NAACP says backers of BLS headmaster as bad as South African whites during apartheid

This just in:

To: The Boston Latin School Community

From: Lynne Mooney Teta
Re: Further reflections
Date: February 24, 2016

While the last few weeks have been difficult for our community, that discomfort cannot compare to the experience of students who have faced prejudice and acts of bias in our school. I am grateful to the student leaders of BLS B.L.A.C.K. (Black Leaders Aspiring for Change and Knowledge) for raising awareness of racial tensions at Boston Latin School (BLS), as no student should ever feel emotionally or physically unsafe in school, or denigrated for who they are.

While I am optimistic that the dialogues begun over the past few weeks will lead to a more respectful and welcoming racial climate at our school, I deeply regret that we did not begin such conversations earlier, and that there was not more urgency in our initial response to these concerns. I acknowledge my responsibility in that lapse. It is the headmaster’s duty to ensure the conditions are in place to allow every student to succeed in a safe learning environment that acknowledges and values the commonalities and differences among us. After weeks of self-reflection and frank conversations, I realize that in important ways I have not succeeded. I am truly sorry.

As an educator, I am driven by commitments to social justice and equity — values I first developed as a student here at BLS. It pains me to recognize that our students have suffered from racism within our community. I pledge to work toward a better Boston Latin School, one where all parents are certain of their child’s well-being, and where every student is empowered to excel in an environment free from discrimination.

Every day at Boston Latin School, we welcome 2,450 remarkable students to our hallways — students representing the rich diversity of our city in terms of race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. Despite efforts to meet our mission for all students, we have heard clearly that there is more we must do. I look forward to continuing to learn from our student leaders and partner with them to make BLS a place where everyone is treated with respect and can thrive.

With the support of district leadership and external partners, we are already taking steps toward the goals B.L.A.C.K. helped me set as outlined in my January 25 memo. A social justice advisory committee, comprised of 38 student leaders, has convened and will continue to meet with me regularly to provide an important student voice in school-wide decisions. We have launched a new partnership with the Racial Justice program of YWBoston to hold intensive dialogues on race and ethnicity for student, parent, faculty, and administrative leaders, and support professional learning for all faculty. Every student participated in a mandatory assembly that reminded students how to report inappropriate, hateful or offensive speech or actions, as well as the consequences for engaging in such behavior. Plans for a B.L.A.C.K. Teach-In (a full day of workshops for students) are under development. Students, faculty and parents will work together to design additional required programming for all students focused on issues of race. As we continue to listen and learn together, we will determine the ongoing steps we need to take to strengthen our school climate.

The results of the Office of Equity investigation point to areas needing improvement, which we are taking with the utmost seriousness. We are working actively with Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Tommy Chang and district leadership to implement the Office of Equity’s recommendations, in addition to the school-based steps outlined above. I particularly look forward to a multifaceted, comprehensive racial climate assessment involving as many BLS students, faculty, staff, and parents as possible in the coming weeks.

Boston Latin School has been a leader in secondary education for almost 400 years. This moment causes me, and I hope all of us, to think deeply and take action on many levels. BLS can only benefit as we reflect upon our personal beliefs, professional practices, and institutional policies. I am encouraged by the active involvement of students, faculty, families and community partners who seek to contribute to a more respectful learning environment for all. I invite you to join me in embracing this opportunity to come together to make our school stronger and more inclusive, and create enduring change.