To students, alumni, and friends of our department,
We have felt anguish while watching the most recent incidents of deadly violence, police brutality, and racism against people of color in our country. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and far too many others, are victims of profound injustice. We know that this anguish and anger are widespread in our community, not least because the dehumanization of people of color has a long and consequential history. In these painful circumstances, we want to reaffirm our bond with you, and to share a firm statement of our values.
We are committed to ensuring the dignity and safety of all members of our community - including our students, who bring us great pride with their own work for justice and equity. We see you, and we stand with you. We also stand with the Society for Classical Studies, the Classics and Social Justice group, and other organizations in our field that acknowledge and repudiate the historical use of Greece and Rome for the promotion of white supremacy. Finally, we pledge to make our daily work in this discipline more inclusive and more just, through dialogue and expansion of opportunities, as we pursue Washington University’s mission to help advance the cause of racial and social justice.
Sincerely,
The Faculty and Staff of Classics, Washington University