Statement of Solidarity, Support, and Action from PTAC PResident Mairi Cooper
The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and Breonna Taylor resulted from systemic racism propagated through our local and national policies, and practices, structures. As we compose this statement, we are still waiting on justice in the case of Breonna Taylor. Such atrocities are not new, and tragically, have not ended. The public outrage that is being expressed must be matched with united and sustained efforts to systematically address and dismantle the racist systems ingrained in American culture.
The roots of our public education system are grounded in historical racism. School integration alone required Supreme Court intervention and the protection of the U.S National Guard. Yet, within the troubled legacy of public education is the critical pathway needed to guide our nation towards a more just society.
Pennsylvania has some of the most severe disparities in educational access and opportunity in the United States. Within these disparities, race, and income largely draw the dividing lines between students who have access to opportunities and those who do not. The Pennsylvania Teachers Advisory Committee (PTAC) is committed to changing education systems within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania so that every child has an equitable opportunity to learn and grow. PTAC will continue to expose disparities and support structural change by championing teacher narratives that contextualize the data.
PTAC acknowledges that the work required to end systemic racism within education requires more than a written statement. It requires long-term and consistent action. PTAC owns the work that it must do internally as an organization to increase diversity in its membership, on the board, and in the conversations that impact education decisions in Pennsylvania. We stand committed to developing meaningful platforms that amplify educators' voices and honor the diversity of Pennsylvania's students. As we plan for the upcoming year, PTAC is creating intentional spaces for its membership and other Pennsylvania classroom teachers to engage in difficult conversations. In doing so, we aim to critically assess if PTAC practices contribute to systems of oppression, and if so, how can we create a more inclusive organization?
This is simply a beginning. All efforts to create an equitable education system require concrete steps against systemic racism and must be sustained and intentional until every child has the opportunity to receive a quality education. PTAC is prepared to do this work unapologetically and stands for the rights of all students and teachers across the Commonwealth.
-Mairi Cooper, President, PTAC
The roots of our public education system are grounded in historical racism. School integration alone required Supreme Court intervention and the protection of the U.S National Guard. Yet, within the troubled legacy of public education is the critical pathway needed to guide our nation towards a more just society.
Pennsylvania has some of the most severe disparities in educational access and opportunity in the United States. Within these disparities, race, and income largely draw the dividing lines between students who have access to opportunities and those who do not. The Pennsylvania Teachers Advisory Committee (PTAC) is committed to changing education systems within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania so that every child has an equitable opportunity to learn and grow. PTAC will continue to expose disparities and support structural change by championing teacher narratives that contextualize the data.
PTAC acknowledges that the work required to end systemic racism within education requires more than a written statement. It requires long-term and consistent action. PTAC owns the work that it must do internally as an organization to increase diversity in its membership, on the board, and in the conversations that impact education decisions in Pennsylvania. We stand committed to developing meaningful platforms that amplify educators' voices and honor the diversity of Pennsylvania's students. As we plan for the upcoming year, PTAC is creating intentional spaces for its membership and other Pennsylvania classroom teachers to engage in difficult conversations. In doing so, we aim to critically assess if PTAC practices contribute to systems of oppression, and if so, how can we create a more inclusive organization?
This is simply a beginning. All efforts to create an equitable education system require concrete steps against systemic racism and must be sustained and intentional until every child has the opportunity to receive a quality education. PTAC is prepared to do this work unapologetically and stands for the rights of all students and teachers across the Commonwealth.
-Mairi Cooper, President, PTAC