‘Concord Middle School’ fine — but not as good as ‘Ellen Garrison’
As a lifelong educator and parent of two Concord students I wanted to take a moment to comment on the current discussion surrounding the new middle school. A large portion of the commentary appears to follow the logic that, since the School Committee had a tie vote on whether to name the middle school after Concordian civil rights activist Ellen Garrison and then almost immediately voted 3-2 to name it something different, the community should not voice our disagreement.
White Concordians should back ‘Ellen Garrison’ school naming
I am writing as a Concord resident, mother of three school-aged children (one in middle school), and a career teacher.
As a white adult who has the privilege of working with young people, I feel it is imperative upon me to do my own work around issues involving diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Vote yes on Article 22 to urge naming school for Garrison
The Concord Public School System prides itself on the DEIB work it does to ensure all of our students feel welcome. The emphasis on “windows and mirrors” within the curriculum is a good case in point. Students are exposed to a wide range of age-appropriate learning experiences that enable them to see a window into the lives and experiences of cultures that may be less familiar to them, while also providing mirrors where they can see themselves and their experiences in the content.
