Dear Board Members and District Leadership,
I am writing as a concerned member of our school community regarding the pressing need for substantive action to create a truly inclusive and supportive environment. While our district’s DEI statement pledges a “safe, secure, stimulating, and welcoming” learning environment, the current practices fall short of these assurances. Our community is in need of clear, actionable policies that protect and empower all its members.
Immediate Action on Gender Justice
Our district must adopt affirmative policies to proactively support trans and non-binary students. The current reliance on lip service and vague assurances leaves students, teachers, and staff to navigate issues of gender-based discrimination alone. We take some of this guidance from the
recent statement by a coalition of states’ Attorneys General, including New York AG James. I respectfully request that the following actions be implemented immediately:
- Establish a Working Group: Form a parent, teacher, and staff working group dedicated to developing policies on gender justice for NPCSD, ensuring robust community input.
- Affirmative Pronoun Policies: Implement clear guidelines that ensure trans and nonbinary students are consistently referred to by their correct pronouns.
- Educator Support: Develop policies that protect teachers and staff who include gender diversity and inclusion in their curricula from harassment by intolerant families.
- Inclusive Facilities Signage: Install signage on bathrooms that clearly welcomes everyone to use facilities that align with their gender identity.
- Student Support: Develop policies that ensure there are multiple lines of recourse for families in the event that students experience peer-to-peer discrimination and bullying, for example, requiring that families meet with the school social worker and principal as a first step when an incident is reported;
- Curricular Support: Provide comprehensive support and curriculum development materials to all K-12 educators so that topics such as pronouns, trans inclusion, and gender equity are integrated into instruction.
Broader Equity and Inclusivity Concerns
While the above proposals specifically address gender justice, broader issues of equity remain unaddressed. Our district’s track record in updating and disseminating key documents and resources is concerning:
- It has been three years since the minutes from the Racial Equity Initiative Advisory Committee were posted.
- It has been four years since the Action Plan for “Addressing Racial Equity and Creating A Culturally Proficient District” was updated.
- It has been five years since an equity report card was posted on the district website.
- The link for “Racial Equity Presentations” on the website is currently nonfunctional.
These issues, while focused on racial equity, underscore a broader neglect of diversity. Inclusivity must encompass all facets of our community, including religion, ethnic background, different abilities, neurotype, socioeconomic status, gender identity, and sexual orientation. I also note that a “Gender Support Plan” previously available under the Students tab appears to have been removed, further evidencing the need for more proactive and comprehensive policies.
Our district must move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate its commitment to the values of inclusion and equity through decisive action. I urge you to address both the immediate gender justice needs and the wider equity issues to ensure that every student, teacher, and staff member is fully supported and valued.
Thank you for your attention to these critical matters. I look forward to witnessing prompt and meaningful change within our community.
Sincerely,
