The Portland Association of Teachers is proud to celebrate Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, Monday, February 3rd through Friday, February 7th.
We encourage educators to sign the Pledge to Participate and check out our website for lesson plans, resources, and events.
This year, we are hosting the following events. We hope you will participate in some or all:
- Monday 2/3: Curriculum Exchange. 4:30-6:00 PM at Atkinson Elementary. Come learn about BLM @ School Week of Action and share curriculum.
- Tuesday 2/4: Black Out. Wear your Black Lives Matter at School T-shirt or sticker! Take a photo and post it using #BLMWOAPAT.
- Thursday 2/6: Building and Supporting Student Affinity Space. All students, teachers, and community are invited to hear from students and BSU advisories about the importance of safe space and student affinity. 4:30-6:30 PM at PAT, 345 NE 8th Ave.
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Friday 2/7: Film Screening of “Another Day,” Followed by Student Panel. This locally-made film offers the perspective of a Black student at a predominately White school. Hear from students and join in the discussion.
6:30-8:30 PM, da Vinci Middle School auditorium.
PLUS:
- Saturday 2/8: Open Mic with features from POETLAND, 6:00 PM @ Marrow PDX, 7025 N. Lombard St.
- Sunday 2/9: Feature Performance “Who I Am: Celebrating Me” 2:30 PM at the IFCC Theater, 5340 N. Interstate Ave.
Please RSVP for Week of Action events here and take the Pledge to Participate.
What is the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action?
Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action began in Seattle, Washington at John Muir Elementary School in 2016. From there, educators in cities across the nation, began organizing a week to intentionally celebrate the lives of Black students, teachers, and families. Cities including Seattle, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Portland, Oregon! Black Lives Matter at Schools Week of Action consists of educators teaching lessons about systemic and structural racism, intersectional Black identities and Black history.
In 2017, the Portland Association of Teachers answered the call from educators across Portland Public Schools who wanted and needed support in developing lesson plans, securing curricular resources, and planning/organizing community events that center on Black students and families, and we have been organizing around the Week of Action each year since.
We look forward to continued efforts engaging local organizers in the Black community, compiling more resources and curricula to deepen engagement in our classrooms around this critical subject, supporting classroom teachers, liberating Black students and families, and partnering with other unions to keep this work alive in PAT and beyond!