An Educator’s Right to Speech
The brutal killing of George Floyd in Minnesota ignited a powder-keg of protests around the world. The arrogance of the police officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, in broad daylight, while people filmed, and Floyd cried out for his mother has exposed this nation’s history of racism. Many of us in Utah have been actively involved in peaceful protests. Current events bring home the much needed work around racial justice in our communities and schools. GEA has been at the forefront of human and civil rights issues in our District. GEA members have been meeting over the years to learn about the concerns teachers and students of color have in our schools and stand together to speak out for change. These active members have created training around trauma-informed schools, racial justice, and support for our LBGTQ community members. If you are interested in finding resources on Human and Civil Rights, click this link to GEA’s website: https://www.gea-ut.org/human-and-civil-rights.html The role of your AdvoCats through this is to offer the best advice for teachers who choose to be on the front lines of protesting. Following are some guidelines we would like to share as you make the decision to join a protest.
GEA supports the right of everyone to protest lawfully and respectfully and will simultaneously protect your employment as a GEA member and employee with Granite District. Don’t forget to wear a mask, remain 6 feet from the nearest protester, don’t touch your face, and carry sanitizer!
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