Founded in July 2020 our Education Task Force is committed to partnering across coalitions & amplifying the voices of BIPOC youth and parents in our community.
We are committed to ensuring Waltham Public School system lives up to its symbolic gestures for equity and we drive progressive changes to ensure healthier school environment and diverse curriculum .
JOIN OUR EDUCATION TASK FORCE
SOME OF OUR ASKS:
Development of School Culture and Climate Team: to “include significant student power and voice”
Hiring Culturally Responsive Teachers and Staff
It is well documented the benefits of diversity in the teaching field as well as Waltham documented preference to selecting white candidates with local ties.
Time to establish and monitor clear hiring goals for staff (particularly teaching and leadership) that reflect the racial and linguistic backgrounds of the student body & break free of the culture effecting Non white/white passing teachers.
Ongoing Anti Racism Campaign
Time to break free of a reputation where hate has been tolerated, and create a more safe and welcoming learning environment for all students. This campaign can take a cue from the uprising across the world in recent months in response to renewed attention on police brutality and treatment of Black Americans. Involve students in planning and implementing this campaign, and support BIPOC students, personnel, and community member leadership and voices. Support students and personnel learning about both the issues and civic engagement.
Data Transparency
The data currently published by Waltham schools does not include intersectional categories, for example, how many students of color who are disciplined are also low income or students with disabilities, and some categories are totally absent (e.g. sexual orientation).
Use improved data to inform necessary concrete benchmarks and timeframes:
-Increase graduation and achievement rates for BIPOC populations.
-Decrease drop-out and grade repeat rates intentionally for BIPOC populations.
-Decrease disciplinary rate disparities for BIPOC populations.
Be sure benchmarks, vision statements, and strategic planning make the language of anti-racism, equity, and diversity central--don’t shy away from conversations about race. It will send a message to students that race is either unimportant or discussing it is divisive.
Community Responsive Professional Development
Routine and ongoing required training of personnel on how to create a safe environment for interaction and racial integration. Teachers should teach students the importance of anti-racism, equity and diversity in education, and how to relate to people who look, sound, or think differently than themselves and who may have experienced the ongoing trauma of racism in their community and school lives. Include trainers from outside the school community. Using internal resources can be appropriate at times (make sure to pay BIPOC for their time), but it is important to have outside BIPOC experts too, including broader community members. Brandeis University Heller School may be a resource, among others.