Whereas, we are outraged and sickened by the relentless acts of violence, brutality, and murder by police; and

Whereas, no one should be murdered at the hands of the officers sworn to protect and serve our communities; and

Whereas, fatal police shootings of unarmed Black people in the U.S. are more than three times as high as of white people; and

Whereas, the total numbers of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) killed in police shootings have not declined over the past five years, prompting researchers to describe the figures as a “public health emergency”; and

Whereas, many CFT members are Black and brown parents, siblings, and children who deserve to live without fear of police violence toward us or our loved ones; and

Whereas, CFT educators and classified professionals are on the front lines of our schools, colleges, and universities ensuring safe spaces for our students, who deserve to feel protected in their communities and to live their full lives; and

Whereas, in 2016, the CFT recognized the intense and overwhelmingly toxic effects of systemic racism at that time, partly as a result of the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin, a Black, male youth, and adopted a resolution establishing its Racial Equity Task Force to educate itself and its members about America’s systemic racism against people of color, specifically Black men, its history of racial oppression, and to acknowledge, give space to, and confront the difficult topic of racial bias; and 

Whereas, in 2020, the CFT adopted a resolution to express emphatically that ALL Black Lives Matter —  men, women, all those along the gender spectrum, trans, queer, disabled, undocumented, lives with records; and to reaffirm its commitment and duty to eviscerate systemic racism, which has been long known to erect barriers between the advancement and freedoms of Black lives, specifically our Black educators and classified professionals, while simultaneously intensifying our efforts to seek out, listen to, and amplify the voices of our Black members and all who support them; and

Whereas, the CFT is appalled to have to acknowledge – again – that police continue to kill, and very little has changed with regard to America’s progress toward ensuring the protection of the rights, liberties, and overall value of Black lives;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the CFT recommit to advocate for efforts to radically reform police policy, even when it means challenging the power structure and the institution of law enforcement that are rooted in white supremacy and taking uncomfortable or unpopular positions, which may include but are not limited to the following: 

• Removing armed police, unmarked cars, and undercover officers from traffic stops;
• Ending the use of pretextual traffic stops;
• Eliminating all uniformed police officers from school and college campuses;Redirecting school policing funds toward social services, mental health services, health care, and other school and community building programs;
• Defunding the militarization of the police force at the federal level in order to end the dissemination of military equipment and tactics to state and local police departments;
• Implementing mandatory training on de-escalation and implicit race bias;
• Creating civilian review boards with power to implement real accountability measures for law enforcement officers and departments that violate their oath to protect and serve;
• Creating a national, transparent, law enforcement database to record and track behavioral misconduct;
• Joining in discussions about bail and drug law reforms; and

Be it further resolved, that the CFT strive to lift up and work in solidarity with those individuals, groups, and organizations working to dismantle racist institutions and the violent oppression of Black and brown people; and

Be it finally resolved, that the CFT encourages its members to follow the lead of those who are most affected as they ally with them to stop police brutality and killing in their communities.

• Submitted by the CFT Executive Counci