Adamsrill's Statement in relation to the Killing of George Floyd.

9th June 2020

Dear all,

Given the events over the last couple of weeks, Lewisham School Leaders agreed to make the statement below: As Lewisham Leaders we stand together to condemn the unlawful murder of an innocent black man George Floyd in Minneapolis. We stand united in our commitment to tackle and challenge racism, address inequality and call out discrimination. Black people are 40 times more likely to be stopped and searched in the UK .Young black people are nine times more likely to be locked up in England and Wales than their white counterparts, while BAME offenders are far more likely than others to be jailed for drug offences. As educators of a school population which is 76% Black and ethnic minority we cannot remain silent. The murder of George Floyd must prompt careful reflection about racism in Britain today, and the extent to which it shapes our values, politics and economic life. Our community needs and deserves to feel safe in the belief that its leaders condemn all acts of racism and violence and moreover, that they believe racism is an abhorrence that we as Lewisham Leaders reject. Lewisham Leaders have a duty to address systemic racism in our society and we uphold this in our united condemnation of the unlawful murder of an innocent black man George Floyd. I know we have all been deeply affected by this indescribable injustice but we must stand together in our determination to address systemic racism.

Please see below for a useful link:

https://live.firstnews.co.uk/i-dont-get-it/bfi/racism-why-is-it-still-a-big-issue/

#BLACKLIVESMATTER

Black Lives Matter in Lewisham. A message form Pinaki Ghoshal, Lewisham’s Executive Director for Children and Young People and Angela Scattergood, Director of Education.

The Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan has published a statement on behalf of
Lewisham Council in response to the killing of George Floyd in the United
States.

You can read the full statement
here: https://lewisham.gov.uk/articles/news/black-lives-matter-in-lewisham

We believe that our schools and settings are key to tackling racism and other
forms of discrimination. We will support all Lewisham schools and settings in
their commitment to standing against racism and injustice, alongside and in
solidarity with the local and global Black community.

Adamsrill Primary School has always been a warm and welcoming place for
everyone regardless of race, sexuality, gender, religion or anything else which
makes you. At Adamsrill we believe in equality and fairness and through our
connecting classroom global learning curriculum we are moving away from the
posture of self-exemption surrounding race and equality issues. It is everybody’s
business. As a community, we believe that it is important for us to work towards
addressing and overcoming society’s illiteracy in the understanding of racism
(whether it is overtly or covertly). All of us at Adamsrill stand as one with our black pupils, staff, parents and the entire BAME community in condemning racism. #BlackLivesMatter