Security threat spoils ‘Black Men Uniting’ event at middle school
An event at Seattle's John Muir Elementary school in which teachers planned to wear Black Lives Matter t-shirts was cancelled because of security concerns.
A Friday event at Seattle’s John Muir Elementary school in which teachers planned to wear Black Lives Matter tee shirts had to be cancelled because of security concerns.
The event, called “Black Men Uniting to Change the Narrative,” would have seen at least 100 black men gathering at the school in order to get rid of the stereotype that criminalizes black men, while teachers planned to wear shirts with the slogans “We Stand Together” and “Black Lives Matter.”
When new outlets published the teachers’ plans, and the story was picked up by Fox News, Breitbart and the Daily Caller, the school received at least one threatening call in relation to the planned event, according to district spokesman Luke Duecy. Because of concerns for the safety of the children as well as the participants in the event, “Black Men Uniting” was cancelled.
Even so, several black men still showed up at the school to high five students as they entered. Police also promised to have a visible presence at the school Friday and said that they would be present to give the school additional security if the event were to be rescheduled.
On Thursday, the Seattle Education Association released a statement in support of the “act of community solidarity.”
“The Seattle Education Association believes that closing the opportunity gap for black and brown students is essential to our educational mission,” the teachers union said. “In standing with the Black Lives Matter movement, educators at John Muir and Leschi elementary schools are engaging with and supporting students and their families on issues of race and equity that critically affect their daily lives.”
