On January 7, 2021, TeachingWorks offered a reflection on the violence that occurred the day before on Capitol Hill—violence that was a stunning display of white supremacy, its deep roots in our history, its pervasiveness in our present, and the threat it poses to our futures. The piece reflects on the broad-reaching implications of the events of the previous day, stating, “What we saw yesterday, in the chambers of our government as 106 legislators challenged and denied the outcome of our political processes, as those insurgents broke into those chambers, and in the dominant responses across our country, shows again just how far we are from justice for all. And how far we have to go.”
It closes with a call to action for educators:
“This moment” must be more than momentary or ephemeral. The problems we face are deeply rooted in our history, pervade our present, and will persist into our futures. The battle to confront and work to overcome them requires recognition, determination, perseverance, and collective action.
As 2021 is only seven days old, we have our work cut out for us. Let’s push ahead, remembering that all these people were at one time children in classrooms. We are today educating the people who will be leaders, voters, organizers, and citizens of the democracy and the nation that we need. We cannot—must not—pause now.
Read the full statement here.
Deborah Ball is the director of TeachingWorks.