Teacher Bruce Speaks Up for Immigrants

On November 21, 2016, SMAS Teachers Union CFT Local 4681 President Bruce Neuburger went to the San Mateo City Council meeting to express concerns about discrimination and deportation under the new Trump administration in January of 2017.

Here is what he said at the meeting:

To the mayor, City Council and community members:
 

I’m from the San Mateo Adult School Federation of Teachers.

 

The election of Donald Trump has created fear, anxiety and anger across this country, and in our schools right here in San Mateo.

 

As a child of holocaust survivors I grew up with the stories of the horror that befell Germany and beyond, and heard the confessions of my parents and other relatives who believed it could not happen there. 

 

The Nazis came to power through the electoral process and used their constitutional authority to begin repressing and dividing people along religious and racial lines, and trashing civil liberties.

 

Pastor Niemoehler said famously that he didn’t act in time to defend others and was left defenseless when his time came.  He also said, that the horror could have been stopped if people had acted decisively early on. 

 

We can not afford to wait to see if Trump will live up to his words and the words of  those he has surrounded himself with. We need to act now. If Trump is able to initiate mass deportations, register Muslims, criminalize abortion, unleash repression against Black Lives Matters, these would be crushing blows against any and all who stand for a society where the rights of all are respected and where open expression is upheld, and could create paralyzing fear. 

 

We can’t let that happen. 

We have to create a broad resistance so that none of that can happen. 

We need to state resolutely as students, school leaders, city councils, mayors, civil rights organizations, church groups, colleges and universities, even theater groups have, that we will defend the rights of all and take measures to shield those under threat. 

 

I call on you as well to act, take a stand. Trustee Friedman of the San Mateo school board has submitted a resolution to that body to make San Mateo schools a sanctuary where all can attend and learn without fear. 

 

Please do not let it be said that the city of San Mateo did not act decisively when the danger against its most vulnerable community members loomed. 

 

Lonely courage is admirable, but collective courage is powerful and contagious.