GOOD Morning Wilton received two letters about recent reports of racist and hate speech in Wilton Public Schools and the district’s action plan in response.
ABC of Wilton Board: “Let us stand united against racism and discrimination and strive to build a brighter future for all”
To the Editor:
It has come to our attention that there have been distressing incidents of racial discrimination on the school premises. It deeply saddens us to acknowledge that such incidents have occurred tarnishing the inclusive environment that we strive to foster within our educational community.
Incidents of racially charged remarks (the N-word) from the back of classrooms, on cell phones, in hallways or other school areas are completely unacceptable. Such behavior not only undermines the principles of respect and dignity but also creates an atmosphere of insecurity, fear, and general unwelcomeness for students of color.
The Board of Directors of A Better Chance of Wilton is committed to ensuring that our Scholars feel safe, valued, and respected within our school environment and community at large. We emphasize the urgency and seriousness of addressing these issues. We will actively work with Dr. Kevin Smith, Superintendent of Schools, and the Board of Education to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents and to promote a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect. However, we cannot address these challenges alone. We call upon every member of our community to stand together in condemning racism and discrimination in all forms. We urge
parents, teachers, students and community leaders to join in fostering a climate of understanding, empathy, and acceptance within our schools and beyond.
At the April 4 Board of Education meeting, we heard a commitment from Superintendent Smith and the Board of Education that the schools will continue to prioritize training for teachers and administrators, review available reporting channels for students, document clear protocols for addressing and investigating reports, and revisit consequences for such incidents. We fully support these efforts to ensure effective mechanisms are in place to address and investigate any reports of racial discrimination or harassment. We look forward to hearing a follow-up debrief on their progress in the near future.
We believe that by working together as a community, we can create a school environment where every student feels safe, respected, and empowered to reach his/her full potential. Let us stand united against racism and discrimination and strive to build a brighter future for all.
The Board of Directors
Nancy Peters, President
A Better Chance of Wilton
What our students report they face, and what our schools are doing about it
To the Editor:
The N-word said in a classroom after class ended — not once but multiple times in different settings; “terrorist,” “bomber,” “raghead,” “donkey-f——er” said repeatedly in hallways; “Hitler should have finished what he started” spoken and swastikas drawn on school bathroom walls; whispered conversations calling students with an IEP “stupid.”
This is school life for some of our students. Not necessarily every day but often enough that, at a minimum, casts a pall over going to school for the student victim and, more often, inspires real fear and alienation, and “looking over your shoulder all the time.”
This is the reality for some of our students. Our schools have been striving for a long time to address it, from Cider Mill School with its “’Bee’ Kind” awards to Middlebrook School with its focus on training students to be upstanders — not a bystander and certainly not a perpetrator — to Wilton High School with its multicultural programs and its emphasis on mutual support.
But some students simply have not gotten the message — or are contaminated by the hate speech that has become part of national public dialogue and surely filters down to youth who see this public hate-filled speech and action and think that now the lid is off on such horrible conduct.
Our schools are moving aggressively to address the issue. This is reflected in the community dialogue convened last week by Wilton School Superintendent Dr. Kevin Smith. For the 60 people in attendance — including our Board of Education, senior school administrators and teachers, our First Selectman Toni Boucher and several of her fellow selectmen, and multiple Wilton clergy — the presentation by students, joined by adults, was powerfully disturbing as we heard those students describe honestly, eloquently, and courageously what they have experienced.
Action plans are being put in place involving tougher and more explicit codes of conduct, more severe disciplinary action, and plans for public disclosure of the number of reported incidents. With those steps will be added responsibility for teachers to step in when hate speech happens in their presence or within their hearing.
In many respects these efforts are a continuation of steps already being taken (and in many cases long in place), but with renewed vigor and crystal clear messaging about the very serious consequences for hateful speech or action.
As Superintendent Smith said in his opening remarks:
“The safety and wellness of our students are our top priority…. Despite our efforts so far, we have students walking around our schools feeling unseen, unheard, unwelcome, and in some cases unsafe. Those experiences are in direct contradiction to our explicit values and aspirations for our school community….
“We can take the stance that these incidents are isolated and are rooted in ignorance or carelessness, or we can widen the lens and see these as a pattern and take additional steps to try to disrupt the pattern. The fundamental question for me is, are we doing all that we can to ensure that Wilton is a welcoming community for all where all feel like they belong?…
“So tonight we’re going to hear some voices and learn about some experiences that hopefully will create a deeper understanding and appreciation of what some of our students encounter and illuminate some different thinking about what we may be able to do better or differently so that we can foster a culture where all students truly feel like they belong. For most of us, our job tonight is to listen — really listen.”
I’ve had occasion to see the system at work very effectively in recent times but well before this community gathering and before the latest reports of hate speech. Without going into specifics, Wilton High School Principal Bob O’Donnell and Dean Josh Marko joined by School Resource Officer Chris Ventura stepped in immediately in one particularly egregious incident and not only saw to serious consequences but also provided extra security for the victimized student — including identification of safe havens with teachers and administrators. I’ve also seen years of conscientious work at Middlebrook and Cider Mill Schools to teach — and repeatedly to underscore with students — how to be upstanders.
The clear message from our schools to our students is this: Don’t be afraid to come forward and report hate speech or action directed at you. School administrators and teachers will not only hear you and take your report very seriously but also step in with immediate action.
Stepping forward in this way to report hate speech or action is not tattling on fellow students but rather being part of assuring that our schools are welcoming experiences for all of our students. That welcoming and supporting role is a responsibility that falls on each of us, and we all need to be ready, whatever our position (student, teacher, administrator, coach, parent, or simply bystander), to be upstanders in the face of hate speech or action.
Steve Hudspeth