An Open Letter to BHS and the BPSD
An Open Letter to BHS and the BPSD
The Issue
PLEASE READ THE FULL LETTER HERE --OR-- THE CONDENSED VERSION HERE
As Barnstable Public School District alumni, we urge BPSD and BHS to act upon these proposals put forth in this letter. Students, teachers, and administrators of this community must be effectively educated on the history and modern experiences of racial injustice in America. Additionally, we call for constructive changes to the disciplinary systems of Barnstable schools in order to better address the needs of vulnerable students. We ask that Barnstable invest in recruiting more faculty of color to compound these efforts. Finally, we implore BPSD to transition from the current “Red Raider” mascot to one less offensive and more inclusive of our community.
We have great respect and appreciation for the BPSD and these suggestions are presented as constructive steps our community can take together. Additionally, we urge you to not consider our proposals as “too political” for our public high school, as racial justice is not a politicized opinion but a civil rights movement focused on human rights. As Superintendent Meg May-Brown stated in a 2019 Barnstable Patriot article about the inclusion of racial inequity in BPSD, “it’s not about a political agenda; rather it’s about open and honest conversations across our schools.” These honest discussions are crucial and simply condemning racism is no longer enough. We urge the BPSD to consider our proposals to make BHS a firmly anti-racist institution. Thank you for your time and consideration.
**This open letter was drafted by two former white students with contributions and input from a member of BHS’s Black community. Making sure the voices of students of color, specifically Black students, are heard is incredibly crucial and we hope our communication with administration includes as much input as possible! If you are a member of the BHS community and wish to get involved with this process, please email bhsforchange@gmail.com!**
Members of the BPSD community, past and present — please sign and share! If you are a former or current student of BHS, please consider including your graduation year as a comment with your signature.
Contribute to local change!
3,946
The Issue
PLEASE READ THE FULL LETTER HERE --OR-- THE CONDENSED VERSION HERE
As Barnstable Public School District alumni, we urge BPSD and BHS to act upon these proposals put forth in this letter. Students, teachers, and administrators of this community must be effectively educated on the history and modern experiences of racial injustice in America. Additionally, we call for constructive changes to the disciplinary systems of Barnstable schools in order to better address the needs of vulnerable students. We ask that Barnstable invest in recruiting more faculty of color to compound these efforts. Finally, we implore BPSD to transition from the current “Red Raider” mascot to one less offensive and more inclusive of our community.
We have great respect and appreciation for the BPSD and these suggestions are presented as constructive steps our community can take together. Additionally, we urge you to not consider our proposals as “too political” for our public high school, as racial justice is not a politicized opinion but a civil rights movement focused on human rights. As Superintendent Meg May-Brown stated in a 2019 Barnstable Patriot article about the inclusion of racial inequity in BPSD, “it’s not about a political agenda; rather it’s about open and honest conversations across our schools.” These honest discussions are crucial and simply condemning racism is no longer enough. We urge the BPSD to consider our proposals to make BHS a firmly anti-racist institution. Thank you for your time and consideration.
**This open letter was drafted by two former white students with contributions and input from a member of BHS’s Black community. Making sure the voices of students of color, specifically Black students, are heard is incredibly crucial and we hope our communication with administration includes as much input as possible! If you are a member of the BHS community and wish to get involved with this process, please email bhsforchange@gmail.com!**
Members of the BPSD community, past and present — please sign and share! If you are a former or current student of BHS, please consider including your graduation year as a comment with your signature.
Contribute to local change!
3,946
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on June 15, 2020