Spokane school board to discuss racial equity measures in virtual Saturday morning forum
Hoping to back its words with a promise of action, the Spokane Public Schools board of directors will hold a special meeting Saturday morning to address racial equity issues in the wake of this week’s unrest.
“I personally feel that the best way that educational institutions can effect change is through meaningful action,” said Board President Jerrall Haynes, who pushed to put the meeting on the agenda.
“I’m from a place where some strong, amazing men and women were not telling me, but showing me the right thing to do,” Haynes said.
The Zoom meeting begins at 9 a.m. The public is invited to listen in but won’t be allowed to comment.
The district has already assembled a task force that will deal with the details of what school will look like this fall. Saturday’s board meeting is expected to offer some guidance on how that task force will proceed and what it will prioritize.
As a black man in a position of authority, Haynes acknowledged on Friday he’s in a position to move the needle.
At a recent school board meeting, School Board President Jerrall Haynes shared a poem – “Alone” by Maya Angelou.
Haynes also reflected on the need that “we all need somebody in life, and if we’re going to come out of this on the other side better than we were before, we have to do it all together in unison.”
Following last weekend’s unrest, the district reiterated its vision statement and its commitment “to living this vision by first acknowledging that everyone in our system has not experienced this equitably and that the current events unfolding across our nation are highlighting the need for change across all systems.”
Words are nice, but Haynes hopes to go beyond that.
“I can’t speak for the rest of the board members,” Haynes said. “But I’m hoping to identify some actions that we can walk away with – that’s much more meaningful.”
Already grappling with a strained budget worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Spokane and other large districts have seen lower-income and minority students suffer disproportionately from the shutdown of buildings.
The move to distance learning left many at a disadvantage for lack of hardware and connectivity, and many children have lost valuable connections to teachers and other mentors.
In another potential blow, the district is strongly considering closing the SHOP after-Friday program for elementary students.
Yet another worry is that child care services will be reduced this fall in the face of lingering social distancing requirements.
Those issues had already moved to the front burner before last weekend’s violence, but Haynes said that more than ever, the district needs to show a greater commitment to equity.
“Like so many people I had split emotions,” Haynes said. “On one hand it was incredibly hopeful to see the turnout and the number of people who wanted to have their voices heard and show support for their fellow Americans.”
“It’s also heartbreaking,” Haynes added. “There is so much violence and chaos and damage, and this isn’t our first time around the block.”