(para leer en español, ver abajo) In early July the two principals in our building, with the support of Superintendent Anita Skop, ordered and enabled the destruction of a diversity-centered mural created by six P.S.295 fifth-grade students in partnership with Groundswell.                                                                        Read the NY Daily News article:                                                                      <a href="https://tinyurl.com/wmn39w3c"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/wmn39w3c" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://tinyurl.com/wmn39w3c</a></a>                                                                     Watch the video of the mural being installed                                                                     <a href="https://youtu.be/Zj5L33dGIdE"><a href="https://youtu.be/Zj5L33dGIdE" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://youtu.be/Zj5L33dGIdE</a></a> The students, parents, and communities of PS295, New Voices Middle School, and all of District 15 in Brooklyn, NY, need your support to insist on justice after this incident of harm that is only one example of deep, far-reaching bias and systemic inequity in our schools. We are asking for donations to purchase T-shirts with an image of the mural, and masks with words from the mural. In having students, families, and staff wear these items, we will: -Honor the work of the muralists, -Increase visibility of the action taken by the school’s administrators to demand accountability, and -Confront these administrators with what they’ve done. We hope to produce enough of these shirts and masks, so that they can be distributed to all members of the community who desire them, regardless of income. We may also use funds raised for other direct actions; such as paying for the printing of flyers and a banner. Any excess funds raised will be donated to Groundswell.                                                                                                <a href="https://www.groundswell.nyc" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.groundswell.nyc</a> We are so grateful for your contribution to support our direct actions to demand real accountability and healing, and to ensure children can attend schools safe and cherished in their full humanity. Visit our website: <a href="http://www.nyceducationequality.org/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.nyceducationequality.org/</a> 


The context:


PS 295’s student participants worked with Groundswell for 14 weeks, during the pandemic. They created an inspiring piece that expressed their refusal to accept injustice and their vision for a better world; they did this with the belief that the adults running their school shared their values. In response, their school and district leaders destroyed their work, in haste and without notification to any of the parties involved. To this day, there has not been a full accounting of the exact sequence of events. According to first-hand accounts, the administrators objected mainly to the statement “Black Trans Lives Matter,” and an Audre Lorde quote: “Your silence will not protect you.” Mr. Giordano stated he “felt personally attacked” by the quote.


This action, and the attempt to hide it, from participating families and staff was a gross betrayal. Our 5th grade Black, Asian, White, Jewish, Latinx children sought to leave a message of hope with their schoolmates; their voices were silenced, and their efforts trashed. When given the opportunity to amplify student voices and lean into their discomfort, Lisa Pagano, Frank Giordano and Anita Skop instead chose to inflict harm. They did not protect our children or our community.


The Department of Education has offered inadequate and simplistic amends, but this egregious incident has surfaced families’ stories of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of systemic harm under these administrators’ leadership, and we cannot and will not allow this to continue.


In the words of one LGBQT+, Asian, and mixed-race family, their daughter’s “art in this project reflects her world—an eye seeing the rainbow of people in our lives. Sadly, the actions toward this mural match the intolerance we experienced at PS 295. Everyone needs to understand how deep the biases are, why the mural was destroyed in the first place, and why change needs to happen at the most fundamental levels. Our fight remains consistent with the way this mural was treated.”


Another artist’s parent explained, “This frustration is sparked not just by the removal of a beautiful and thoughtful piece of artwork created by our children, but also because of what its removal and disposal symbolizes in the greater context of community, power structure, and the continuation of systemic and institutional racism in our schools during such a pivotal moment of consciousness. It was a deliberate action motivated by white rage, anti-blackness, anti-queerness, and internalized racism.”


There is nothing more important in a school than showing each child that they matter—that they are seen, heard, valued, and protected. In destroying these children’s artwork, Principal Lisa Pagano, Principal Frank Giordano, and Superintendent. Skop have done the opposite. Their actions represent both a profound failure of leadership and a violation of the children’s trust.


They have conveyed to their students that the values expressed in the mural were unacceptable—so much so that it had to be destroyed as quickly as possible. The message this sends is clear: Black lives don’t matter. Black trans lives don’t matter. People facing injustice should remain silent.


It’s hard to imagine a greater moral or professional failure.


The students at PS 295, New Voices, and District 15 deserve leadership equal to the challenges of our time, including the struggle for equity and justice. The time has come for accountability, reparations, and a new beginning. Photo permission given by Groundswell Teaching Artist: Lexy Ho-Tai Youth Artists: Hollis Albaeck, Kai Gelber-Higgins, Jasmine Gellizeau-Ip, Luna Quiñonez, Seth Daniel-Scherz, Darby Young Special thanks to: Council Member Carlos Menchaca, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Further articles on the destruction of the mural: <a href="https://www.gaycitynews.com/brooklyn-principal-removes-students-black-trans-lives-matter-mural/"><a href="https://www.gaycitynews.com/brooklyn-principal-removes-students-black-trans-lives-matter-mural/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.gaycitynews.com/brooklyn-principal-removes-students-black-trans-lives-matter-mural/</a></a> En español: A principios de Julio, los directores de las escuelas PS295 y MS447, con el apoyo de la superintendente Anita Skop, ordenaron y permitieron la destrucción de un mural centrado “diversidad” creado por seis estudiantes de 5º grado en asociación con Groundswell. Lea el artículo de NY Daily News: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/wmn39w3c"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/wmn39w3c" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://tinyurl.com/wmn39w3c</a></a> Vea el video de la instalación del mural:  <a href="https://youtu.be/lhWDg-7Pohg" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://youtu.be/lhWDg-7Pohg</a> Los estudiantes, padres y comunidades de PS295, New Voices Middle School y todo el Distrito 15 en Brooklyn- NY necesitan su apoyo para obtener justicia después del daño causado por este incidente, el cual es solo un ejemplo del profundo favoritismo y desigualdad sistémica en nuestras escuelas. Estamos solicitando donaciones para comprar camisetas con la imagen del mural y máscaras con las palabras del mural. Cuando los estudiantes, las familias y el personal usen estos artículos, lograremos lo siguiente: -Honrar el trabajo de los muralistas, -Aumentar la visibilidad de las acciones tomadas por los administradores de la escuela para exigir responsabilidad, y -Enfrentar a estos administradores con lo que han hecho. Esperamos producir suficientes camisetas y máscaras para que puedan distribuirse a los miembros de la comunidad, independientemente de sus ingresos. También utilizaremos los fondos recaudados para otras acciones, como pagar por la impresión de volantes y pancartas. Cualquier exceso de fondos recaudados se donarán a Groundswell. <a href="https://www.groundswell.nyc"><a href="https://www.groundswell.nyc" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.groundswell.nyc</a></a> Agradecemos su contribución y apoyo para exigir verdadera responsabilidad y garantizar que los niños se sientan seguros y apreciados en sus escuelas. Nuestro sitio web: <a href="http://www.nyceducationequality.org/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.nyceducationequality.org/</a> Contexto: Los estudiantes participantes de la escuela PS 295 trabajaron con Groundswell por 14 semanas durante la pandemia. Crearon una pieza inspiradora que expresaba su rechazo hacia la injusticia y su visión de un mundo mejor. Lo hicieron con la creencia de que los adultos que dirigían su escuela compartían sus valores. Como respuesta, los directores de las escuelas y el Distrito destruyeron su trabajo apresuradamente y sin notificar a ninguna otra persona involucrada. Hasta el día de hoy, no ha habido un recuento completo de la secuencia de los eventos. Según relatos de primera mano, los administradores se opusieron principalmente a la declaración  "Black Trans Lives Matter (La Vida de las Personas Trangénero Negras Tambien Importan’) y una citación de Audre Lorde:  "Tu Silencio No Te Protegerá";. El Sr. Giordano dijo que  "se sintió personalmente atacado" por la citación. Esta acción, y el intento de ocultarla a familias y personal que participaron, fue una gran traición. Nuestros niños de 5º grado - negros, asiáticos, blancos, judíos y latinx - buscaron dejar un mensaje de esperanza a sus compañeros de escuela; sus voces fueron silenciadas y sus esfuerzos fueron destrozados. Cuando se les dio la oportunidad de amplificar las voces de los estudiantes, Lisa Pagano, Frank Giordano y Anita Skop optaron por infligir aún mas daño. No protegieron a nuestros niños ni a nuestra comunidad. El Departamento de Educación ha ofrecido enmiendas inadecuadas y simplistas, pero este incidente tan atroz ha sacado a la luz historias de racismo, homofobia, transfobia y otras formas de daño sistémico que familias de nuestras escuelas han sufrido bajo el liderazgo de estos administradores. No podemos permitir que esto continúe. En palabras de una familia LGBQT+, asiática y de raza mixta, “el arte de su hija en este proyecto refleja su mundo: un ojo que ve el arco iris de personas en nuestras vidas. Lamentablemente, las acciones hacia este mural coinciden con la intolerancia que experimentamos en PS 295. Todos deben comprender cuán profundos son los prejuicios, por qué se destruyó el mural en primer lugar, y por qué deben producirse cambios en los niveles más fundamentales. Nuestra lucha es consistente con la forma en la que se trató este mural ”. El padre de otro artista explicó: “Esta frustración se desencadena no solo por la eliminación de una obra de arte hermosa y reflexiva creada por nuestros hijos, sino también por lo que su destrucción y eliminación simboliza en el contexto más amplio de nuestra comunidad, donde una estructura de poder institucional impone racismo sistémico en nuestras escuelas durante un momento tan crucial y en el que debemos tomar mas conciencia. Fue una acción deliberada, motivada por la rabia blanca, anti-negritud, anti-queerness y racismo internalizado". No hay nada más importante en una escuela que demostrarle a cada niño que ellos importan, que son vistos, escuchados, valorados y protegidos. Al destruir las obras de arte de estos niños, la directora Lisa Pagano, el director Frank Giordano y el superintendente Skop han hecho lo contrario. Sus acciones representan tanto un profundo fracaso de liderazgo como una violación de la confianza de los niños.  Han transmitido a sus estudiantes que los valores expresados en el mural eran inaceptables, tanto que tuvo que ser destruido lo más rápido posible. El mensaje que esto envía es claro: las vidas de los negros no importan. Las vidas de los trans-negros no importan. Las personas que se enfrentan a la injusticia deben permanecer en silencio. Es difícil imaginar un mayor fracaso moral o profesional. Los estudiantes de la escuela PS 295, New Voices y el Distrito 15 merecen un equipo de liderazgo a la altura de los desafíos de nuestro tiempo, incluida la lucha por igualdad y justicia.

Therese Ferreira

Stephanie Wolf

Justine McLaughlin

Nicole Griffin

Brian LaRossa

Kate Singh

Kristie Gerhart

Anonymous

Fonda Slongo

Rachel Posner

Christine Ellrodt

Clayton Patrie

nancy garcia-ruffin

South Slope Pediatrics

Apaar Trivedi

Dari Litchman

Martin Wohl

Theo Rubinstein

Jocelyn Wood

Devin Molina

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