Out There, Right Now

We Stand Against Racism and Social Injustice

Willem de Kooning Academy
Fri 19 Jun

WdKA for Everyone.
We Stand Against Racism and Social Injustice.

The publication of the blog 'Black Lives Matter! Oké, en de andere mensen dan?' on the platform Profielen confronts us with a divisive and painful discussion that necessitates our reaction. We share the pain the publication has caused many of our community, we share the feeling of frustration. We consider it as our most important task to support our students and staff and vouchsafe their right to be who they are in complete safety.

Let us be unequivocally clear, we acknowledge that racism is real in the Netherlands and in our own school. We strive to counteract and resolve racism in our own community, learning and working to address it at the same time, and contribute to counteracting and resolving racism in society.

WdKA is an educational environment in which all students can develop and discuss their ideas and values, but the WdKA does not take a ‘neutral position’ when it comes to institutional racism and social injustice. We acknowledge that these issues are real and the WdKA works on addressing its own institutional inequities, blind spots and development, learning from our students and staff and working on our institutional growth.

We are committed to actively facilitate conversations that are open and respectful, and we will always offer a platform to voice different perspectives. It is paramount that we do so within a shared ethos that protects students and staff from content or actions that demean them or aim to belittle or silence anyone in our community. Our aim is to protect all members of our community from threats to their safety and wellbeing.

WdKA Management Team