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Dialogue and Outcome - thoughts on critical race theory, Diversity, Equity an Inclusion in 01760

 Critical Race Theory (CRT) and how it applies to k-12 schools in Massachusetts promises to be a topic that School Committees will hear about in the coming year. 

I’d like to take a moment to give it some attention here and to invite any of you reading this blog to communicate with me about CRT, Equity Education and all things that involve Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  As you know, I am on the Policy sub-committee with members Dr. Mackenzie, Ms. Collins and Superintendent, Dr. Nolin. Our meetings were cancelled this summer but our work continues as individuals because in the coming year we will suggest policies to the full committee that will better reflect the values of our school district around race, diversity, equity and inclusion. Those policies will be better if our community is involved so please be in touch!  cbrunell@natickps.org 

Additionally, Massachusetts School Committee Association put out this cheat sheet on CRT and Equity Education and has invited School Committee members to learn more.   

As someone who taught in schools that were majority non-white, issues of race and education were central to my formation as an educator. Now, living in Natick, I often wonder about the experiences my kids (and all of our kids – those who are white and those who are from the racially and ethnic minority groups) are having. How does it compare to the students’ experiences that I taught in Chicago and Boston? How has the experience nationally and locally changed or stayed the same in past decade? Where is the opportunity and where is our responsibility, as a district, as a committee and as a community? 

Can we have these conversations – sometimes healing and uncomfortable and hopefully always dynamic – and can we respect each other even where we might disagree? 

During the Superintendent Evaluation meetings last week (eval document still in draft form – and will be presented at the end of July and voted on in August) our committee was able to reflect on some very concrete actions our district took this year, for example the training of administrators around hiring practices to increase racially diverse candidate pools, all staff professional development that was run on defining and giving tools around preventing microaggressions in a school, and a draft of a culturally sensitive homework calendar.  

I also regularly look to other districts to see where they are thriving. This is not to say that any of the below examples are cookie cutter perfect for Natick. They are, however, examples of communities who have taken the time, resources and lots of courage to think about how they define the concepts, how to set measurable goals using them and what the definitions and goals are leading the districts in the coming years. If you click on the links below, you will see work that was completed after 100’s of hours of meetings of committees and working groups that involved all walks of life in these communities.  I share it because as the heat gets turned up on things like CRT, I truly hope Natick can be a place of dialogue and outcomes.

Dover- Sherborn

Acton -Boxboro

Framingham

I’m grateful to be part of the conversation as a school committee member, grateful for those who have been working on it in our schools and community for decades and hopeful for what is to come because it’s a journey for sure! Thanks, always, for reading and communicating with me.

Coming next… thoughts on my first few months as a School Committee Member ….

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