country who have taken that ‘All Lives Matter’ as a way to rebut the ‘Black Lives Matter’ and so, it’s taken on a life of its own. That’s not something that I think we, as a School Committee, would want to be associated with.”
Ford said his intention was to bring up the topic for discussion purposes and voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
“You all know I have a black grandson,” said Ford. “I believe black lives matter. I just threw it out for discussion.”
Ultimately, the resolution was approved without any changes.
The document references the school district’s core value of inclusiveness, but outlines some of the unfinished work that remains in the Lynn Public Schools
That work, part of the superintendent’s goals and the district’s strategic plan, includes providing professional development in areas such as cultural proficiency, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction, and anti-bias curriculum.
Other initiatives include rethinking school discipline to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline and eliminating gaps in student achievement by race, according to the resolution.
As part of the resolution, the district committed to organizing “Inclusivity Panels,” consisting of a diverse group of students, faculty, parents and alumni, at each secondary school in the 2020-21 school year.
Those panels would be dedicated to engaging in topics surrounding “implicit biases, recognizing privilege, and the role that cultural identity plays in both America and our educational systems.”
“Recent events have yet again crystallized in our collective view the scourge of racism and white supremacy in this country, and … silence in the face of oppression can rightly be seen as complicity,” the resolution reads. “We understand that our students of the Lynn Public Schools, particularly our students of color, deserve to hear that we stand with them in outrage and solidarity.”
“Black Lives Matter … and we understand that racial oppression touches all aspects of American life, including the experiences of our students and staff in the Lynn Public Schools.”