To our Springboro Families:
Over the past several days, we have
watched protests call for equality after the tragic, and unjust, killing of
George Floyd. Numerous people of all ages and backgrounds engaged in nonviolent,
peaceful protests to speak out against racism and injustice, including a recent
event organized by two of our own SHS students at North Park in Springboro.
Unfortunately, we’ve also witnessed
violence in communities across our nation, as a response to the failure to
recognize all people as equal under the law. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere
is a threat to justice everywhere.” Springboro Schools stands in solidarity
with the fight against racial injustice. We do not condone racism or violence. With
a long-standing Board of Education policy on equity and non-discrimination, as
well as diversity training programs centered around cultural competency,
Springboro Schools is committed to promoting a culture of respect, tolerance,
and inclusion for all people.
Our students will seek desperately
to understand these events as they continue to unfold. As parents, business
leaders, community members, and educators, we must listen and respond with both
honesty and empathy. We must also instill in our youth the courage to stand up
against racism, injustice, and inequality through nonviolent means.
Current events demonstrate both the
urgency and fundamental importance of embedding in our schools the values and
importance of eliminating racism and implicit bias, the principle of
identifying and closing inequities in educational opportunities and
achievement, and the urgency of promoting thoughtful expression and moral
courage. While exposure to diversity in our own classrooms and workforce leaves
more to be desired, we recognize this is a journey that will require us to
continue to listen and grow as a school community.
It is the obligation of our school
district to provide equity in education to every single student. It is imperative
that we engage in this work together for ourselves, for each other, and
especially for the good of our greater community. Together, let us find
strength in our shared humanity.
Sincerely,
Carrie Hester, Interim-Superintendent
Jamie Belanger, Board of
Education President
Dan Gudz, Board of Education
Vice President
Charles Anderson, Board of
Education Member
Lisa Babb, Board of Education
Member
Dave Stuckey, Board of Education
Member