The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released the following statement:
This is a time of great pain for our nation. Last week we watched in horror as a video was released showing George Floyd, an unarmed and nonviolent black man, being killed while in police custody. Then we watched as America erupted in anger and outrage. Protesters took to the streets in all 50 states and pain was raw, palpable, and on full display.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools stands with the African American community and condemns this unjust killing. We mourn the loss of George Floyd’s life and the lives of so many others who came before him – named and unnamed. Sadly, the history of our country is filled with incidents like this that shake us to our core and threaten the ideals we hold most sacred as Americans.
In the spirit of healing and bringing forth positive change, today we announce a $10,000 contribution to the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization that works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality. This gift matches the donation made by the California Charter Schools Association, and we encourage others who support charter schools or work directly in the sector to make a contribution if they are able to do so.
Charter schools serve 3.3 million students. A disproportionate number are black and brown, and attend schools in communities like the one where Mr. Floyd was killed.
As an organization, education is the way we bring about change in the world. We fundamentally believe in the power of a high-quality education to change the trajectory of a child’s life. Further, we believe that when adults know more and know better, they can do better for students and the greater community.
We send our deepest sympathy to the family of Mr. Floyd, and hope his unfortunate death is the last one like this.
