All Lives Cannot Matter Until Black Lives Matter: Waltham Schools

Waltham MA

17 July, 2020

12:45 PM

Description

WALTHAM, MA — The Waltham School District joined some 100 school committees across the commonwealth to support an anti-racism resolution that asks that districts pledge to look into systemic racism and make changes within their schools. "Waltham and all the school districts in the Commonwealth must guarantee that racist practices are eradicated, and diversity, equity and inclusion is embedded and practiced for our students, families, faculty and staff," reads the resolution. "We must ensure our own school culture and that of every district in the Commonwealth is anti-racist, that acknowledges that all lives cannot matter until Black lives matter." Several cheered the news. "The anti-racism resolution was just read in its entirety and passed unanimously!" said Marissa Diamond, who is a leader of the Waltham Black Future Fund group, which is pushing for racial justice in the city. On Monday night, School Committee members noted that they'd received emails imploring them to adopt the resolution that would build off the racial justice movement and have the district examine its policies for institutional racialized practices, implement change that offered evidence based sustainable policies and ensure that the history of racial oppression and works by Black authors were included in curriculum. The Massachusetts Association of School Committees drafted the resolution in June in response to issues of racism, equity and diversity that have moved to center stage as the result of protest across the country and recommended that all of its 319 school committees adopt it. At least 14 Waltham residents emailed ahead of the meeting to indicate their support. "School committees are definitely in support of this," School Committee member Margie Donnelly said Monday. Now that the resolution is approved it will go to the governor, the education secretary, House Speaker, senators. Resolutions are nonbinding, meaning they don't change law, but are often used to issue an expression of opinion. Resolutions tend to have a temporary effect in an effort to emphasize a timely issue. The Waltham's Public Works and Public Safety Committee approved a resolution denouncing actions taken by four members of the Minneapolis Police Department during the death of George Floyd on May 25 and affirming that Black lives do matter. Read more: More Than 1,000 March In Waltham Rally Against Racism The language of the resolution: SCHOOL COMMITTEE ANTI-RACISM RESOLUTION:WHEREAS, as schools have the responsibility to equip students with their civil right of obtaining a free and appropriate public education, it is the responsibility of each school to ensure we create a welcoming community for ALL students; and WHEREAS, it is the responsibility that every district provide to all district staff, including School Committee members annual professional development on diversity, equity and inclusion; andWHEREAS, every district will commit to recruiting and retaining a diverse and culturally responsive teaching workforce; and WHEREAS, every district will examine their policies for institutional and systemic racialized practices and implement change with sustainable policies that are evidence based; andWHEREAS, every district will incorporate into their curriculum the history of racial oppression and works by black authors and works from diverse perspectives; andWHEREAS, we as school district leaders can no longer remain silent to the issues of racism and hate that continue to plague our public and private institutions;Therefore, let it be RESOLVED: that Waltham and all the school districts in the Commonwealth must guarantee that racist practices are eradicated, and diversity, equity and inclusion is embedded and practiced for our students, families, faculty and staff.We must ensure our own school culture and that of every district in the Commonwealth is anti-racist, that acknowledges that all lives cannot matter until Black lives matter. Read more: Waltham Residents Hold Silent Black Lives Matter ...Black Lives Matter Protest Draws Crowd To Waltham Common ...State Rep Tom Stanley: Speaking Out Together To End RacismWaltham Police Chief Speaks Out Against Death Of George FloydJune 13 | Black Lives Matter March and Rally | WalthamWaltham City Council Eyes Black Lives Matter Resolution ...More Than 1,000 March In Waltham Rally Against RacismWaltham Councilor Attempts To Cut Police Budget - Patch Got a tip? Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a press release you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how to post a press release, a column, event or opinion piece.