On November 12, 2019 students from the Edmunds Middle School Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Collective presented a proposal to the school board, requesting they be allowed to fly the Black Lives Matter flag at the school.
“The YPAR Collective feels strongly that Edmunds Middle School should stand in solidarity with Burlington High School, South Burlington High School, Montpelier High School, and other schools committed to raising the Black Lives Matter flag,” said Edmunds student Anyier Manyok.
The Board unanimously approved the student request.
After months of thoughtful planning, EMS students gathered around the flagpole on February 5th, 2020. In a beautiful and moving ceremony filled with cheers and tears, moments of singing and moments of silence, the YPAR students raised the Black Lives Matter Flag in front of hundreds of middle and elementary schoolers, District leaders, media outlets, community partners, and parents.
Our District photographer was there to capture many moments, seen at the bottom of this post. In addition, RETN was invited to film and create a video respecting the students and faculties involved in the flag-raising and to commemorate the day when their community came together under a single unifying voice.
