A Statement from Dr. McLaughlin

Dear SLUSD Community,

As we embark on what is traditionally a celebratory week in San Leandro Unified, I know that our collective hearts are unimaginably heavy right now. I have to ask myself, how do we celebrate the close of this already difficult school year, when we are outraged at yet another tragically senseless killing of a black man at the hands of a white police officer? The horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, along with countless others before them, bring the stark inequities embedded in our society into our hearts and minds, at the exact time when we cannot be together to process our anger and frustration. Even more troubling is the knowledge that our children lack the benefit of support from their teachers and administrators to navigate their feelings and to understand more deeply the historical context that puts us in this definitive moment in history. 

I join with the voices who call for immediate justice as the way to begin the healing process. In San Leandro Unified, our work to deconstruct the systemic barriers which prevent true access and equity for all of our students has been nationally recognized because we have put forth sustained energy and focus on the insidious problem. With that said, we know that our work is far from done and becomes even more urgent.  As we see at this moment, the same is true for our society. Extreme injustices can no longer be placed on the shoulders of our historically marginalized communities. Our path forward must be a shared one. These words from Dr. Martin Luther King have been shared many, many times in the past, and have been brought to the forefront recently, but I stand with those who see the relevance at this moment:

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.”

We are here to support our community in every way we can. I will share more about this last week of school and what the start of school will look like for next year in more messages this week. Until then, be safe, be resilient, and be aligned in our goal for true peace.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike McLaughlin

SLUSD Superintendent