In this time of pain and anger over the senseless death of George Floyd, the University of Maine School of Law Dean, Leigh Saufley, speaking for all the faculty and staff of the Law School said this:
The faculty and staff at Maine Law are heart-broken and beyond angry that one more person of color has lost his life while pleading for dignity, respect, and just an ounce of human compassion. Words seem particularly useless at times like this, but it is words in action – speaking up, being present, and refusing to be distracted – that are needed now. We send our deepest sympathies to George Floyd’s loved ones, and we will redouble our efforts to bring disparate groups of the community together to continue the real work in Maine’s communities that will be necessary for permanent change. Racial Injustice must end.
The Law School is committed to the teaching of, and pursuing the reality of, justice through the lens of racial equity. Our students and faculty are working not just in the classroom and in publications but through real world actions including pro bono representation in the courts and proposing laws in the Legislature aimed at eliminating racial disparity in sentencing and juvenile justice. We must all stand together against injustice. More information will be coming soon regarding a virtual public forum on June 19th to be sponsored by the Law School.
