Thousands of Seattle Teachers Wear 'Black Lives Matter' T-Shirts In Solidarity

A Seattle school district is taking the Black Lives Matter movement to an inspiring new level. To demonstrate solidarity, many teachers wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts to school on Wednesday and used their sartorial expression as a means to initiate dialogue about systemic racism, teach black history, and promote racial equality, according to the Associated Press and King 5 News.

Parents and students also wore the T-shirts, which honor the Black Lives Matter movement, founded by Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors, in the aftermath of the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin. The founders identify the movement, in a nutshell, as “a chapter-based national organization working for the validity of Black life.”

Jesse Hagopian, a Seattle high school teacher, organized the event to raise awareness of racial inequities at school, such as disproportionately lower dropout rates and higher suspension rates for students of color. Hagopian specified that in addition to awareness and education, he wanted the day to be one of action.

Some schools even held rallies, including Garfield High School, where teachers stood on the school’s steps during lunch hour. They shared “their struggles and determination to close the achievement gap for their students,” the Associated Press reports. For one faculty member, the event hit very close to home. Special Education teacher Janet Dubois told the harrowing story of losing her own son to a police shooting after he’d struggled in school. “When our kids are failed, and they have to go to alternative places and end up with their lives hanging in the balance because someone does not care,” she said, according to the article.

In an act of further solidarity, educators who participated in #BlackLivesMatterAtSchool had the full support of the Seattle school district, according to Mic, although the AP reports that “some have questioned whether the action in public schools is appropriate.” A Seattle Public Schools spokesperson made the district’s position clear, telling the AP and KING 5 News, “We are united in our commitment to eliminate opportunity gaps. Teachers have a First Amendment right to wear their speech. We respect our teachers’ rights and desire to express themselves. T-shirts are a good visual. We hope the message inspires people to do the work on eliminating opportunity gaps.”

The district is walking the walk, too. It’s “in the midst of a week campaign to eliminate opportunity gaps in schools, including disparities in achievement between white students and students of color,” according to the AP. This includes a rally that was held on Wednesday evening to further discuss the movement. Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett was in attendance at Seattle’s Washington Hall, standing onstage to lead the crowd in a chant.

The reaction of one African-America teen, Bailey Adams, a senior at Garfield High School, speaks for the potential impact events like this can have on black students. “All of my years I’ve been in school, this has never been talked about,” Garfield said, according to the AP. “Teachers have never said anything where they’re going to back their students of color.”

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