AUSTIN, Texas — Several local teachers and activists gathered at Republic Square for a rally and march to Austin City Hall on Friday, June 12. Organizers said the march was to show solidarity in the fight against police brutality and advocate for more education resources.
During the protest, educators were allowed to tell their stories of injustice. The principal at Austin Achieve Public Schools tearfully described an incident this year where he was wrongfully detained in front of his staff and students after calling the police on a student who threatened him and implied he had a gun.
"Despite everyone, including the kid that presented the threat, identifying who I was, I ended up on the ground with him, face pushed into the carpet, police hovering over me, guns drawn and I was also put into handcuffs," said Mason.
Speakers like Professor Dr. Courtney Robinson not only called for police to reevaluate their practices but teachers as well.
"It's really important for educators to really think about who they are personally and how they internalize bias and racism and try to unpack that because if they are going into the classroom with racism and bias, even if they try to hide it, it seeps out," said Robinson.
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She also voiced that underserved communities need more resources to stop the school-to-prison pipeline.
"Forty percent of the youth in our current criminal justice system are there because of a school referral," said Robinson. "We can stop this funnel into our criminal justice system but we have to first recognize that we are disciplining our black children differently and secondly we have to figure out what that child needs."
The "Educators March for Justice" ended at 11 a.m.
"We will hold a peaceful rally to demonstrate the unity and commitment of educators to bring about conditions in our society that allow our black students and their families to exist and thrive," organizers said on their event page.
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