A Letter From CEA President Jeff Leake

Words alone are not enough to express the heartbreak, alarm, and outrage brought on by Wednesday’s attack on democracy--an attack incited by violent rhetoric and baseless claims of fraud from the highest office in the United States.

This is not the America we want for our students. It is not the history lesson we wish to teach them. It is not what they deserve, and in spite of the near-constant tumult of the last year, it is not what they should come to expect. Our students deserve leaders committed to abiding by the Constitution and protecting all of our democratic processes and institutions.

Thank you for continuing to step up for your students in times of crisis and using teachable moments to underscore the need for fairness, truth, and democracy to prevail. Most students have seen the unsettling images on television, and you are allowing them to express their feelings in open discussions that are critically important to learning, moving forward, and feeling safe. A few of your colleagues have shared their lessons with the media, and you can find those stories below.

• For CT teachers, Washington Riot Becomes a Teaching Tool
• ‘Our Eyes Are Open'; Stonington Students Discuss Riot At U.S. Capitol
• How to Speak With Students About What Happened at the U.S. Capitol
• Teachers Help Students Make Sense of Violence at U.S. Capitol

Many students are as aware as we are of the stark differences between the handling of this riot and the Black Lives Matter rallies. This creates a powerful opportunity to talk about not only the systemic racism on full display in the national headlines but also the less visible and equally damaging biases and inequities in students’ everyday lives. I encourage you to have these courageous conversations with them as we continue to fight for a true democratic, anti-racist society.

Please feel free to use the following resources:

• Talking to Kids About the Attack on the Capitol
• Caring for Students in the Wake of a Traumatic News Event
• Creating the Space to Talk about Race, Center for Social Justice, National Education Association
• Combatting White Nationalism at School Toolkit, Western States Center
• Black Lives Matter at School, NEA Ed Justice

I leave you with the words of President-elect Joe Biden, who said earlier this year, “We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us.”

We are stronger together.

Jeff Leake, CEA President