Letter affirming the importance of Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices in Lowell Public Schools
The Lowell Education Justice Alliance (LEJA) and the Diversity Equity Inclusion Consortium Lowell (DEICL) have issued the following letter and invite community members and organizations to sign on in support. To add your name, please scroll down and fill out the form.

Dear Dr. Boyd, Ms. Phillips, Mayor Leahy, Ms. Clark, Mr. Descouteax, Mr. Dillon, Ms. Doherty, Ms. Martin, and Mr. Lay,

On May 5, 2021, a presentation was made at the School Committee meeting detailing the Lowell Public Schools’ efforts to develop and implement Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices district-wide.  

We, the undersigned, wish to express our support for these initiatives, and our belief that they are not merely desirable, but critical to the future of our city, our schools, and our children.

We REAFFIRM that racism is a public health crisis.
We REAFFIRM that racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, and classism cause real harm to our children and our community.
We REAFFIRM that without intentional and intersectional change, that harm will continue.

Every student, family, teacher, and staff person in our schools deserves and is entitled to:
be treated with respect and dignity;
be encouraged to take year-round pride in their culture and identities;
see their culture and identities reflected in their school’s curriculum;
have their conduct and performance assessed without bias;
receive clear, consistent, and accessible communication; and
be encouraged and empowered to share their opinions.

CLSP is critical because our current curriculum, school culture, and policies -- regardless of intention -- provide these things much more effectively to people with privileged cultures and identities than to people with marginalized cultures and identities. Acknowledging the ways in which we need to change in order to respect the rights of our marginalized students, families, and faculty is not a political ideology -- but it IS a moral and educational necessity. Without CLSP we will be failing to meet the needs of ALL students. We urge the school committee to support the continued development and implementation of CLSP in Lowell Public Schools.

Signed,

Organizations:

350 MA of Greater Lowell
Community Advocates for Justice and Equality (CAJE)
Diversity Equity Inclusion Consortium Lowell (DEICL)
Lowell Education Justice Alliance (LEJA)
Solidarity Lowell

Individuals:

Miranda Allan
Mercy Anampiu
Lisa Arnold, Concerned citizen
Nicole Bernier, Parent
Darcie Boyer, Parent
Ed Boyle
Joseph Boyle, Parent
Jake Bridge, Parent, Site Council Member
Debra Caverly, Parent
Amy Chan, Parent
Heather Condo, Parent
Kaitlyn Crockett, Resident
Tina Degree, CAJE
Melissa Desroches, Parent
Qinglong Diep, Student
Kirsten Doherty, Parent
Peter Doherty, Parent
JoAnne Downing, Teacher
Crystal Drane, Parent
Marissa Dupont, member of the Solidarity Lowell Coordinating Committee
Anjuli Fahlberg, Parent
Emily Ferrara, Lowell resident
Lisa Francine, Concerned citizen
Larissa Gaias, Community member
Sarah Giavroutas, Teacher, Henry J. Robinson Middle School
Laura Golden, Parent
Dawn Grenier, Parent
Sagrario Guerrero, Parent
Lily Guttenplan, Parent
Paula Haines, Lowell resident
Dee Halzack
Ingrid Hess, Educator
Tara Hong, Student
Joe Hungler, Parent
Kassie Infante, Lawrence Public Schools Committee Member
Holly Johnson, Lowell community
Sue Kim, Community member
Lorna Kiplagat, Parent
Laura Lamarre Anderson, Teacher
Diego Leonardo, Director of LCCE
Rebecca Ludvino, Parent
Monica Lundberg, Parent
Marie, Grandparent
Bridget Marshall, Parent, Site Council Member
Cathy Mercado, Parent
Eileen Morrison, Resident
Shannon Norton, Parent
Willian Vilas Novas, Parent
Chris Offerman, Concerned Lowellian
Darcy Orellana, Greater Lowell education community
Nat Osit, Resident
Socheata Ouk
Elizabeth Pellerito, Resident
Deidre Purcell, Lowell resident
Jeanette Renault-Caragianes, Parent
JuanCarlos Rivera, Lowell resident
Shamir Rivera, Lowell resident
Christle Roberts
Corey Robinson
Vincent Rush, Parent
Faradeh Sanders, Student
Diana Santana
Danielle Savoie, LPS Teacher (27 years)
Carolyn Scafidi, LEJA member
Lisa Scollin, Parent
Adriana Silveira, student  
Kristen Stern, Lowell resident and local educator
Anthony Szczesiul, Parent and Teacher
Stacy Szczesiul, LPS Parent, UML Faculty, College of Education
Mary Tauras, Resident
Rebecca Teiwes, Parent
Vannak Theng, Parent
Jack Thompson, Lowell resident
Stacey Thompson
Morgan Tierno, Teacher
John Traphagen, Professor of Anthropology, University of Texas
Bobby Tugbiyele
Mona Tyree, Community Member
Phitsamay Uy, Parent
Wilson Valentín-Escobar, Professor
Tooch Van, Parent
Luz Vasudevan, Fallon-Wellforce
Amy Watson, Associate Trustee, Pollard Memorial Library and Marketing Director of Lowell Makes
Susan Weber
Robai Werunga, Educator


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What is CLSP?
Image description
Image Description: An infographic, titled "LPS Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices", depicting a brown tree with branches and large green and turquoise circles for leaves. Around the tree are silhouettes of various people, of diverse ages, abilities, and appearances. The tree is labeled with the constituency groups in education: students and families, teachers, school leaders, district leaders, education department policymakers, higher education faculty, and community members. Around the border are simple illustrations of various school supplies.

Beneath the tree are the words: "A Culturally and Linguistically Responsive framework is intended to foster student-centered learning environments that affirm cultural and linguistic identities; seek positive academic outcomes; develop students’ abilities to think critically and make connections across lines of difference; elevate historically marginalized voices; and cultivate agency in students to be social change-makers.".

Four large, equally-sized green circles in the trees' leaves are more prominent than the others and have the following text in them, describing the main components of CLSP.

1)Welcoming and Affirming Environment:
Collective Responsibility to learn about student cultures and communities.
Close relationships with Students and Families.
Social-Emotional Learning Programs.
Materials that represent and affirm student identities.

2)High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction
Student-Led Civic Engagement
Critical Examination of Power Structures
Project-Based Learning on Social Justice Issues
Student Leadership Opportunities

3) Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment
Current events incorporated into instruction
Students as co-designers of curriculum
Resources written and developed by racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse perspectives
Instructional strategies that adapt to diverse learning styles

4) Ongoing Professional Learning and Support
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training, examining implicit bias and interrogation of beliefs and assumptions
Support in aligning curriculum and instruction to the histories, languages, and experiences of traditionally marginalized voices
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