Unit PTA leader: We decided to move to an area where my Black son would see peers and school adults who looked like him. As a PTA leader, I know the power of advocacy and partnership with school staff. I advocated with his teachers about implicit bias and how harmful it was to send my son to sit at the desk for the same behavior his white friends engaged in but instead received a warning and allowed to sit on the carpet. We advocated with the school to address the bullying and use of unacceptable language around race. We advocated with the PTA and parents that even if we didn’t have a large African American population, an African American Living Museum should be a school event. There was some success but it was exhausting. After a few years, as a family, we decided that living in and being educated in a community that is integrated and more diverse was the right choice for us. We had read about how students of color are disciplined more, tracked for AP classes less, and the list went on. We wanted to minimize the impact of the embedded systemic bias.
Even though #GlobalDiversityAwareness Month is over, we want diversity, equity and inclusion to be a focus all year round. California State PTA and National PTA have position statements and resolutions that give us authority to act on behalf of all families:
Then, Take Action…
We recognize that each PTA and school community will have different solutions, but these are great places to start:
- Look at the demographics of families on your campus– Are they represented on your PTA board? Are there activities that highlight and celebrate these families and make them feel like they are an integral part of your campus? Does your library showcase authors and books with characters that represent these families? Are your assemblies diverse enough that all children see themselves in the presentations?
- Educate yourself, your board, and your school community about the challenges these families face by holding a book club or hosting listening sessions.
- Participate in the upcoming Listening Sessions that California State PTA will hold in January.
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Click here to read part 4 of this series.
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