Manassas schools leaders: Protests, conversation “necessary for us to move forward”

By Sanford S. Williams and  Kevin D. Newman
Manassas City Public Schools

The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy, paraphrasing Dr. King. In this moment of challenge and controversy, we stand with you. We are angry and grieved over the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and we are committed to stand with you as we all fight the racism, inequality, and systemic oppression that continues to plague our society.

And as African-American men who care deeply about our country and our city, we are especially affected by these events.

We have reached the end of a school year that brought a challenge we had never seen before as we dealt with the impact of COVID-19. Now, we are witnessing the wide-reaching impact of events triggered by the tragic death of George Floyd.

We know there are a multitude of emotions our students, staff, and families are experiencing during this difficult time. What we are seeing across the nation is traumatic and we must pause and acknowledge the anger, pain, and grief many students (and adults) are feeling during this time of unrest in our nation.

Recent protests and demonstrations have provoked difficult conversations among families and friends. These conversations are necessary for us to move forward. While parents and guardians serve as the first teachers their children encounter, we understand that we have a responsibility to provide a high-quality education for our diverse student population; preparing them to become informed and active citizens and positioning them to become leaders.

Dr. King also said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” We as a community must address injustice. We are all in this together and if even one of us is not treated fairly, we all suffer. We are committed to ensuring that our learning environment is supportive and understanding of the cultures our students represent. We will be intentional and purposeful in fighting inequality, promoting inclusion, and helping ALL of our students reach their potential.

Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. If you need help dealing with recent events, please reach out to us or other resources in the community. We are honored and privileged to be a part of your lives. With this honor and privilege comes responsibility, and we commit to do all that we can to educate, respect, and empower our children to help make this world a better place.

Sanford S. Williams is the Manassas City School Board Chairman. Kevin Newman is the Manassas City Public Schools Superintendent.