May 1st, 2018

TO: The Jamesville-DeWitt School District Board of Education and District Steering Committee

As parents, students, residents and taxpayers of the vibrant Jamesville-Dewitt (J-D) community, we share an interest in ensuring the highest quality education and experiences for all of our children.  Since January, there have been rising conversations in the District around the future of diversity, equity and inclusion.  Many families with children of color have been sharing their experiences of implicit and overt bias and learning that these are not isolated incidents but are part of a larger phenomenon in our schools.  

Many families have heart-breaking stories of their children being underestimated, passed over for advanced courses and disciplined more harshly.  The lack of diversity in faculty, staff and curriculum, in part, leads to the isolation students of color feel on a daily basis. Sadly, these stories mirror research findings from across the country. Many families have been told, in a variety of ways, that their experiences are not significant and that no change is necessary or possible.  We believe that equity and accessibility for all of our students is necessary and very possible.

We applaud the District for initiating a conversation about these matters, and as the conversation continues, we ask that any committee, group or board that makes decisions that impact the future of diversity, equity and inclusion do the following:

1. Accept the experiences of families of color by showing that their concerns are valid and worthy of action.
2. Listen actively to families’ experiences and concerns.  Efforts to gather parent input to date have been incomplete.
3. Be genuinely diverse.  The people affected by decisions must be sufficiently represented in any decision-making process.  
4. Communicate transparently and continuously with the J-D community and solicit regular feedback primarily from those most affected by decisions.
5. Hire experts who have a proven track record for developing and implementing best practices in district-wide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
6. Make data-based decisions.  Conduct an equity audit to determine current conditions so planning can be informed and progress can be measured.
7. Commit to substantial, long-term, measurable change to create a genuine culture of inclusion at J-D.

We kindly request that you listen and respond to all the groups that have voiced concerns regarding diversity and inclusion - and those who have yet to be heard.  We understand that families with children of color are just one group among many who have an interest in this effort.  We urge you, and all J-D decision-making entities, to re-invite all families and students of underrepresented groups to share their experiences and concerns.  We ask that this listening process be guided by a professional in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion.  We ask that this be the starting point to addressing these very serious issues.

Many families were drawn to J-D for its reputation for overall excellence.  We have a lot to be proud of, but today our community is faced with a choice.  If we choose superficial remedies for the concerns raised here it will increase the alienation felt by many students of color and continue to limit their potential.  It will deprive the majority of our students of an opportunity to expand their understanding of the world and the people they will live and work with after graduation.  This is not our only option.  We can also choose to rise to the challenge and demonstrate the courage and leadership we seek to instill in our students.  

We understand that open, honest discussions about racial inequity can be uncomfortable.  We trust that the J-D Board of Education and all of its decision-making entities will surmount any potential discomfort to prioritize the best interests of ALL students.  Fostering truly inclusive schools that embrace diversity and strive toward equity does not simply benefit students of color, it benefits all students.  It will make us a stronger school district.  J-D has an opportunity to lead in our community and in our nation; we urge you to take it.

Respectfully,

(Many students have signed this letter. Their names will not be shown in public posts.)

1. Christiana Semabia
2. Juanita Rivera-Ortiz
3. Rachel Wagner-Gilchrist
4. Eboni J. Britt
5. Andy Semabia
6. Gregory Sanville
7. James Gilchrist
8. Melanie Addai
9. Courtney Farranto
10. Rosemary/Leon Oaks-Lee
11. Julie Morse
12. Danielle Lambert
13. Justin Lambert Sr.
14. Teresa Martini
15. Ruth Arena
16. Andrea Jacobs
17. Joshua Michael King
18. Alison Bronstein
19. Maureen Aliani
20. Alison Bronstein
21. Kathleen Ciarpelli
22. Ashley Kang
23. Kirsten Mathieson
24. Erica Brier-Kennedy
25. Amy Westfall
26. Cora True-Frost
27. Julia Wittner
28. Pat Wagner
29. Wendy Rhodes
30. Lissette waldron
31. Marlena Daher-Rahman
32. Arissa j
33. Kari Avramov
34. Aneesah Evans
35. Casey Fitzgerald
36. Linda Lopez
37. Gloria Kilpatrick
38. Christian H
39. Marcelle Haddix
40. Gloria Kilpatrick
41. Emily Witzenberger
42. Carol Liebler
43. George Kilpatrick
44. Bria Greene
45. Rochelle Ford
46. Amy Kallander
47. Abdulaziz Shifa
48. Dimitar Gueorguiev
49. Sheila Johnson-Willis
50. Colleen Heflin
51. D Z
52. Kurt Best
53. Quantese Tearney
54. Traci Geisler
55. Kofi Addai
56. Peter F. Cannavò
57. Karla Green
58. Michelle Farah
59. Ernest Campbell
60. Victor I Okereke
61. Christiana Okereke
62. Anthony Amoah
63. Jennifer Hanslip
64. Cheryl McDonald
65. Eleanor M. Maine
66. Douglas Frank
67. Victor A Attah
68. Jake Herrick
69. Gwen Sistrunk
70. Selina B Lazarus
71. Barbara Kamerance
72. Jannice Friedman
73. Amy Samuels
74. Katelyn M. Kriesel
75. Roxanne Hill
76. Selina B Lazarus
77. Cjala Surratt
78. Amanda E. Schlegel
79. Ariel DuChene
80. Caroline Schipper
81. Micere Githae Mugo, Ph D, Emeritus Prof.,Teaching Excellence, SU
82. Grace Asiedu
83. Trina Morris
84. Patience Kisakye
85. Tammy Rosanio
86. Martin Butts
87. Abigail Marie Henson
88. Margaret McCormick
89. Tamara Jackson
90. Damon Jackson
91. Karly Grifasi
92. Patricia Sprague
93. Meg Schader
94. Stacey Nunn
95. Bernard Amponsah
96. Jennifer. Moore
97. Deborah Johnson
98. Sonya Williams
99. aduke branch
100. Erin Lore
101. Rev. Debbie Kelsey
102. Christine Myint
103. Kathryn Garceau
104. Ashley Jandolenko
105. Alicia Loomis
106. Karen Mihalyi
107. Barbara MacDonald
108. Sarah Marsh
109. Amber Chilcote
110. Jessica Bowden
111. Tina Lesley-Fox
112. Karima Barbour Johnson
113. Annabel Hine Otts
114. Crystal M. Doody, Esq.
115. Gina Iliev
116. Nakeia Chambers
117. Anthony Pitts
118. Latia Johnston
119. Roberta malzman
120. Timothy A Volk
121. Marianna Laufman
122. Chyanne Glenn
123. Carissa Myers Albahm
124. swanzetta jones
125. Nikko Collins
126. Natalie Gallagher
127. Khadijo Abdulkadir
128. Thandekah Dancil
129. Daronda Shepard
130. Hub Brown
131. Pamela A Spearman
132. Grace Njuguna
133. mike lobdell
134. Nellisha Gregory-Okunola
135. Paul V Eiholzer
136. Ranette L Releford
137. Lavar Lobdell
138. Dongmei Liu
139. Sarah K. Hood
140. Sherry Harrison
141. Liz Hassan
142. rebecca i. fuentes
143. Dylan Volk
144. Nancy Volk
145. Kathryn Eberline
146. Stephanie Cross
147. Sheila S Sicilia
148. Liz Hassan
149. Andrea Autry
150. Emily Lynch
151. Elisabeth Moughty
152. Cinnamon Pace
153. Jessica LeFebvre Aslam
154. Stephanie Shirilan
155. Katrina Dean
156. Dawn Penniman
157. Sharon L. Cossette
158. Vel Chesser
159. Naomi S Button
160. erica dottin
161. Nicole Donlin
162. Melissa Appleby
163. Salvatrice Messina
164. matthew petrocci
165. Bobbi Petrocci
166. Katrina Dean
167. Meg Noonan
168. Catherine A. Keough
169. Zachary Marsh
170. Maura Ivanick
171. Owen Volk
172. Lydia Hills
173. Kate Veley
174. Gretchen Lopez
175. Susan Popoff
176. Latoyya Knighton
177. Aggie Lane
178. Cynthia L Terry
179. Perri Harris
180. Melanie Cuevas-Rodriguez
181. Susan Sturgeon
182. Sharone Woolford
183. Melissa Thomas
184. Mirjakhon Turdiev
185. Cara Plasencia
186. Mumbi Mugo
187. Kelley Williams
188. Virginia Fowler
189. Angela D'Amico
190. Michele Blust
191. Kerin Rigney
192. Debra Mimaroglu
193. Rachael Porter
194. Benjamin Clardy
195. Kathryn Clinton
196. Mary Stapleton
197. Alexandria Benjamin
198. Monique Johnson
199. Miranda Jacobs
200. Connie Goodwin
201. Lucille Benajmin
202. Shirley R. Thompson
203. Christopher jacobs jr
204. Kristen Dougherty
205. Brandy Fanning
206. Junyla Sabari
207. Shana Gadarian
208. Stacey Macbeth
209. Catherine Dziedzic
210. Olivia Green
211. Jillian Lyons
212. Terry Herzog
213. Lucille Benjamin
214. Danielle Blasier
215. Tina McQuiston
216. Hayley Marama Cavino
217. Bruce McQuiston
218. Nancy Chapellier
219. Tanya Fish
220. Christopher R. Sanchez
221. Wendy Nastasi
222. Jennifer Kelley
223. Maarten Jacobs
224. Carolyn L Evans-Dean
225. Mallory Scheurer
226. Sarah Fleming
227. Wendy Everard
228. Michelle M Barry
229. Tammy Honeywell
230. Jennifer Polak
231. Zaline Roy-Campbell
232. Shonteya Robinson
233. Timothy Michael
234. Ferlito Ray Williams
235. John Alexander Mielnicki
236. Gemma Cooper-Novack
237. Fran Marinelli
238. Alicia C. Gross
239. Cindy jo Harriman
240. Joseph Segretto
241. Irene Workman
242. Wayne Sistrunk
243. Marissa DeSantis
244. Mary Hagemann
245. Jennifer Savastino
246. Jing Lei
247. Emily Daugherty
248. Jacquelyn Anderson Moore
249. Mary L Scanlon
250. Matilda Thompson
251. Tiffany Roberts
252. Ryan Fitzgerald
253. Lisa Dorsey-Bornfreedom
254. Desiree Halbert
255. Stephen Yakey-Wiley
256. Anika Flagg
257. Sol Salahou
258. Justin Mack
259. Christian Knight
260. Tobi Wolf
261. Linda R Ervin
262. Laura Fiorenza
263. Douglas Martin
264. Mikaila Baker
265. Felica Plunkett
266. Daisy Hayden
267. Cheryl Meany
268. Melissa Jensen
269. Tiffany
270. Ann Marie Morey
271. Christine Hickey
272. Lekia K. Hill
273. Paul Blust
274. Paul Blust
275. Renee Gregg
276. Renee Gregg
277. tammy j long oliver
278. Maria Maldonado Lewis
279. Nancy Barnett
280. Allison Wadsworth
281. Rebecca Dadey
282. Katy Barrett
283. Francie Van Ostenbridge
284. Bernadette Andaloro
285. Jamie Lamit
286. Jacob Bendix
287. Heidi McElwee
288. Charles LPJackson
289. Jody Coleman
290. Anthony Walker
291. Timea Morgan
292. Chrisalyn Monroe
293. Katy Barrett
294. Tenekqua Cauthen
295. Lenora Ann Monkemeyer
296. Rev. Jennifer Hamlin-Navias
297. Arthur Brangman
298. Katie de Veyra
299. Jacqueline Redmond
300. Tenekqua Cauthen
301. Stacy Sceiford
302. Michelle Schenandoah
303. Teri Coon
304. Melissa Lesley-Fox
305. Janet Hiemstra
306. Kofi Addai
307. Dana Zanders
308. Yvonne Ruiz-Gilmore
309. Amazjah Grant
310. Andre Hawkins
311. Robert Hughes
312. KTriesha Ashwell
313. Farouk J Mohamed
314. Dennis Killian-Benigno
315. Leslie Noble
316. Pamela Sartori
317. Coleen C Goodrich
318. Coleen C Goodrich
319. Rosemary A. Pérez
320. Rochelle Ford
321. Audriana Ortega
322. J Wright
323. Robin Dupoux
324. Jessica Marabella
325. Sierra Brisbane
326. Stacey Hotaling
327. Sydney Mariah Jones
328. Cherelle Grant
329. Benjamin Temitope
330. sajida naim
331. Lisa Moore
332. Essence Britt
333. Iman Abdul-Rashed
334. Tiffany Adams
335. Jay Clewis
336. Brianna Rizza
337. Myron Jefferson
338. Boubacar Sow
339. Lucille Benjamin
340. Oscar Camber
341. Barbara Myers
342. Joseph Bryant
343. Bianca Caiella Breed
344. Evelyn C. Carter
345. Tirus Glo er
346. Mark Coldren
347. Leiya Davis D’Aiuto
348. Natalie Russo
349. Stephanie Crockett
350. Cherelle Grant
351. Dominique Grainger-Mere
352. Grace Cogan
353. Jennifer Blusk
354. Kristin Mosher

(This list will be updated daily)