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We Must Set an Example

I am writing to support the Guilford Board of Education, school administration, and teachers in their efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment for all our students. I have read the report on School Culture and Pedagogy and it is clear from the student interviews that the Guilford school system must continue its work on equity, social justice, and inclusion.

Despite the outrageous claim from last fall, that making some children feel they belong somehow hurts other children, welcoming children with differences in fact helps all children. It shows them that their own belonging is not contingent on their physical ability, their intellectual ability, their heritage, or their identity. Belonging isn’t a zero sum game and public education, by definition, must include everyone.

Our children spend so much of their lives in school. It is critical that they feel safe there. Not just for their emotional well-being, but also because it makes them better able to learn. They must learn not just academics, but also how to interact with people and ideas that are different from what they are used to.

Right now schools in some states are being told not to acknowledge some marginalized identities or certain aspects of history, as if recognizing the existence of something is somehow dangerous. My child is already anxious about what would happen if that gains traction in Connecticut, particularly given the increased harassment that has followed some of these efforts.

We can’t let that happen. To meet the needs of all our students, we must continue working to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools. We must set an example for our community, for our country, and, most importantly, for our children.

Nan Ellman

Guilford