When I was a classroom teacher (high school social studies) I began every semester by telling my students that they were now enrolled in "History According to Bob!" I explained that it was impossible to teach about the past without bias, but I wanted them to know and understand my biases so that they could engage with the content, use their own judgment, and develop their own understanding - that is, become critical consumers of current events. I was inspired by historian Howard Zinn, whose autobiography was entitled You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train.
Today, our students are growing up in a world where this skill is essential. We are constantly bombarded with "facts" from "news" organizations and our government. Some times, these "facts" are diversions from reality while other times they are outright falsehoods causing harm to many.
It is my opinion that in times like this, we must give great protections to those who need it the most - whether it be minorities, LGBTQ+, those with disabilities, or anyone who has struggled to fit in and belong. Our most vulnerable need those of us with privilege to ensure that equity exists. Within the WCSU, as you'll see in the rest of this newsletter, we are committed to this work. I'll end this by quoting the Statement of Equity endorsed by our SU board back in 2019:
The Windham Central Supervisory Union is committed to initiating and supporting policies, practices and curriculum that promote social justice, diversity, and inclusion. In celebration of our collective rich diversity, we also seek to affirm and elevate historically marginalized identities and experiences. We are dedicated to our belief that biased actions and hateful speech have no place in our learning community.
Our commitment to social justice and educational equity will be reflected in our daily operations including recruitment, admission, student and staff retention, responsibility for modeling and reinforcing upstander behavior, school, and family support, hiring practices, curriculum, and respectful dialogue.
