Below is a list of considerations that I am presenting to Bedford Public Schools, Bedford MA. Enacting what is in this petition would not only make our education system more accurate, but will teach students lifelong skills. Thank you.
*points are subject to change*
**THIS LIST IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED/ADDED. This is a small sample**

• Reform history classes to learn about ALL sides of US History, not just the white experience (including Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, etc). 
• Integrate more content about Native Americans, not just the Trail of Tears.
• Teach in history classes that Christopher Columbus was not actually a good person, he was a colonizer that damaged Native American culture.
• Explain in classes what ableism, sexism, homophobia, anti-semitism, classism, etc is.
• Teach students about the Race Wealth Gap, Redlining, and the ongoing effects of slavery in today’s US.
• Assist low-income students with participation in sports/activities in the Bedford Community (ex. creating a reserve so they can buy equipment if necessary).
• Set a goal/plan to hire more BIPOC teachers in all Bedford Public Schools, enact by 2023.
• Encourage non-black teachers to NOT say the N-word when reading literature, educate teachers on history of the word.
• Work on un-whitewashing US History, teach students about figures such as Claudette Colvin, Emmett Till, Malcolm X, and other figures that sparked change and are generally overlooked in BHS History classes.
• Read/Watch books and films written by POC authors and directors to teach about segregation/the black US experience. Begin to phase out “white savior” novels that are used to teach about such matters, such as To Kill a Mockingbird (books can still be read, just not used to teach about black history).
• Better representation of ESL students (ex. creating a designated space for only ESL students).
• Implement teachings about climate change in a life science (Chemistry or Biology).
• Teach students about anti-racism, and how to be anti-racist.