"If we are not changing something, we are choosing something" Dr. Daryl C. Howard, equity instructional specialist, Equity Initiatives Unit
Dear Colleagues,
At the June Superintendent’s Administrative & Supervisory (A&S) meeting, we deepened our understanding of how the Cycle of Socialization impacts our beliefs and practices and the culture of our school district. We also heard different staff members' experiences about the current culture in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and what an antiracist culture would look like. Participants inquired during and after the meeting how to incorporate the tools and resources presented at the meeting with staff and how to build psychological safety in our schools and departments. The resources in this summer leadership edition of EquityMatters! will provide the inspiration, support, resources, and tools needed to do the work with your leadership team and staff with an antiracist mindset.
There is no one recipe to do this important work because there are so many dynamics at play. For each school and department, the recipe is different based on where they are in their journey doing this work. Therefore, it is essential that each school and department approach the work tailored to their local needs. The Equity Initiatives Unit (EIU) specialists are here to support you in planning so please reach out to us. We are partners to provide support as you model the structures and practices needed to create the conditions for antiracist dialogue and action. The work you do every day as an antiracist leader is so critical and essential for the success of staff, students, and families. Thank you!
Respectfully,
Darwin, Daryl, Deanna, Edvin, Ericka, Joan, Maniya, Marya, and Anthony
In this issue:
Having conversations about racism will likely be hard for everyone involved, and leaders must show others the way
Being a leader in the current school climate has been fraught with moment to moment challenges. Now as the district is awaiting the results of the antiracist audit all leaders and staff are charged with addressing how racism is showing up in our schools and offices in covert and overt ways. Yet, talk of racism can elicit strong emotions, as well as, physical and cognitive discomfort for everyone involved. These elements often relegate conversations about race and racism to silence or shallowness, which are barriers to antiracism.
In the article below Marya F. Hay and Deanna M. Kuhney, equity instructional specialists, provide some of the steps necessary to create the conditions to get to the work.
In addition, the EIU has created an asynchronous learning module How to Talk About Race, to support your efforts and build your capacity to talk about race.
Modeling the Cycle of Socialization
How we see the world today is based on a lifelong process or cycle of learning expected norms and customs through social interaction. Knowing who you are helps you break the cycle of socialization and identify what messages and defaults you lean into. Below is the panel video from the June 22, 2022, A&S meeting and resource links to support you in planning this activity with your team.
4 Levels of Racism
At the April 2022 A&S meeting, we brainstormed how these levels show up in MCPS. Use this resource to support you in creating the conditions and structure to realize an antiracist culture by,
- engaging in antiracist self-reflection and knowledge building
- learning the context of race and racism in the U.S.
- developing skills to engage in antiracist actions to remove practices and policies that harm staff and students and disproportionately impact the academic and social emotional success of students of color
Antiracist Leader
It was only fitting to take time during the last A&S meeting to refine our district definition of a leader. As the largest district in Maryland, we know what leadership is, but have we defined what it means to be an antiracist leader? In the video below, we defined the term and outlined three actionable steps that you and your leadership team can take in moving forward.
Other Resources
What does a culturally proficient meeting look like?” In our view, it is more than simply adding an activity or dedicating a block of time in the agenda to focus on diversity. Our measure of cultural proficiency is the demonstration of leaders to intentionally embed cultural relevance (attention to race/ethnicity/culture) throughout every aspect of the meeting agenda process. Use the action steps below to develop every aspect of your meeting planning process.
Here's another resource to support you in planning and ensuring that we are effectively engaging the families that most need our support.
The EIU hopes this issue sparks discussion and actions, and that you feel supported knowing we are shoulder-to-shoulder with you in the struggle.
Contact the EIU if you need additional resources.