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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][QUOTE]Dear Families, Students and Staff,

As superintendent of schools, my primary concern is for the physical and emotional well-being of students and staff. So today, I am reaching out and urging you to be vigilant regarding distressing social media content (including videos and images) emanating from the terrorist attacks on innocent civilians in Israel. We are all aware that such content is intended to amplify fear and can cause great emotional harm. I urge you to talk with your children and students about the content they may currently be viewing and sharing.

As we collectively continue to process these horrific and violent acts, I recognize that the situation in Israel and Gaza has affected many members of our community, including those who have family or friends in the region. Their loss, grief and apprehensions for their loved ones' safety are profound. It is impossible to ignore the fear and anxiety that many within our community are experiencing directly, and as they are exposed to stories of violence and the tragic loss of innocent lives through television, news outlets and social media.

Our work to provide school communities with resources and assistance for those in need has already begun, including providing school leaders with tools and support to assist staff and students. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our school counselors, social workers, or administrators if your child requires any support.

Let us come together to support one another. This is a moment when we must remember our common values of empathy, compassion and respect for one another.

In partnership,

Dr. Monifa B. McKnight
MCPS Superintendent of Schools[/QUOTE]

Well Said![/quote]

No. This message is once again painfully off key. I wish they would review the excellent message they sent out after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's murders, and channel some of the empathy and inclusion that you expressed in that message (pasting it below).

This message is so contorted and passive and--as the kids say--"othering."

Why does she  talk of the people affected by this tragedy as members of another group? "Their loss, grief and apprehensions for their loved ones' safety are profound." NO. NO NO NO. Her message in 2020 was full of "we" and "our children."  Why the difference now? All of us should be horrified about the whole situation, just as all of us should have been horrified in May 2020.

To that end, why on God's green earth is she leading with "keep your kids off social media" as opposed to a statement of condolence, empathy, and concern for the community she leads?

She writes: "It is impossible to ignore the fear and anxiety that many within our community are experiencing directly, and as they are exposed to stories of violence and the tragic loss of innocent lives through television, news outlets and social media."

Again, no. Would she have written that the problem with Floyd and Taylor's murders was parents letting their kids on social media, as opposed to the actual events being chronicled on social media?

Given MCPS's unconscionable record on ignoring antisemitism, they need to do better. 
[/quote]

May 30, 2020
As the children and community read, hear and watch in horror about the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, it is our moral imperative to speak out. The Montgomery County Board of Education condemns the senseless killing of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis and Ms. Taylor in Louisville. That their killings  are committed by a law enforcement officer is beyond the pale. These acts have focused our nation on the longstanding historical injustices that have plagued our nation since its founding. As the leaders of the largest school system in the state, and as those charged with supporting and guiding the development of our children's future, we cannot be silent. Together, with one voice, we must speak out and let all of our children know that we will not tolerate our students feeling unsafe in their skin.

All of our children deserve a future untainted by the despair and rage that are inherent byproducts of racial injustice.  Our work is essential for securing that future.  These tragedies are a stark reminder of the importance of our work  building  safe, welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environments where all children can reach their full potential.  We are also reminded how important our work is in supporting our black and brown boys who  see this savage act through a lens of fear and sadness.  We must let them know that we see them, we accept them for who they are as individuals, we will support them and we will protect them.

We will continue and intensify our commitment to equity and excellence, ensuring we are  building a school system where all truly means all is paramount. This means we will continue to build a culturally proficient staff who are able to provide the support, guidance and protection our students deserve. We will continue our work with the Black and Brown Coalition and other allies to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures are equitable. We will continue our restorative justice work, ensuring that schools are healthy learning communities where members understand and embrace mutual responsibility and fairness.

Our classrooms serve as gathering places for students from all races, ethnicities, religions, nationalities and identities.  Their very diversity is the power of our community.  How they learn together will determine the future of our county, country, and world.  Knowing each other matters, seeing each other matters, working together matters.

None of the sorrow, despair or rage will bring Mr. Floyd or Ms. Taylor back, but in their deaths let us renew our purpose, our mission, to provide every student with what they need to thrive.  We urge those as unsettled as we are by these events to join with us in advocating for supporting, loving and protecting all of our students every day.[/quote]

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