Many carried signs that said, "Teachers believe black lives matter.”

Kristen Grimmer, who teaches first- and second-graders at Unity Point, said she showed up for many reasons. “One, because I’m a teacher. I’ve always been an advocate, but I need more education to be the teacher that I really want to be and the teacher that kids need,” she said.

Grimmer said she thinks it is especially important for teachers to take a stand for their students of color, to acknowledge that they are aware of the discrimination that they or their families may face — and that they are committed to seeking a more just nation. “A lot of teachers, including me when I first started out, thought being color blind and teaching that we’re all equal was the way to go,” she said. But Grimmer said it’s important to acknowledge and teach the truth about racism. “You need to teach about race and you need to talk about the history and about how laws have been made to make things unfair, and kind of revamp our curriculum to reflect the input of everybody, not just a one-sided story,” she said.

Monecia Allen, an instructional aide at District 95, said she joined the demonstration because she wants to see the community support its young people. 

“It’s important that we come together for the children,” she said. “That’s the most important part in all of this. We’re standing behind them, beside them, near them — whatever they need, we’re there for them.”