Crystal Spring Legal Support
Donation protected
Greetings Community:
Your collective support and actions for Washburn social justice theater educator Crystal Spring made a huge impact in a short time. You showed up, wrote letters of support, and asked important questions in public spaces. Within days the termination was retracted and an apology issued from Interim MPS Superintendent Michael Thomas. Thank you!
There's more to do: This case has been about both the singularity of Crystal’s impact and broader issues of due process, citizens' rights to witness police actions, supporting social justice education and challenging MPS administrative policy that seems to “push out educators who effectively serve students of color” (see Shannon Gibney’s excellent article for more information Gibney article). As a community we need to sustain ongoing inquiry in MPS practices towards educators and support Crystal in her search for legal as well as workplace justice. This GoFundMe page focuses on the latter cause.
Legal Funds: We are seeking support for Crystal’s legal costs for those who are able to make financial contributions of any amount. Crystal estimates that she has already incurred costs between $1500-$2000 before trial preparations. The cost of the lawyer is $300/ hour. The baseline goal of the GoFundMe campaign is to support some of these costs.
$2,000 covers expenses already incurred
$5,000 supports an additional 10 hours of legal work
$8,000 supports an additional 20 hours of legal work
How we'll do it: Over 1000 folks indicated interest in rallying for Crystal’s cause. If almost everyone contributed $10 we could reach our aspirational goal. We know that different folks have different resources to contribute. So please give what/where you can of your time, focused support/outrage, and/or financial resources. It’s important to show how a community can come together to support both individual activist-educators and the broader cause of citizen-based justice and equitable progressive education. While the MPS school system shifted, the legal and justice systems are still at play here. Let's see what we can do by July 1st!
Why support: As one of the organizing team members notes: “Crystal has spent money from her own pocket in order to make it possible for guest artists to bring their amazing talents to her students. She coordinated and facilitated two racial equity training's this school year alone, unpaid. She invests in our schools, so lets invest in her!”
More information: A few articles about the case as it developed follow:
http://www.startribune.com/plot-twists-in-case-of-minneapolis-drama-teacher-s-arrest/383002521/
http://www.brightlightsmallcity.com/minneapolis-public-schools-shows-growth-restores-teachers-job/
http://www.citypages.com/news/minneapolis-public-schools-tries-to-fire-teacher-crystal-spring-for-watching-cops-arrest-someone-8351583
Your collective support and actions for Washburn social justice theater educator Crystal Spring made a huge impact in a short time. You showed up, wrote letters of support, and asked important questions in public spaces. Within days the termination was retracted and an apology issued from Interim MPS Superintendent Michael Thomas. Thank you!
There's more to do: This case has been about both the singularity of Crystal’s impact and broader issues of due process, citizens' rights to witness police actions, supporting social justice education and challenging MPS administrative policy that seems to “push out educators who effectively serve students of color” (see Shannon Gibney’s excellent article for more information Gibney article). As a community we need to sustain ongoing inquiry in MPS practices towards educators and support Crystal in her search for legal as well as workplace justice. This GoFundMe page focuses on the latter cause.
Legal Funds: We are seeking support for Crystal’s legal costs for those who are able to make financial contributions of any amount. Crystal estimates that she has already incurred costs between $1500-$2000 before trial preparations. The cost of the lawyer is $300/ hour. The baseline goal of the GoFundMe campaign is to support some of these costs.
$2,000 covers expenses already incurred
$5,000 supports an additional 10 hours of legal work
$8,000 supports an additional 20 hours of legal work
How we'll do it: Over 1000 folks indicated interest in rallying for Crystal’s cause. If almost everyone contributed $10 we could reach our aspirational goal. We know that different folks have different resources to contribute. So please give what/where you can of your time, focused support/outrage, and/or financial resources. It’s important to show how a community can come together to support both individual activist-educators and the broader cause of citizen-based justice and equitable progressive education. While the MPS school system shifted, the legal and justice systems are still at play here. Let's see what we can do by July 1st!
Why support: As one of the organizing team members notes: “Crystal has spent money from her own pocket in order to make it possible for guest artists to bring their amazing talents to her students. She coordinated and facilitated two racial equity training's this school year alone, unpaid. She invests in our schools, so lets invest in her!”
More information: A few articles about the case as it developed follow:
http://www.startribune.com/plot-twists-in-case-of-minneapolis-drama-teacher-s-arrest/383002521/
http://www.brightlightsmallcity.com/minneapolis-public-schools-shows-growth-restores-teachers-job/
http://www.citypages.com/news/minneapolis-public-schools-tries-to-fire-teacher-crystal-spring-for-watching-cops-arrest-someone-8351583
Organizer and beneficiary
Sonja Kuftinec
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN
Crystal Spring
Beneficiary