Bend- La Pine School Board adopts resolution to tackle racism, promote equity
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ )-- The Bend- La Pine School Board met Tuesday night to discuss plans to fight systemic racism and eliminate inequalities throughout the system. The board unanimously approved a resolution to help implement changes that will tackle the issues.
The resolution is called the School Board Commitment to Equity and Anti Racism.
It acknowledges the experiences students of color and staff may face due to biases, micro-aggressions and racism, and lays out activities the board will implement to ensure equity and target racism.
The board has revised its goals and executive limitations, which are in place to hold the superintendent and district staff accountable on a variety of issues.
They’re still discussing a budget that will help stand behind the resolution to improve hiring, curriculum and even disciplinary measures.
Board Co-Chair Carrie Douglass said Tuesday that about 20 percent of the district's students are people of color, higher than the overall population of people of color in Bend.
“The two most important things that the school board and district leadership can do is to listen to the experiences of our students and families, and to believe them," Douglass said. "To look at the data and disparities, and to know that these two things are connected.
"We’ve had a number of students and families tell us about experiences, both with explicit racism in schools, as well as unconscious bias and micro-aggression that make it difficult for them to fully thrive. So we have to listen to those experiences.”
Douglass said the board will speak with community members before making any recommendations, to see what type of changes and behaviors they’d like to see addressed.
