Educators for Excellence Reacts to Chauvin Trial Verdict

Educators for Excellence, a teacher-led organization, reacted to the jury’s verdict today finding Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges — second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter — in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last summer.

“Today, we stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family and friends who mourn his death, and with all who have courageously advocated for justice and an end to the police brutality that continues to endanger our Black and Brown neighbors,” said Paula Cole, Executive Director of E4E-Minnesota. “As our valiant educators demonstrate every day, membership in a profession is an opportunity to serve, not a license to act with impunity. Today’s verdict is a relief, but it is also a stark reminder of the long journey ahead to ensure systemic racism ends in our lifetime.”

“The conviction of Derek Chauvin for murder is an important and necessary first step toward justice for George Floyd and the Black community,” said Evan Stone and Sydney Morris, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Educators for Excellence. “But true justice does not happen overnight. We understand that this murder and the countless acts of racially-motivated violence are a result of the systemic racism and anti-Blackness that permeates every aspect of American life. Change must come, and E4E commits to doing everything in our power to continue to fight for racial justice and to ensure that our schools are safe and supportive for Black and Brown students and serve all students equitably.”   

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