Director's Statement on Racism

I am deeply disturbed and saddened by the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many others like them. These terrible events highlight the ongoing racism and injustice that continues to plague our community and society.

We do not tolerate racism in any form in ACME. As stated by BYU and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “we believe that white supremacist attitudes are morally wrong and sinful, and we condemn them.” We “stand firmly against racism and violence in any form,” and we are “committed to promoting a culture of safety, kindness, respect, and love.”

Throughout His life, our savior, Jesus Christ, ministered to the outcast and the downtrodden. While His community, and even His disciples, showed prejudice against outcasts like the Samaritans, Jesus sought out these outcasts, and He ministered to them. As disciples of Christ, we, also, must seek out and minister to the most persecuted and oppressed in our community.

As President Russel M. Nelson said, “We are brothers and sisters, each of us the child of a loving Father in Heaven. His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, invites all to come unto Him… It behooves each of us to do whatever we can in our spheres of influence to preserve the dignity and respect every son and daughter of God deserves.”

We seek to love, respect, and help all people, but I recognize that in the United States and in my local community, the damage caused by racism has been disproportionately suffered by black people. Accordingly, I hereby commit to do what I can to help, to protect, to heal, to comfort, and to support my black brothers and sisters. I further commit to teach my students to do the same.

Tyler Jarvis, Director
July 2020