At its regular meeting Monday, the Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) Board of Education (BOE) voted unanimously to adopt a statement on racial justice it has been discussing and revising since a draft was first introduced at a July meeting. As adopted, the statement comes in the form of a letter. The following text reproduces word-for-word the language of the letter as it appeared at the start of Monday’s meeting. As adopted, the statement will also include gender identity as one of the criteria under item four:
Dear TRCS Families, Staff and Community,
We, The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education, in partnership with Superintendent Ron Moag, express our support for the thousands of Americans in our community, state and nation who have peacefully and constructively sought to address systemic racism in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Mr. Floyd is a stark example of how systemic racism presents itself in everyday life. As a district of excellence, we commit ourselves to identify where this is happening and initiate change as needed.
Three Rivers Community Schools are not immune to the inequalities and disparities that come with biases based on race, both intentional and unintentional. The Board of Education, along with Superintendent Moag, are asking that all members of our school community join us on our journey of education to do better, and to be better.
Our strategic plan is a living document that we use as a roadmap to guide our decisions. It gives us a framework for developing expectations and for meeting the needs of our students. At the core of the strategic plan is an initiative for continuous improvement. The Board of Education, along with Superintendent Moag, pledge to actively initiate change and establish a leadership tone that will allow our district to achieve the following:
- Continue our commitment to providing all Three Rivers Community School students an education that meets their needs regardless of race, creed, age, sex, handicap or national origin.
- Increase our awareness of, and sensitivity to, the systemic challenges faced by our students and community of color through continued education to all members of our school community.
- Continue to review our hiring practices to recruit, develop and retain highly qualified and diverse teachers and staff to Three Rivers Community Schools.
- Reach out to our community partnerships and foster new relationships to work together to ensure respect for citizens of every race, creed, age, sex, handicap or national origin.
As we look forward to what is certainly going to be a challenging school year amid pandemic uncertainties, we want you to know our work is not done. We recognize the imperative that we face to take responsibility for how we, locally, fit into the national picture. We commit to making any and all changes necessary to provide a physically, socially and emotionally safe environment for all students entrusted with our care. We look forward to continued input from students, faculty, administrators, and the community at large on this vital issue.
Three Rivers Board of Education
