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We, the members of Cultural Equity Education (CEE), wish to offer a statement of solidarity and support to our community members, parents, and most importantly, our students, during these unsettling times. While we collectively grieve the deaths of Black Americans and chart a path forward, it is critical to consider the impacts of these traumatic events, and their direct connection to American history, on students of all races. While we cannot judge all of law enforcement based on the actions of a few, we recognize that racism is systemic and has been built into the infrastructure of our society. At Saturday’s rally, we heard current and former students speak openly about the trauma of racism that they have experienced during their time in the Washingtonville Central School District. This is unacceptable; you deserve better and we can do better.
In 2016, a small group of High School teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, and social workers began to discuss what they could do to address these issues within our District. The goal has been to learn about, and listen to, the voices of our students and families who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and promote a more positive and inclusive environment for all students. Cultural Equity Education has now evolved into a district-wide initiative that includes representatives from all five schools, as well as Central Administration. As part of this work, CEE has created the following learning opportunities over the last 2 years:
- Provided professional learning opportunities in the form of workshops and faculty meetings dedicated to enhancing our staff’s cultural responsiveness in the classroom.
- Invited students and community members to gatherings aimed at promoting the discussion of these difficult topics, as well as identifying what changes need to be made within our district so that all students may thrive, both academically and emotionally.
- Utilized a program this year from Teaching Tolerance (www.tolerance.org) called “Speak Up” to assist our students in learning to speak up against bias and discrimination. High School students, with support from CEE faculty members, presented directly to all Middle School and High School students. In addition, professional development was provided to all K-12 faculty.
In addition to the initiatives listed above, CEE is committed to the following moving forward:
- Continue to evaluate our curricular offerings across all grade levels and plan to work towards developing an anti-bias curriculum.
- Work to infuse our current libraries with multiple perspectives from a myriad of identities, cultures, religions, and nationalities in the near future.
- Continue to develop safe, fair, and responsive mental health supports for all of our students.
- Incorporate teaching strategies that focus on cultural responsiveness and anti-bias training into our 21st Century training program for educators new to the district, as well as workshops for faculty and staff of all experience levels.
CEE is partnering with the Board of Education and the District to develop policies and examine and update our code of conduct. As a District, we are committed to continually identifying and addressing achievement gaps, opportunities gaps, and discipline gaps by developing policies and practices that will reduce and eliminate any disparities that exist.
There is still much work to do -- and we know that continued education and increased awareness for our students, staff, and faculty is simply not enough. It is time for all of us to be true allies to the BIPOC community by our commitment to be actively anti-racist. We recognize the continued need for our collective voices to be heard. Time is of the essence; we must be clear and decisive in our path. Our students’ futures have always been the heart of our mission. We must ensure that all voices are represented in that mission. We stand with you, now more than ever.
Resources for talking to your children about race:
- Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Racism: Resource Roundup
- Resources for Talking about Race, Racism and Racialized Violence with Kids
Sincerely,
Cultural Equity Education of the Washingtonville Central School District