On the evening of March 16th our country experienced a horrific attack on an Asian American community in Atlanta, Georgia, approximately 720 miles away; it has impacted our community and our families. Such an event negatively affects our unalienable rights to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” which binds us together.
Our district prides itself on the rich diversity of our community. At this time, we must stand together in unity as we reflect on the Resolution on Racism and Racial Equity we adopted on July 14, 2020.
Within the resolution, it states:
“WHEREAS, As a public school district, we are facilitators of the limitless growth potential of human beings. Our charge is to pour every ounce of creativity and energy that we have into the task of helping young people find and achieve their purpose. Our purpose must be guided by the belief that every human being deserves to live with dignity and that each of our students can leave his or her communities better than he or she found them.”
As we reflect on this statement, please band together to make sure our Asian-American students, staff, families, and community members know we are banding together to denounce racism and acts of violence.
We will work together to realize the message in our Resolution while simultaneously working to ensure our community builds opportunities to work together to ensure our students have the tools they need to make this world a better place.
Here are some resources to assist families when engaging in conversations with children about racism.
- ADL: Fighting Hate for Good: Race Talk: Engaging Young People in Conversations About Race and Racism
- Center for Racial Justice in Education: Resources for Talking about Race, Racism and Radicalized Violence with Kids
- CNN: How to Talk to Your Children about Protests and Racism
Dr. Zipporah K. Hightower
Incoming Superintendent of District 73.5
