Hanover Public Schools Stands Against Racism
There are so many things that we strive to teach our children. We want them to know that each and every person in our community and in the world at large is worthy, valuable, and deserves equitable treatment. We want them to know how to show kindness and empathy in their communication with others. We want them to know how to stand up when they see injustice and to learn how to be an ally. We want them to question situations critically, and to be leaders in changing the world for the better. Doing this is a huge job, and it takes all of us working together.
Racism has no place in our society and will not be tolerated in the Hanover Public School system. There is nothing more fundamental than equality. There is no more important lesson than treating each other fairly. It is the essence of humanity and our society depends on it. To that end, the Hanover Public Schools remains committed to providing a learning environment free from racism – direct or indirect, discrimination and violence of any kind. We embrace a respectful learning environment that is safe and supportive for every student.
The unconscionable treatment and death of George Floyd must motivate each of us to move forward to a more understanding and equitable society – it cannot wait. As school leaders, we are used to educating others, but sometimes, we need to listen and learn. Now is one of those times, and it has never been more important. We need listen and learn to help us understand racism and bias in ways that many of us never have. What is happening in our nation now, and in the past, cannot continue and we cannot be complacent as we learn.
We are committed to continuing on this path to bettering our community and our world for all people, and we will be looking at our curriculum, events, and activities to engage everyone on a deeper level in this dialogue. We want to support all families in Hanover in talking to their children of all ages about these vitally important issues. Please see the attached resources for support in talking to your children and possibly learning more yourself. Please know that we are committed to being part of the change our nation needs. It is challenging and difficult work, but it must be a priority for all of us today and for our future.
Sincerely,
Hanover School Committee
Leah Miller, Chairperson
Ruth Lynch, Vice Chair
John Geary
Libby Corbo
Kimberly Booker
Hanover School Administration
Matthew Ferron, Superintendent
Deborah St. Ives, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Thomas Rabb, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance
Keith Guyette, Director of Student Services
Matthew Paquette, Principal, Hanover High School
Daniel Birolini, Principal, Hanover Middle School
Jane DeGrenier, Principal, Center School
Michael Oates, Principal, Cedar School
Resources for Families of Young Children to Talk About Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion
Children's Books
- 31 Children's books to support conversations on race and racism
- The 2020 Ultimate List of Diverse Children’s Books
- Books with Characters of Color
- Mixed - Diversity and Inclusion Story and Discussion Guide for Parents (children’s book + parent’s guide)
Videos for Kids and Families
Articles for Parents
- How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race (NPR)
- How silence can breed prejudice: A child development professor explains how and why to talk to kids about race (Washington Post)
- Critical Conversations (The Conscious Kid)
- How to Talk To Kids about racism (Today Show)
- How to talk to Kids about Racism (Huffington Post)
- How to talk to your children about protests and racism (CNN)
Resources for Older Students and Their Families
- Justice in June - resources and plan to become a stronger ally with a little education each day
- Anti-racist Reading List: Chicago Public Library
- 10 books to read about race
- Understanding and Dismantling Racism: A Booklist for White Readers
- Books to teach white children and teens how to undo racism
- Social Justice: Fifteen titles to address inequity, equality, and organizing for young readers Books about the Criminalization of Blacks post WWII
- Free downloadable books about race
Podcasts and Videos for Adults
- Talking Race With Young Children (NPR) (audio)
- How To Raise Anti-Racist Kids (with Dr. Nzinga Harrison) (audio)
- 1619 (New York Times) (audio)
- Come Through With Rebecca Carroll (audio)
- Color blind or color brave? (TED talk by Mellody Hobson) (video)
Work Currently Ongoing About Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Hanover Public Schools
Racism and bias are topics we have worked to address with our staff and students for the past few years, and we wanted to share with you some of the ongoing work we are doing to address these issues.
In the 2018-2019 school year, all staff participated in a training, "Bias in the School Setting" which was facilitated by the Hanover Public Schools Anti-Bias Leadership Team. This program addressed issues around unconscious bias and microaggressions. In the 2019-2020 school year, the Hanover Middle School Staff participated in a full-day workshop facilitated by the Anti-Defamation League called "A World of Difference," which addressed bias, bullying, and the development of an inclusive and respectful culture. Our future plan is to have all schools participate in this training. In the Spring of 2020, students in grades 9, 10, and 11 participated in a bullying and inclusion survey as part of a study by Boston University to help guide our future anti-bias and inclusion training for students and staff. We are planning an Anti-Defamation League Peer Leadership program at HHS for the 2020-2021 school year, and we will do everything possible to make this happen while following state health guidelines. School Nurses have made anti-bias training a priority and have participated in multiple workshops over the past three years, as have a variety of other staff in the district. We also have had a group of community members, many of whom are educators in other Districts, recently reach out wanting to join in the conversations and work ahead of us.