Dear Walgrove Community,
In the last two weeks, and truthfully, since the first month of school, we have experienced some bigotry at Walgrove, and it must be met with powerful action.
Students have made unkind comments to others about their weight, their height, their ethnicity, their religion, their parents' politics and recently their perceived gender.
It should go without saying that bigotry is unwelcome and unacceptable at Walgrove.
So that we are all on the same page, what bigotry looks like:
The Oxford Dictionary defines bigotry as:
An obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
Prejudice literally means pre-judging before fully understanding.
As a school, we will address this head-on with classroom lessons and grade level assemblies. (All in line with District policy.)
At home, perhaps share with your children the following list. While it may seem simplistic, it is at least a start and a touchstone for future conversations on how to better treat one another.
1. Treat others as you would want to be treated.
2. If you don't have something kind to say, then don't say anything at all, especially unsolicited. This doesn't mean you should be dishonest. Just don't offer unsolicited critique, and don't be mean.
3. Feel free to share who you are, but don't proselytize. Don't try to convince others to join your group. No matter if you are Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostic, Atheist, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Anarchist, male, female, non-binary, etc. None of these choices should be anyone's business but your own. If your choices don't mesh with someone else's religion, they can privately ponder that seeming dissonance while they say nothing mean to you because your own religion (or non-religion) should guide your choices. My motto (even though I am an Atheist, or more accurately an Agnostic) is "Everyone is welcome at God's table."
Even though I am not a member of any one religion, I value the tenets of many religions and absolutely value each individual person's right to choose his/her/their own. While I was a member of the 110-person choir at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco's Tenderloin for several years until about 20 years ago when I moved to LA (see our video below), our Minister Reverend Cecil Williams would say at least once if not ten times each sermon "Everyone is welcome at God's table." He would say this while looking out onto a busting-at-the-seams room of over 1,500 congregants (at two consecutive services, so 3,000 congregants) composed of rich, poor, Black, White, straight, gay, trans, housed, unhoused, and more all sitting alongside one another. Maya Angelou was a member (and frequent speaker) as was Oprah as was Bono as were hundreds of unhoused neighbors. We all sat alongside one another in the pews. No special VIP section. We all sang alongside one another on the risers. It was the most incredible feeling. There was no room for judgement, shame, fear, or intolerance.
Now, even though I am not religious (but relish community spirit!) and even though I am now in LA and not San Francisco, and even though I am currently running a school and not a theater, as I was while in SF, I still have as my constant reminder the adage "Everyone is welcome at God's table." This adage informs the choices I make at Walgrove.
Your child wants to tap dance? Great! They can sign up!
Your child wants to sing in the choir? Great! They can sign up!
Your child wants to play violin? Great! They can sign up!
I try VERY hard to take away artificial barriers and to make as many offerings as possible as inclusive as possible. It is my job to give your child as many opportunities as possible to find themselves.
4. Finally, while I will continue to do what I can to make school as welcoming as possible for ALL students and staff, no matter their personal beliefs, and I will do what I can to employ restorative measures that give people some grace when they falter and that provide students who falter with opportunities to make amends and earn back trust, I will only do that so many times before exploring other options because it is not just tolerance that I am responsible for, but safety as well.
If you would like to discuss this topic with me, please join me at tomorrow night's Coffee and Diet Coke with the Principal in my Zoom room at 6:30pm.
I look forward to the conversation!
Best,
Dr. K
