Equity should be Inclusive and Reflect our Community’s Needs
Good afternoon President Bonta and AUSD Board Members,
Thank you to the policy sub-committee for tackling the updating of many of the board's statements and policies so that we can refocus our guidance and better center our district and board around equity and inclusion. When reading the equity statement from 2007 it is clear why this has been prioritized. As written, it is definitely inadequate and not inclusive and needs to be revised to better reflect our community needs.
However, while the new policy currently proposed (adopted 2018) is a great starting point, I would love to see our final product reflect and address the inequities and unique disparities that our district is facing rather than being identical to Sonoma Valley Unified School District’s equity statement, which can be seen here: (https://www.sonomaschools.org/Page/3204). I am all for not reinventing the wheel, but in this circumstance it feels important to have an equity statement that highlights our local circumstances and calls out that every child in our district has the right to be healthy and to achieve their own unique potential.
In order to do that, I would like to request an equity statement that amplifies the message that all our children deserve the support they need to thrive physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. And that equity begins with every child but focuses on those with the greatest need; and our resources should be allocated according to need. And that children and families with the greatest need are those who have been, and are historically, systemically marginalized due to race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, immigration status, gender, ability, or where they live in our city. And that ultimately, equity benefits everyone in our community.
This said, and while I do not want to overshadow the important racial context of the current equity statement (our students of color have been disproportionately affected by inequities, clearly demonstrated by the example of AUSD’s over-identifying of our African-American students in Special Education and disciplinary action), the proposed language excludes other protected classes who should also be recognized and included in the final product.
The California School Board Association’s own equity statement is a great example of being inclusive and representative of all the areas that inequities happen across California and would be great to rework and to include in the introduction before the statement dives into specifics.
“CSBA recognizes that educational excellence requires a commitment to equity. California students bring a wide range of assets, abilities, backgrounds, and needs to their educational experience. Schools have an obligation to provide all students with the access and opportunities necessary for college, career, and life success. This requires school leaders to address practices, policies, and barriers that perpetuate inequities which lead to opportunity and achievement gaps. Effective school boards are equity-driven, making intentional governance decisions that combat institutional discrimination and bias (both explicit and implicit) and eliminate disparities in educational outcomes based on socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or family background.”
Thank you so much for your work to continue moving this forward.
In appreciation of your consideration for my recommendations,
Heather Little
