Requests to LSR7 – from current and former students - lstribune

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Press Release

June 6, 2020
For immediate release

We, former/current students, community stakeholders, and Lee’s Summit residents seek to resolve and progress in social justice and systemic racism in our district schools. These requests are made in good faith that together we can work to honor and hear our community.

For years, the LSR7 name has claimed excellence. They profuse strength in academics, athletics, and in character everywhere from Twitter to their letterhead. Many capable and successful students have made our community proud throughout the world. While the district is all too happy to shine the spotlight on such students, however, there is an undeniable underbelly that festers in the district’s schools. One of racism, sexism, and bigotry. In light of recent racism-borne tragedies that have shocked the nation, there are a group of community members who coalesce around the fact that, for us, such hate is not a surprise. For us, hate has been a daily tolerance, but we won’t tolerate it any longer.

What follows is a list of demands developed from experiences shared via the #OurStruggleLSR7 hashtag on Twitter. Read it. Hundreds of current and former students have shared the incidents of prejudice and discrimination that permeate throughout classrooms, locker rooms, and administrative offices. Again, the district proclaims excellence, but ignores the fact that many students are denied all semblance of it. One cannot deny this evidence. It is irrefutable. It condemns them as the instigator of bigotry.

Here is the district’s response to #OurStruggleLSR7: Sharing our commitment to the district Equity plan and continued growth » Lee’s Summit R7 School District

Requests:

Teachers

1. Develop a clear framework for disciplining teachers, administrators, and staff for perpetuating and tolerating harmful, prejudice behavior.
2. Implement mandatory cultural humility training, or “culturally relevant teaching training,” for all teachers, staff, and administrators. Post training, teachers’ classroom cultural relevance should be included on their yearly evaluations. This can be achieved in conjunction with the Equity Plan by increasing the number of teachers trained by EEC in the following areas:
   1. Racial sensitivity (prohibiting the  use of racial slurs, even for pedagogical purposes)
   2. Cultural sensitivity
   3. Religious sensitivity
   4. Disability Training (especially Paras in the life skills departments)
   5. Sensitivity to students’ personal situations and crises.

Administrators

3. Hire and support teachers from marginalized backgrounds. Create hiring practices that foster diverse teaching and support staff.
4. Create a support office for marginalized communities, or hire a diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist for all high schools and middle schools to be managed by the Equity Superintendent of the LSR7 district.
5. Ensure that one counselor per school is trained in PTSD and crisis counseling, and that counselors specialize in relevant disciplines so that they can help students on account of need rather than alphabetical order.
6. Add sexual orientation and gender identity to the district’s non-discrimination policy.

Curriculum

7. Integrate coursework that highlights marginalized communities and authors, and not just in a negative manner. Integrate antiracist resources and reading materials K-12.
8. District policies including but not limited to: dress code, late work, sexual assault and harrassment, and Title IX comprehension are reformed.
   1. Revise discriminatory policies, such as dress code and late work penalties, that disproportionately impact women, low-income students, and students with strenuous circumstances.
   2. Educate students about their Title IX Rights and hire a Title IX representative.
   3. Introduce a comprehensive sexual education program and investigate sexual assault allegations promptly and fully. 
   4. Individualized Education Programs should be individualized, and they must take student and parent desires into account. Student disabilities should be treated as needs to be met rather than inconveniences to be ignored.

If you would like to sign the petition visit: PETITION

Submitted by Maryam M. Khalil
Former Graduate of LSR7
Currently attending Stanford.
Creator of #OurStruggleLSR7 on Twitter

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