OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Over the last six weeks we've seen a series of Black Lives Matter rallies throughout Omaha.
Friday night in Memorial Park, there was another one, but with a different angle. The group Educators for Black Lives, made up of staff members of schools all across the metro, held a rally in Memorial Park that attracted hundreds.
"I cannot sit still and be quiet."
It was a rally that sent a message to the education community in Omaha, with those at Memorial Park seeking structural change in the education system and hoping to use momentum from the rally to push school boards and education leaders.
"But the work that's unseen is more important," said Omaha teacher Holly Murphy. "We need to provide quality, consistent education, professional development for teachers, the people that are actually interacting with students."
Murphy helped organize the rally. She says they want to see a better balance of disciplinary practice between white students and students of color.
They also want to see a more inclusionary curriculum.
"Imagine the day, every student learns about Juneteenth and the Trail of Tears, Wong Kim Ark, Sylvia Mendez and Stonewall - a cultural responsive and reflective curriculum in America that they are seen," said Eddie Ventura, and OPS librarian.
To highlight the issues black students face, Ibinya Green, a recent graduate of Elkhorn South mentioned a few things told to her during her high school career.
"'Go back to the cotton fields, n-work, n-word, n-word,'" said Green. "'You're black so you can do most of the work on this project,' and 'you don't even know what racism is, but I do.' The last of the comments coming from a white substitute teacher in the middle of algebra class."
This is why folks like Omaha South teacher Halley Taylor says educators need to be actively antiracist in the classrooms, calling out students and staff who cross the line.
"Being an antiracist educator will put you in situations that are uncomfortable," Taylor said. "You will be in conversations that are uncomfortable."
The group also wants to see more teachers of color. They point to stats from last year that say 95% of Nebraska teachers were white.
"White women can be to black students what police are to the black community," said Taylor.
Finally everybody at the rally went down the hill and let their voices be heard to those driving down Dodge, hoping to get their message to the broader public.
"Of course we'd like to partner with the school district and finish the work that they've started in order to bring the reality of their practices to the classrooms," said Murphy.
This rally stands in major contrast to the Back the Blue, pro-police rally, planned at the same park Saturday morning.
