Dear friends, families, leaders, and educators in the international schools - allies and co-conspirators,

Thank you for your overwhelming contribution to the petition, not only in numbers, but also in words, commitment to actions, and reposts. Some of you have reached out on ways we can collaborate. The central idea to this petition is that while we ask for the revision of the accreditation standards, we are also holding ourselves accountable to do anti-racist work in our own contexts, work, and capacities at our schools. Anti-racism requires shared accountability and responsibility. We are not just calling for action but are also committing to internal reflection that will power sustainable action. Some of the work can be done now, while others might require long term thinking, time, and transformations. Change can be painful and complex. The message we are sending is that we don't want to be complicit anymore, and to skirt around racism by relying merely on global competencies, internationalism, international-mindedness, culture of inclusion, and cultural appreciation. They are required mindsets, dispositions, skills, and competencies to being anti-racist. We will build on those conceptual foundations to becoming anti-racist. International schools have already made progress in leading and teaching around all these concepts and have defined them in schools' purpose, directions, and guiding statements; and to varying degrees of progress are evident in students' learning and lived experiences. However, now is the time to do better in holding ourselves accountable to anti-racist work - without racial equity detours. 

Here are some of the wonders that we can all invite ourselves to reflect as we continue our anti-racist work: 

To what extent do BIPOC children and educators in our schools shed or suspend their identities, beliefs, and voices in order to fit in, not change the status quo, and comply with the dominant cultures; and that is a white western culture? It may sound simplistic, but how many of our children change their names to English to make it easy for the school to pronounce? Imagine the identities and stories that come with the dignities of their names; as well as the silence of their trauma of having to explain all the time. How many of us know exactly our Tylers, Janes and Jimmys and their parents Mr. Smith and Mrs. McDuffy; and then identify our "Chinese moms", "Korean kids", "the Indian kid", "the Middle Eastern family", "the Asians" - because "they all look the same to me."?

To what extent do the schools' governing bodies, leadership, and educators representatives of and advocates for BIPOC? What voices are we amplifying and minimising in decision-making? To what extent do schools provide training and open conversations around microaggressions and racism, without skirting around it? To what extent have leaders hired BIPOC in your staff and not have to explain and justify qualifications and credentials to leadership or parent community? To what extent have you hired BIPOC educators and consider it normalised because it is what you believe and not because you have to? 

How might the child protection policy include well being support and access for BIPOC children? What policies and procedures support and protect anyone at school who experience racism in any form - microaggressions, and racist physical, emotional, and verbal assault? What is the school's accountability in protecting them? There are already well developed child protection and safety policies but does not explicitly include anti-racism. 

How might we educate and change the mindset of the parent community that BIPOC teachers are as qualified to teach their children as other qualified white teachers? The implication here is that school leaders can, will, and should hire more BIPOC educators without using demands from parent population as a detour to anti-racist conversations and actions. And, certainly not to be missed, to what extent are the stories and learning experiences we immerse our children with representatives of their identities? 

Some of you have reached out for the email sent to WASC, NEASC, CIS, and MSA. Please see the email below for the reasons why accreditation. While we have received updates on the initial conversations happening at CIS, we have not heard from the other accreditation agencies yet. We are listening for the silence, the silent, and the silenced. 

I am certain you have more questions that compel us to reflect. If some of your school leaders, colleagues, families and friends are still grappling with it and thinking twice. Let's be clear: Anti-racism is child protection. Anti-racism is human rights protection. Anti-racism is student well being. Anti-racism is a moral imperative.

We have reached 600+ within two days and we will continue to share our voices to the agencies. Thank you, everyone! 

With deep appreciation and respect,

Joel 

**The petition and opinions are independent and do not represent my school and organisation. 

                ------- EMAIL to CIS, NEASC, WASC, MSA-------

Dear Leaders in International Education and Accreditations, 

I hope you are well, safe and healthy. We might have all seen and read a blogged perspective shared by Nunana Nyomi, Associate Director of Higher Education Services of the Council of International School, on the structural racism in international schools. There was also an open letter by Safaa Abdelmagid to Search Associates, which were both excellent reads full of deep insights and data into the structural racism in international schools. Most recently, a student from AISB, Omotoyosi Ariyo, also wrote a lived experience, a perspective, and a call to action that we should all listen to and learn from. It narrates a lived experience and trauma on racism within international education. And we know there is more to what is shared by one or two. That letter and more compel and power us to do what is right and ethical.
 
I know and trust that as leaders of international education, you are listening and learning, and leveraging our power and privilege within international education organisations, schools, and communities to make meaningful impact on anti-racist work with your influence. Thank you for taking responsibility as leaders to address racism in international schools. I know that the Council of International Schools, through the courageous leadership of Jane Larsson and the Global Team, are already beginning anti-racist work. There is also incredible work of the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color and Diversity Collaborative in paving the way for inclusive and intentional anti-racist work. There is more that international schools and organisations can do than public platitudes and statements. 

How do you shape the future of international education - equitable, just, diverse, inclusive and anti-racist?

I have been involved in a number of joint team visits with NEASC and CIS, a process that is so impactful in the development of schools. Accreditation is a process and journey for continuous school improvement as well as a standardised statement of accountability and definition for high quality international school education. Having read and reflected Nunana Nyomi's perspectives as well as data from Diversity Collaborative, we have an opportunity here to structurally reframe and dismantle racism within international schools. It will be a journey that all international education accreditation agencies can work together. 

We strongly recommend for the inclusion of ensuring the teaching and learning of racial equity and justice, development of inclusive policies on anti-racism in areas of recruitment, curriculum, leadership and governance, as well as in purpose and direction, in the same manner the some of your agencies' revised framework has emphasized accountability on child protection on student well being. Accreditation agencies are an evolving organisation that is responsive to the crises of our times but are also responsive to its own reflections. CIS, for example, responded to the child abuse issues with Child Protection through the development of an international task force as well as hosted workshops on intercultural competence --- and now is the time to address racism, explicitly. In addition to the revisions to some of the accreditation standards would be the development of an international task force on anti-racism that will generate intentional visioning, discourse, PD, and actions. 

          "The opposite of “racist” isn’t “not racist.” It is “antiracist.”  

                                                                 - Ibram X. Kendi

We have to name racism, call out racism, and own up to our privilege and power. We are accountable and we can do better. Intercultural competencies, internationalism, globalisation, 'culture of inclusion', cultural appreciation that are/may be in different accreditation standards, while all relevant and important, are now basic and expected. For example, NEASC Standards: The school has well established, transparent policies and practices in place to ensure that employees, learners, and parents are treated fairly, equitably, and ethically. NEASC Learning Principles: The learning community embraces a culture of inclusiveness. How might these be reframed? 

We need to address structural racism in international schools through intentional and structural reforms. Accreditation holds international schools accountable within its journey for school improvement. Racism and discriminatory practices, explicit or covert, are well being issues and human rights issues. Why accreditation standards is a question you know very well the answer. The internal, intentional, and inclusive work schools will have to do as a community, through accreditation, is to reflect and develop concrete actions that have sustainable implications and impact on all aspects of schooling in support of student learning and well being. It is work. Anti-racism is collective work. We cannot be silent in matters like racism when we know there is something we can do, a centuries-long global issue that has lifelong trauma for so many BIPOC. While courageous folks currently risk their lives on the streets, we can do our part in education - the transformation of hearts and minds. 

More people have signed and please continue to share the petition: Explicit inclusion of anti-racism in int'l accreditation standards - Sign the Petition! http://chng.it/CwbCSXRk via @Change

The children of today and tomorrow are watching us.

Thank you.

Yours in support of shaping the present and future of international education, 
Joel Jr Llaban