To the Cardozo Community,

The shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin once again raises the issue of police violence against black Americans. While the case is still under investigation, it has not been disputed that Blake was shot in the back in view of his three children. 

Well-intentioned messages condemning racial violence are insufficient. We must do our part to eradicate systemic racism, particularly within our roles as lawyers and educators. On Monday, I met with the Cardozo faculty committee on Educational Policy. Together, we decided on an agenda for examining the treatment of race in our pedagogy and curriculum. The committee will seek input from Cardozo alumni, our students, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and other stakeholders. After careful study, the committee will make a recommendation to the faculty about how to better address​ structural racism and implicit bias in our classrooms, curriculum, and in the​ legal community at large. ​ The steps we take must reflect our commitment to make meaningful change to expose and end policies, practices and laws that allow racial injustice to exist.

Melanie Leslie

Dean and Samuel Belkin Professor of Law