Hi Friends!
Sorry for the delay this week — some things were developing and I wanted to pull together the most updated information to share with you.
I have an APS action item for you. APS has been engaging in a trend of making key information for families available online only.
- The budget for this school year included a stipulation that report cards no longer be printed. After budget hearing pushback, some of that budget was maintained for families who will need paper copies.
- The “first day packets” were available only online starting this school year, and there was no clearly available support from APS for the schools that had higher populations of families needing assistance filling it out. Many schools had to use their staff to run clinics for families to come and fill out their information at the school, a burden added to their already busy schedules at the beginning of the year.
- The application for Free/Reduced Lunch services at APS schools has been changed to online only with inconsistent access to paper copies (some families have had to make a special request, often in-person) and little to no communication about the change.
- At the upcoming college fair for high schoolers, students are asked to register online ahead of time and if they do, they can print a barcode that will enable them to quickly sign up for more information from the institutions and organizations at the fair. Those who are unable to register and print the barcode will have to fill out a card at each table.
I support efforts to use technology to give families more options to access information and opportunities. However, when those efforts replace alternate forms of access (paper copies, etc.) and content is offered only online, that’s when we’re creating additional barriers to access for families who may not have internet access at home, who only have access on their phones, who do not have printers, who cannot easily travel around the county gathering necessary forms, who may not even know who to ask or that there is an opportunity for their needs to be met.
For example, emails like the one yesterday about the college fair could explicitly include information for these families, sharing alternate methods for obtaining a printed barcode, acknowledging that not every family has easy access to the internet and printers, something to show that APS understands their needs and has made arrangements to meet them.
APS can do a much better job of placing its resources in ways that remove barriers and extra hurdles for vulnerable or disadvantaged families from accessing information and opportunities. For example, APS could have communicated with schools explicitly offering APS staff to help with the new roll-out of the online first-day packets rather than burdening schools with implementing that county-wide change.
All of these examples add up to a systemic problem of catering to privileged populations rather than underprivileged ones. They do not exhibit equity, supposedly a core value of APS. Every action APS takes, every policy and procedure and process should be taken through an equity lens. I know that many APS staff work very hard to engage communities, to consider many perspectives, etc. before making recommendations to the School Board. We’re just not doing enough in the implementation and communication about how we’re meeting the needs of our wonderfully diverse student population.
Please reach out to the School Board and the Superintendent’s office to advocate that APS make our most vulnerable students a bigger priority.
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And some more resources from the past week or two:- The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has a great story about the Environmental Justice Movement, which I heard about through Black Lives Matter.
- The Virginia Theological Seminary will pay reparations for its role in perpetuating and benefiting from slavery.
- Schools are integrating! “More students are going to school with children of different races. But schools in big cities remain deeply segregated.”
- From a group member — Why calling someone racist can be more damaging than describing what affect their actions are having (political article, but the point makes sense in many contexts).
- Regarding criminal justice and the Felicity Huffman sentence — I thought this was an important perspective with a long view.
- The Montgomery County Council introduced an equity bill in the last few days called the “Racial Equity and Social Justice Act.” “Under the proposal, all county government agencies in the majority-minority suburb would have to develop equity action plans that include mandatory training for managers and supervisors. A newly formed Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice would identify existing government policies that could be changed to address inequities.” It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
- I came across a new organization, the Inclusive Schools Network, which sponsors Inclusive Schools Week, which takes place this year from December 2–6. Think about finding a way to celebrate at your child’s school!
- You might have seen the article about a few Virginia couples suing the state about required questions on the marriage license for each person to state their race, including some very outdated racial terms. Attorney General Mark Herring responded with a new policy to allow applicants to decline to answer the race question. However, the law still needs to be changed.
- A new study shows that wealthy areas that splinter from their school district to create their own are promoting racial segregation.
- There are Integration Success Stories available for us to learn from — based on a study of the areas that successfully desegregated in the 1960s and the long-term impact on children in those areas.
- The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece by Jenny Kim about why debt shouldn’t mean that a person loses their driver’s license.
- Mother Jones reports that more than 1600 polling places have closed since 2013 when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, most of which are located in minority communities.
- The Virginia Theological Seminary will pay reparations for its role in perpetuating and benefiting from slavery.
- Schools are integrating! “More students are going to school with children of different races. But schools in big cities remain deeply segregated.”
- From a group member — Why calling someone racist can be more damaging than describing what affect their actions are having (political article, but the point makes sense in many contexts).
- Regarding criminal justice and the Felicity Huffman sentence — I thought this was an important perspective with a long view.
- The Montgomery County Council introduced an equity bill in the last few days called the “Racial Equity and Social Justice Act.” “Under the proposal, all county government agencies in the majority-minority suburb would have to develop equity action plans that include mandatory training for managers and supervisors. A newly formed Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice would identify existing government policies that could be changed to address inequities.” It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
- I came across a new organization, the Inclusive Schools Network, which sponsors Inclusive Schools Week, which takes place this year from December 2–6. Think about finding a way to celebrate at your child’s school!
- You might have seen the article about a few Virginia couples suing the state about required questions on the marriage license for each person to state their race, including some very outdated racial terms. Attorney General Mark Herring responded with a new policy to allow applicants to decline to answer the race question. However, the law still needs to be changed.
- A new study shows that wealthy areas that splinter from their school district to create their own are promoting racial segregation.
- There are Integration Success Stories available for us to learn from — based on a study of the areas that successfully desegregated in the 1960s and the long-term impact on children in those areas.
- The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece by Jenny Kim about why debt shouldn’t mean that a person loses their driver’s license.
- Mother Jones reports that more than 1600 polling places have closed since 2013 when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, most of which are located in minority communities.
More resources related to The New York Times 1619 Project (from a group member):- Pulitzer Center Education Programming
- “Evaluating and Reshaping Timelines in the 1619 Project: New York Times for Kids Edition”
- “Reading Guide: Quotes, Key Terms, and Questions” — really great questions to consider as you delve into the material
- “Nikole Hannah-Jones Reframes America’s Memory of Slavery In ‘The 1619 Project’ in The New York Times” Breakfast Club radio interview (YouTube)
- “Breaking Down The 1619 Project & History Of Slavery in America w/ Nikole Hannah-Jones” HOT 97 radio interview (YouTube)
- “Evaluating and Reshaping Timelines in the 1619 Project: New York Times for Kids Edition”
- “Reading Guide: Quotes, Key Terms, and Questions” — really great questions to consider as you delve into the material
- “Nikole Hannah-Jones Reframes America’s Memory of Slavery In ‘The 1619 Project’ in The New York Times” Breakfast Club radio interview (YouTube)
- “Breaking Down The 1619 Project & History Of Slavery in America w/ Nikole Hannah-Jones” HOT 97 radio interview (YouTube)
And if you feel like celebrating after all that, SURJ is celebrating its 10th anniversary on September 25 with a webinar with Patrisse Cullors (Black Lives Matter co-founder), Makani Themba (movement strategist), and Carla Wallace and Pam McMichael (SURJ co-founders).
Sorry for the fire hose! Just pick something and read it.
Emily
Listen. Amplify. Follow.
Listen. Amplify. Follow.
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