Work Session Thursday on Race and Equity Initiative
This week the Board will hold a Work Session on SMART Goal #2 – MTSS-B. (The district has now created an MTSS-A and MTSS-B. “A” is about “success in academics” and “B” is for “attitudes, beliefs and belonging.” They wait until pages 13-14 to define MTSS overall.)
This is such a large issue that I’ll write two parts to this thread. One, what this Work Session going to be discussing and two, the theory behind these ideas.
The work session is three hours long for two topics (the other is the Board self-evaluation.) But it would appear the bulk of the Work Session is for the first topic. The Powerpoint is quite long and, sadly, is so chockfull of ed jargon on race and equity that you can’t quite make out what will truly be happening. And that’s a pity because this is work that is needed.
Missing – and shockingly so – is what lessons this district has learned from past efforts. One is the African-American Academy which was created for African-American children in the district, with planning and direction by mostly African-American educators and leaders. I know there is a whole story in there why this school failed with many reasons. But the district did try and, in the end, failed. Is there nothing they can learn from that painful and lengthy experiment that they might bring to bear here? Not a mention.
Also, missing from this large and overarching initiative? Costs. Not a word about what it will all cost or where the money will come from.
Here’s the goal for all of this:
I think the intent is great but I'm not fond of the phrasing. The first part of the Seattle Schools Community Forum: Work Session Thursday on Race and Equity Initiative:To transform the Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behavior of every adult and educator in order to recognize the brilliance and genius of every single child in Seattle Public Schools.