Death of Walter Scott

Statement from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the untimely death of Walter Scott, the unarmed black man who was shot by a police officer April 4 in North Charleston, S.C.

"The murder of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man and U.S. Coast Guard veteran, is yet another tragedy in which we as a nation are forced to deal with the pattern of bias leading to excessive use of force.

"Yet again, a father won’t return to his family, a son won’t return to his parents, and a community mourns the death of one of its members. Yet again, this case reminds us that there is still much work to be done to achieve true racial justice and fairness in America. And it reminds us that justice doesn’t come by condemning the police; it comes from the realization that policing isn’t the problem, racism and bias are. North Charleston’s swift arrest and indictment of the officer involved is a step in the right direction."

The American Federation of Teachers is a union of 1.6 million professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities.

We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do.

Randi Weingarten  

PRESIDENT 

Mary Cathryn Ricker 

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Lorretta Johnson 

SECRETARY-TREASURER