Sign now
Dear friend,
I just started a petition titled "Remove Ms. Vance"
On September 20th a volunteer at Ameilia's school
tried to pull her from her seat because she refused
to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I say tried because
as she yanked and pulled Millie under her arms trying to get
her to stand she refused. I was in the hall right outside
of the class talking to Millie's teacher and hadn't
noticed until she started screaming "Mommy." When I
stepped back in the class and said she doesn't have to
stand for the pledge instead of taking her hands
immediately off my child she looked at the teacher and
asked if she had to stand. The teacher replied no and she
then let my baby go.
Now anyone who knows me knows it took everything in me
not to lose my temper. Mind you this was the 4th time
that this volunteer had put her hands on Ameilia in an
inappropriate way in FRONT of me. I had already met with
the principal and was in the hall talking to the teacher about
her at that moment. When the teacher and I stepped back in
the hall after both witnessing this she told me that she would
speak to Mrs.Vance. I then told her that I was planning to
let her know that Millie didn't want to stand for the
pledge and I had told her she didn't have too.
Join me in telling Hazel Park School District to respect
my daughters right to sit.
Ameilia has said she didn't know why she had to stand for
the pledge and that she didn't feel like it and I told her that
she didn't have to. When she didn't stand and sat quietly in
her seat that should have been that. Unfortunately, the teacher
then told me that she wanted Millie to "understand what
was afforded to her in this country because in some
countries 5-year-olds don't go to school. They wake up
and go to sweatshops." I can only imagine what would
have happened if I wasn't there. I can only imagine my
child being in one of the videos we have all seen where
School Resource Officers use excessive force against
our children. She could have gotten written up and
punished like many other Black girls and boys have
been making our children seem like criminals before
they grow up.
Will you sign the petition and forward this email to
make sure your voice is heard? Add your name here.
I had already met with the principal about this volunteer
grabbing Millie before this incident and after this incident,
I called the Superintendent. Nothing has happened to
the teacher or the volunteer but Ameilia's class was
changed as if she had done something wrong. Now I
am being told that I am not allowed to walk my 5-year-old to
class because it's board policy even though I walked her to
class every day before this incident. I asked to see this
policy in writing but it still has not been provided to me.
My child and I are being punished because she decided
to sit and I decided to take a stand for her.
It is unacceptable for Hazel Park School District to have
volunteers physically forcing children to stand for the
pledge. My daughter decided not to stand and I supported
her as a parent. Instead of taking the right steps and
removing Ms. Vance from the classroom my child had to
change classes and now I'm not allowed to walk her to class
as I've always done. Clearly, we are being targeted by the
school. Tell Hazel Park School District to remove Ms.
Vance and stop punishing my daughter for sitting for
the anthem.
Sign the Petition here.
Thank you,
Ericka Johnson
|
elevate the voices of Black folks and our
allies, and win real social and political
|
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire