Dear Students, Alumni, and members of the Education Department community, 

We, the faculty and staff in the Department of Education at Brown University, cannot and will not stay silent in this moment. The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Manuel Ellis are only the most recent consequences of the long history of state violence and institutional racism against Black people in our country. We write to express the pain and outrage we feel, to affirm our commitment to challenging anti-Blackness and white supremacy, and to stand with those who continue to fight for a more just and equitable world.

We know that some of our students and colleagues are experiencing this as intimate, not abstract, violence and are hurting in a very deep, visceral, and personal way. We recognize that the weight of this violence and racism is unjustly borne by those students, faculty and staff in our community who are Black. The work of fighting against this oppression, however, must be borne most by those of us whose privilege and skin color have shielded us from this violence. 

As educators and scholars of education, we have an essential role to play in this movement. Education can be both an instrument of oppression and a pathway for opportunity, empowerment, and social change. All of us, in our own way, are here because we are committed to creating an education system that uplifts our collective humanity and unlocks our fullest potential. We also know that the anti-Black racism in our country is manifested in daily acts, both small and large, throughout our education system and embedded in schooling policies and funding structures. 

As a department that identifies urban education as core to our mission, we want to name the violence caused by white supremacy and commit to challenging it in our lives, teaching, and scholarship. Our words matter, but our actions matter more. We ask for your support and accountability for placing equity and justice at the center of our work. 

This collective work will not be easy. Racism and violence are deeply rooted in our society and school systems. But the very lives of Black people and the future of our society are at stake. No family or community, son or daughter, should ever have to bear the pain of losing a loved one because they were born with Black skin.

Even in these difficult times, we remain hopeful for a better and more just future. We know that we will be judged not just on how we respond in this moment but by the actions that we take for years to come in the larger effort to dismantle anti-Black racism. We welcome that challenge, and it’s primarily because we are inspired by the passion of our undergraduate and graduate students and their commitment to activism, service, and teaching. We are here to support you, and we hope that you hold us accountable. We aim to amplify your voices and learn from your wisdom. 

In Solidarity, 

The Department of Education, Brown University