DATE: March 29, 2021

The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with murder in the death of George Floyd, began today. As the nation turns its eyes to the trial in Minnesota, it is important to be mindful of the connectedness between this trial with other acts of racialized violence. Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and many other names are now a part of our collective consciousness. 

Many of us can recall last year, as a school division, how important it was to spend time together processing what we saw, what we felt, and what it needed to mean for us, as we advance the goals of antiracism and anti-bias. What do these events mean for us as we center equity in all that we say and do? These are not easy questions, but they are powerful ones we committed to in principle and in practice.

While we wait for the trial to unfold, many in our community will continue to deeply contemplate these issues. As a division, we will continue to lean into our community and reconnect with the commitments we made last spring by listening to those who are most affected, empathizing with their experiences, and believing the stories shared.

We will also work to ensure that our listening and learning result in Fairfax County Public Schools becoming a better system–one that truly meets each child by name and by need.