FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Howie Berman
(703) 894-2900 x106
Alexandria, VA (June 2, 2020) - We are horrified by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Eric Garner. Sandra Bland. Philando Castile. Alton Sterling. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Countless others. Their lives—and the hope that came with them—were cut tragically short.
ACTFL denounces systemic racism and police brutality against the Black community, Native and Indigenous communities, and communities of color in this country. As we have stated before, racism, bigotry, and white supremacy have no place in American society. We share in your grief and commit to do our part to combat these ideologies and systems of hate.
We are angry and our hearts are heavy. As language educators, we play a pivotal role in developing the world view of young people in this country. We have a responsibility—to our students, to our colleagues, and to our profession—to create a learning environment that is not only safe from racism and hate but antiracist. We must model to our students that our differences are to be cherished and respected, and we must speak out against racism and hateful ideologies when we see them. We vow to listen to students and teachers of color.
Black lives matter. Our words and actions matter.
About ACTFL:
ACTFL is the national association for language education professionals from all levels of instruction and representing all languages. With more than 13,000 active members, ACTFL provides innovative professional development opportunities, acclaimed training and certification programs, and widely cited books, publications, scholarly journals, research studies and language education resources, including Foreign Language Annals and The Language Educator magazine. As part of its mission and vision, the organization provides guidance to the profession and to the general public regarding issues, policies, and best practices related to the teaching and learning of languages and cultures. ACTFL is a leading national voice among language educators and administrators and is guided by a responsibility to set standards and expectations that will result in high quality language programs.