Please sit,” Ms. Lucas says as we walk into her classroom. She is not alone. Mrs. Curtis is sitting there, along with Ms. Johnson. They are seated at a round table and gesture to the two open chairs. Jasmine looks at me, and I almost start laughing because I’m so nervous. What is happening?
“Are we in trouble?” Jasmine asks.
“Again?” I add.
“No, no . . . just, please sit down. We have some things we wanted to talk about with you,” Ms. Lucas says.
We each take a seat.
“I’ll start,” Ms. Johnson says. “I want to first take a moment to thank you both.” We stare back, not having any idea what she is thanking us for. “You two have had a very adventurous year, full of interesting choices, and although I haven’t agreed with all of them, I do applaud you for the work you have done in the school.”
“You have made some very bold choices,” Mrs. Curtis adds, “and we wanted to let you know that we have all taken notice.” I feel like I am in the Twilight Zone for real.
Ms. Lucas starts in. “I want to apologize. I didn’t fight hard enough for you. But when I went to that open mic at Word Up, and I listened to what you were saying and saw all those young women from around the neighborhood, and I just . . . I saw myself up there, and I am proud of you.”
Ms. Johnson adds, “We wanted you to know that we see what you’re doing, and we are also planning to raise our voices in some of our own ways. So, we thank you. That’s all,” she finishes, and starts to gather her things to leave.
“Wait, wait,” Jasmine says. “I mean, thank you, we . . . thank you, but what do you mean? What are you planning?”
“Don’t worry,” Ms. Lucas responds. “We are working on that, but we did want to let you know that your questions and your statements really got us all thinking, and we appreciated it. Thanks for coming in.”
“No, wait,” I say, starting to wonder what the staff has been through that they aren’t telling us. “We have another idea too, a list of demands that we’re putting together. Maybe you all can help us. We can work together on an action,” I say.
“Oh, no, no, no, that’s not what we meant at all. We just wanted you all to know that we appreciated your thoughts,” Ms. Lucas finishes.
“It’s going to take all of us,” Jasmine says, looking around at our teachers, the ones who have helped to push us all year, the ones who’ve had our backs. “We’ve really been thinking of what we want—besides our club being reinstated. And I think having you all stand with us will help.” She pulls her journal out of her backpack and reads the following:
Write Like a Girl—Our Demands
1)We demand a space for our voices to be heard and our thoughts and ideas to be valued and shared. We will not be silenced or shut down or shut out of the conversation just because you don’t agree with what we are saying. Hear us!
2)We demand an end to sexual harassment of any kind, including: threats, intimidation, or violence. In the case that harassment occurs, we demand a jury of teachers and peers and restorative justice circles that honor our voices.
3)We demand an inclusive curriculum that honors and includes the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of color) and LGBTQIA+ communities.
“Wow,” Ms. Johnson says, standing up and looking at the list over our shoulders. “This is powerful,” she says. “And what were you planning to do with it? How were you planning to get everyone’s attention?”
“We want to stage a walkout modeled after A Day Without a Woman,” Jasmine says. “And it would be even better if we could walk out with the women who make Amsterdam Heights run.”
Our teachers exchange a look.
“We want in,” Ms. Lucas says.
A DAY WITHOUT WOMEN AT AMSTERDAM HEIGHTS
How would the school run without you?
Who would send the emails?
Who would answer all the phone calls that come in?
Who would make the copies?
Who would greet the families?
Who would file the forms?
Who would order food for staff meetings?
Without you—
Who would make the building clean?
Who would empty the trash?
Who would maintain the hallways?
Who would mop the floors?
Who would wash the windows?
Who would make us look good?
Who would nurture the future?
Won’t you please join us next Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. to see what a day without you all would look like?
