Black Lives Matter
Dear KIPP Philly Community,
In the wake of the protests for racial justice in our city and country, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge how these events are directly affecting our community. The past few days and weeks have been tiring, emotional, and frustrating for the KIPP Philadelphia community.
First, we mourn with the families and communities of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and for every other Black person senselessly slain at the hands of the police and/or white supremacists. I also stand with the protesters across the country who demand justice.
In 2020, and in the most powerful country in the world, Black lives continue to face racial profiling, violence, and police brutality. More lives lost, more families devastated, and more Black people made to feel unsafe in the country they built for free.
At KIPP Philadelphia, we work to achieve educational equity in our city so that every student in every neighborhood attends an excellent school that prepares students to attain their dreams. We – individually and collectively – strive for equity and work towards an anti-racist agenda. And yet, we live in a country where equity may seem like an impossible dream. Structural racism and persistent inequities exist not only in our education system but also in health care, law enforcement, housing, food distribution, voting rights, and so much more. We believe Black Lives Matter and we share a deep and abiding desire for Black people to win as a prerequisite for working at KIPP Philadelphia. Here is a sample of the work we’ve been doing to inflict change and the work we will continue to double down on in the future:
- ALL of our team members must constantly engage in the process of unlearning mindsets and practices rooted in anti-Blackness and learning mindsets and practices rooted in Black liberation. We prioritize robust staff development and training in a shared school vision, curriculum, theory, culturally responsive practices, and instructional leadership.
- Our students, most of whom are Black, are at the center of our work. Applying intense and sustained pressure to the systems that marginalize them and their families is core to ensuring their safety, well-being, and positive educational outcomes. This pressure must be applied both locally and nationally.
- We are investing resources in building out our practices in social emotional learning and trauma-informed teaching and supports. Because of the systemic inequities in our country and our city, we know that our students face additional challenges to achieving their dreams so we are doing everything we can to remove all barriers and lift our students up, both academically and emotionally.
- We engage and work with community leaders to provide countless resources to our students and families. We invite lawmakers, activists, and changemakers into our classrooms and community to show our students that their voice matters.
- We show up for our families. Currently, we are hosting town halls and utilize surveys to understand the needs of our community. They are the leading voice at our decision-making table. This ensures that we can provide the support that’s needed and if we can’t provide it, we will connect our families to community organizations and city resources that can.
Let’s all be a part of the change and not turn our backs on racism and anti-Blackness. We know this should go without say but sadly, it doesn’t – Black Lives Matter.
CEO, KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools
