Semillas Calls for Freedom from Fear in Schools

The appointment of Donald Trump as president-elect of the republic of the United States has caused youth and their families across the country grave concern. Particularly concerning are executive policy proposals that would serve to criminalize our families based upon principles of White supremacy, fascist nationalism and economic neoliberalism. These policies threaten to violate basic human rights, the Constitution of the United States and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In response our school community, seeks to establish an Freedom from Fear in Schools Indigenous Families School Safety Community Policy. Additionally, we call upon all local, regional and state elected and public officials to respect, defend and advance the rights of our children, families and educators “against all enemies, foreign and domestic” who may seek to attack these rights or our community through illegal or even through legal but unjust methods.

Semillas Sociedad Civil is an indigenous community-based nonprofit organization that organizes youth, parents and educators to advance self-determination, sovereignty and human rights as Indigenous Peoples through autonomous education and advocacy.

Recognizing, that our families come from all parts of Los Angeles County and are members of a variety of Indigenous Peoples including Zapoteca, Maya, and Azteca whose traditional cultural and ancestral corridors include the Uto-Azteca linguistic family regions such as Los Angeles, CA.

Additionally affirming, that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples memorializes that:

Indigenous peoples have the right to the full enjoyment, as a collective or as individuals, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as recognized in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law. (Article 1)

States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in order for indigenous individuals, particularly children, including those living outside their communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in their own culture and provided in their own language. (Article 14.3)

Indigenous peoples, in particular those divided by international borders, have the right to maintain and develop contacts, relations and cooperation, including activities for spiritual, cultural, political, economic and social purposes, with their own members as well as other peoples across borders. (Article 36.1)

Therefore, we establish the Freedom from Fear in Schools Policy directing all school personnel, students and calling upon our parents in our community to:

  1. Protect the right to confidentiality of every student and family in our community.
  2. Protect the right to freedom, culture and education of every student and family in our community.
  3. Protect our students and families from the use of hate speech and harassment engaged in by anyone child or adult against our community. This includes uses of hateful terms such as “illegal aliens”, “illegals” and “wetbacks” or references to “go back to” anywhere.
  4. Commit to empowering classroom and school spaces to reflect a Freedom from Fear.
  5. Develop curriculum for students and parents on these rights and our commitment to Freedom from Fear for All.
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Semillas del Pueblo is an indigenous community-based nonprofit organization that organizes youth, parents and educators to advance self-determination, sovereignty and human rights as Indigenous Peoples through autonomous education and advocacy.

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