The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) stands with ALA and its units in condemning violence and racism towards Black people and all people of color. The long history of violence against Black people and other communities of color, culminating with the recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, is the result of systemic racism and oppression. We join with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) to call on AASL members and school library workers to reflect on the evidence of injustice in school communities, take action against systemic injustices, and actively work to develop inclusive school libraries that celebrate Black people, people of color, and home cultures. As a starting point, we encourage our members to view and discuss resources from ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services on how to talk about race and other recorded webinars and resources http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/diversity/odlos-webinar-archives. School librarians take further action when they implement inclusive and culturally responsive practices such as developing and prominently displaying signage and creating activities that celebrate Black people and people of color and home cultures, providing bi- or multi-lingual library collections, and creating a space that actively opposes hate speech and intolerance. School librarians condemn all forms of racism and will support and educate all learners in every community.

Author: Mary Keeling and Kathy Carroll

Categories: Association News, News