MNEA continues to be an ally for people and organizations across Missouri working for a just society

STATEMENT FROM

THE MISSOURI NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are the latest in a string of acts that have sparked protests around our communities, state, and nation during an economic crisis that is devastating families.

MNEA recognizes the need for continuing work towards economic and social justice for all people. MNEA continues to be an ally for people and organizations across Missouri working for a just society. MNEA will continue to work for a nation that recognizes, values, and appreciates all people. In so doing, we will continue our work for the marginalized peoples and groups in our schools, colleges, and workplaces.

Educators in our local schools are a stabilizing force for children as the world reacts, changes, and adapts around them. MNEA educators continue to work on behalf of our students, maintaining instruction, delivering nutritious meals, and protecting students’ health. While many public and private institutions have struggled, educators in our neighborhood schools, community colleges, and universities have been a bedrock for students and families. The same bedrock will support the healing and recovery ahead.

As we look forward, educators play a crucial role in the healing process and economic recovery that must come. Our work for students will not stop at the doors of our school buildings. MNEA will continue to work on behalf of students and educators by advocating for meaningful racial and social justice reforms.We will work to ensure that all our students and colleagues, regardless of race, orientation, gender, or creed, are treated with dignity, fairness, and equality under the law.

We will Unite.
We will Inspire.
We will Lead.

RESOURCES

HOW TO DEAL WITH ACTS OF RACISM AND HATE

Before a Crisis Occurs
How can you and other school leaders assess your school’s climate with an eye toward defusing tension, preventing escalation, and avoiding problems?

When There’s a Crisis
What are the key points to consider when responding to a crisis that has been triggered by a bias incident at your school?

After the Worst is OverHow can you address long-term planning and capacity building for the future, including development of social emotional skills?

WHITE SUPREMACY

Lessons to Teach and Learn from ‘Unite the Right’- Anti-Defamation League

Facing History: The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy

TALKING ABOUT RACE IN THE CLASSROOM

Creating the Space to Talk About Race

Start the Conversation About Racial Justice

Responding to Hate & Bias

Facebook Live Video featuring educator Fakhra Shah and Maureen Costello from Teaching Tolerance

Discussing Race & Ethnicity – Resources from Teaching Tolerance

How To Raise Race-Conscious Children

Teaching kids not to “see” race actually isn’t the best approach for raising anti- racist children.

HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH A TRAUMATIC EVENT

NEA Healthy Futures School Crisis Guide
Knowing what to do in a crisis can be the difference between stability and upheaval. This step-by-step resource created by educators for educators can make it easier for union leaders, school district administrators, and principals to keep schools safe — before, during, and after a crisis.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network
NCTSN has several pdfs and other resources for helping parents and children deal with catastrophic mass violence events, including parent tips for helping school-age children after disasters, which lists children’s reactions with examples of how parents should respond and what they should say.

Talking to Children About Tragedies and Other News Events
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents, teachers, child care providers, and others who work closely with children to filter information about the crisis and present it in a way that their child can accommodate, adjust to, and cope with.

Incidents of Mass Violence
Learn about who is most at risk for emotional distress from incidents of mass violence and where to find disaster-related resources.

TEACHING TOLERANCE AND ACCEPTANCE

Empowering Children in the Aftermath of Hate – What Can Parents and Teachers Do?
How can we begin and continue conversations about terror and violence with children? What can we say or do to help our children feel safe? The Anti- Defamation League provides some guidance and resources to help answer these questions, including lessons plans for different grade levels.

GLSEN’s Ready, Set, Respect! Elementary Toolkit
We all want students to feel safe and respected and to develop respectful attitudes and behaviors. GLSEN developed Ready, Set, Respect! to provide tools to support elementary educators like you with these efforts. The kit provides a set of tools that will help you prepare to teach about respect and includes lesson plans that can help you seize teachable moments. The lessons focus on name- calling, bullying and bias, LGBT-inclusive family diversity, and gender roles and diversity and are designed to be used as either standalone lessons or as part of a school-wide anti-bias or bullying prevention program.

Helping Students Make Sense of News Stories About Bias and Injustice
When there are national news stories that involve incidents of bias and injustice, young people want to be part of the conversation. Use these suggestions, strategies, and resources to help make those discussions rich and productive for students.