Superintendent Message to Community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Summary: Use this time to commemorate his life and legacy and to find motivation in the fight against injustice.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As we pause to reflect on the work of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am encouraged by his words and the work we are doing as a school community.
The 2023 theme for The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is, It Starts with Me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems. The King Center believes nonviolence is a sustainable solution to injustice and violence. The center envisions a beloved community where injustice ceases, and love prevails.
Seattle Public Schools is committed to building antiracist and just systems in our classrooms. We push each other to interrogate unjust systems in our schools and our society. Justice is not a noun, it is a verb – an action we must live and breathe every day. Now is the time to live it through our advocacy and actions.
Our schools are my beloved community. I want us to engage in activities that contribute to making our district better for all our students. We need to take a stand and use our collective voices and call for peace and justice in this world. I encourage you to participate in some of the events honoring Dr. King. Use this time to commemorate his life and legacy and to find motivation in the fight against injustice.
In his last speech delivered in April 1968 often called “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” Dr. King said, “… only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
Our schools, this country, and the world have been through some dark times over the last three years. In the face of racism, police brutality, and gun violence, we must reaffirm our values and commitment as a beloved community. Through love and acceptance, we can create a world where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
It starts with us.
In partnership,
Dr. Brent Jones
Superintendent
Seattle Public Schools
