To the Editor:

"Black Lives Matter." It's a complete statement. It doesn't require a response or modifier. It just states the fact that black lives have value.

And yet, it gets one. "Blue Lives Matter!" — as if black lives were an inherent threat to the lives of our people in blue. Or "All Lives Matter!" — as if to suggest, well, doh! Of course, they do, as does every other life. But then the follow-up of "Why would you feel the need to bring up black lives, specifically?" never happens. Instead, "All Lives Matter" is used to shut down the conversation.

When we take the phrase, "Black Lives Matter," and declare it "political" in an attempt to bury the conversation, we engage in behavior that accepts racism. In a tactic right out of George Orwell's novel, 1984, the phrase is removed from the lexicon as being "too hot to handle." And we fail to discuss how black people feel that they are being systematically devalued by our society.

A Newtown High School senior submitted a proposal for their capstone project that would copy a Black Lives Matter mural that had been displayed, then vandalized, in another Connecticut school. Part of the capstone proposal was to display the mural in Newtown High School. This proposal was fully approved. In fact, the student went above and beyond to ensure all parties were on board with their proposal before moving forward — and that the mural would be permanently displayed.

When the mural was ready to go, the student was told that the mural would not be displayed. Apparently, there were concerns about the reaction.

What sort of reaction and from whom?

Well, we know from whom. People who are more comfortable with letting racism persist than they are challenging it.

Newtown Public Schools has signaled that they are willing to allow racism in our community to dictate what happens in our schools.

At the April 4th Board of Ed meeting, the chairperson made a point of stating that recent actions of the board would have improved the experience of a black child that had had a painful and detrimental experience in Newtown Public Schools several years ago.

My question is, how can she say this when Newtown Public Schools gives racism the final word?

Linda O’Sullivan

Sandy Hook

EDITOR's Note: According to Superintendent of Schools Chris Melillo, the student was offered an opportunity to showcase her mural alongside other Capstone creations as part of a unique, first of its kind exhibition at NHS.