Behaving Equitably
Idenity: November 18th, 2021 by Somaly Prak-Martins
What is happening with Equity in the Milton Public Schools
Equity work in the Milton Public Schools is ongoing. This year, the district has made a clear and transparent stance with our intentions to making our district a more equitable district for ALL learners. There have been recent incidents in neighboring school districts around race, identity, justice, and equality. We are not unique in identifying that Equity is something that we should prioritize.
Here are some efforts the Equity Department has been leading and/or supporting this month.
The Equity Department and Superintendent's Office will take part in a Teacher Diversification Professional Learning Community led by the Massachusetts Department of Secondary Education (DESE) and TNTP Teaching Fellows. Our first workshop will take place on Thursday, November 18th, 2021.
The Equity Steering Committee has been busy. The team is in the midst of conducting a comprehensive review of the Quality Review Report. We are building our capacity to understand our own biases around conducting research and reading data in research. In addition, we are learning how to use protocols to calibrate on data and having honest and purposeful discourse around data.
One of the suggestions made in the Quality Review Report states the importance of the district having a shared understanding of what Equity means within the context of the Milton Public Schools. The Equity Steering Committee has spent countless hours researching and defining 'Equity'. The team is now working on a plan to communicate our progress as well as providing all constituents of the district an opportunity to provide feedback of the definition. Their plans will involve a presentation at a School Committee Meeting.
The Equity Department continues our partnership with the Athletic Department to help improve our inclusion and equity efforts. We are continuously looking into systemic issues that present barriers with accessibility and inclusion.
The Equity Department has been working with school based leadership teams around their incident reporting practices. The process, protocols and practices are being reviewed with a lens on Equity and Social Justice. There is a special focus on approaching discipline reporting and interventions with a whole child approach, trauma informed practices, and restorative practices.
The Equity Department is also recruiting members for the Anti-Racist Action Team. The Anti-Racist Action Team will be working with the Equity Department to revise our Anti-Bullying Protocol and Intervention Plan with an identity, equity, culturally responsive, and restorative justice lens. If you are a constituent of the Milton Public Schools (parent/guardian, community partner, student, and/or staff), have the capacity to commit, come to the space as a learner, are willing to build your capacity to have purposeful discourse, and are interested in doing Anti-Racist work, please fill out the interest form by November 30th, 2021. Here is the link to apply and learn more about the work.
The Equity Department will be working in partnership with the professional development district team around the district's professional development goals and priorities for 2021-2022 school year.
- The Equity Department has provided some support to the HS DEI team with utilizing student data and reviewing the Quality Review report with a focus on identifying this year's priorities and goals for the group.
Looking for resources that may better explain what the district is doing around equity?
Need to better understand Equity and why it is a nonnegotiable in Education?
What are some possible impacts of historical trauma, oppressive structures and psychological projection on Identity?
Does our internalized identity impact self and others?
So much of what we do, say, think, believe, and live by depends on how we identify ourselves. All of us are complex human beings that consist of multiple identities. Our momentary behaviors depend on the identity(ies) we choose to activate in the moment. I identify as a mother of four, wife, sister to two siblings, daughter, working professional, refugee, educator, English Language Learner, Asian-American and much more. Each of these identities have developed thoughts, speech, feelings, emotions and behaviors that are uniquely formed based on my lived experiences, successes and traumas. The identity and/or multiple identities that surfaces in different situations will activate behaviors associated with how I lived those identities in the past. I demonstrate different behaviors as a mom in comparison to the behaviors I demonstrate when I am a daughter, professional, and/or wife. However, my lived experiences as a daughter, wife, Cambodian, American and professional impacts how I behave as a mom.
My mother had four children prior to having me. They died one by one in her arms during the Cambodian genocides. I am not really sure how she psychologically survived these types of trauma and lived experiences. The thought of losing just one of my children makes me physically sick. She said that I arrived during her darkest moment. I was born in the midst of the genocide. She knew she had to keep me alive at all costs. She could not bear to lose another child. During our escape from the labor camps, my mother attempted to keep me - a sick, malnourished baby - from crying and alerting the Khmer Rouge of our whereabouts. My dad said to my mother, "If you want us to survive this trek (through the jungles of Cambodia) into the Thailand borders, you need to leave her behind". She refused to leave her only surviving child to die. This was a huge part of my identity as her daughter. When it comes to my mom, I identify as the child that embodied hope, perseverance, and resilience. To her, I am a loving, intelligent, successful and trustworthy daughter.
I do not identify that way with my dad. I experienced a lot of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse from him growing up. When dealing with my father, I often identify as a constant disappointment, a disrespectful and inconsiderate daughter. This impacts the way I behave with him. We usually end up arguing about my place in society as a woman, wife, and mother. I truly believe that his intentions were not to raise a child who identifies this way but that is my lived experience with him. His actions and behaviors had and still have that impact.
As a child, I couldn't face the biggest bully in my life, my dad. Because I felt oppressed and unworthy to him, I was always angry as a teenager. I would unleash that anger onto others before they can make me feel oppressed and/or unworthy. As the oldest, I would rule my two siblings with an iron fist. I projected so much of my father's behaviors (that I hated) onto my siblings. I learned oppressing others was the only way to demand respect. I came to find out after 7 years of therapy, he was also abused by his father. He behaved in ways he thought were "normal". According to Rolland Bal, "PTSD Projection is mostly an unconscious process, and it can take considerable time to become fully aware of it. Often, it is so woven into the structure of our character, that we perceive in as being normal." Rolland Bal explains the concept of PTSD projection and provides some examples of how a person might reenact his/hers/theirs emotional patterns in the 5 Forms of PTSD Projection and How They are Reenacted article. For a long time into my early adulthood, his 'normal' behaviors became my 'normal' behaviors.
I psychologically projected the feelings my father psychologically projected on me. Sheri Jacobson, a therapist with a multitude of degrees, gives some insight into what psychological projection is. She states, "Psychological projection involves attributing the feelings and thoughts we don't like in ourselves to those around us instead, without even realizing we are doing so. And it's a common habit we all tend to indulge in."
It is a constant work in progress for me not to psychologically project my negative experience and feelings as a daughter onto my kids. As a mom, I am in a position of authority. My privilege and position over my children make it easy for me to influence and impact their identity and behaviors. Positions of authority - when misused - can be harmful and shape the identities and behaviors of others. I had to break this cycle of projection. I made a conscious effort to change my own toxic behaviors. I always pay attention to how my identity traumas are triggered and how I respond. There was and is so much unlearning I have to do to evolve into a better version of me. I do not think I would be able to navigate and manage my psychological projections without exploring and understanding the impact of my own historical traumas. The only way to break a cycle is to know what it is, learn how to break it and practice redirecting those toxic and harmful behaviors.
This is the reason why exploring and reflecting on my own behaviors is the first step to acknowledging and understanding how my past experiences and traumas influences my actions. The way I respond to my lived experiences may bear a positive or negative impact on myself and others.
Here are some reflective questions I have asked myself along my path of restoration:
- Who in my life (past or present) has psychologically projected their feelings, experiences and trauma onto me?
- How and when do I psychologically project my feelings, experiences and traumas onto others?
- Who - in my personal and/or professional life - is(are) most impacted by this behavior?
- Am I willing and ready to do the hardest part of this process which involves honestly acknowledging my behaviors that positively and negatively impact and/or harm myself and others?
- Have I been complicit in my own harmful behaviors?
- Do I hold myself accountable for evolving as much as I hold others accountable for evolving? If so, how and when do I practice doing so?
- Do I perpetuate the very behavior(s) I find harmful when done by others?
Restorative Practices Starts at Home!
In my experience with organization change, this is the most challenging part of the work. Many people approach change by trying to change the system, others, and other factors around them first. What if we all started with ourselves? Expecting others to acknowledge and understand the impact of their behaviors without acknowledging and understanding the impact of your behaviors is unfair and hypocritical. Every community is made up of individuals. Individuals who better understand and take ownership of their behavioral impact(s) cultivate a community that is more equitable and conducive for ALL to thrive. This is one of the core foundations of Restorative Practices.
A Few Other Identities and How It Impacts OUR Behaviors...
Identifying as Transgender and/or Non-Binary...
November 13th - 19th is Transgender Awareness Week!
Although the population surveys that are used by researchers to generalize population trends do not do a good job capturing the Transgender population and characteristics, in June, 2016 the Williams Institute of UCLA reports that 1.4 million Americans identify as Transgender.
Here are some highlights from that research...
A few years later, the Human Rights Campaign wrote, "Transgender people come from all walks of life, and HRC Foundation has estimated that there are more than 2 million of us across the United States. We are parents, siblings, and kids. We are your coworkers, your neighbors, and your friends. We are 7-year-old children and 70-year-old grandparents. We are a diverse community, representing all racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as all faith traditions."
Some Statistic on Our LGBTQ+ Youth by the Trevor Project in 2020...
This Mental Health Survey has representation from over 40,000 LGBTQ+ youth ranging from the ages of 13-24 from across the nation. It is the largest survey conducted with this population of youth. The report states, "This wealth of data highlights the resiliency and diversity of LGBTQ young people and demonstrates how important affirming one’s identity is to their health and wellness. Findings from this cross-sectional survey also point to best practices for how to support LGBTQ young people and contribute positively to their mental health."
Here are some of the key findings directly from the report:
- 40% of LGBTQ respondents seriously considered attempting suicide in the past twelve months, with more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth having seriously considered suicide,
- 48% of LGBTQ youth reported engaging in self-harm in the past twelve months, including over 60% of transgender and nonbinary youth,
- 46% of LGBTQ youth report they wanted psychological or emotional counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in the past 12 months,
- 29% of LGBTQ youth have experienced homelessness, been kicked out, or run away,
- 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth reported that they had been physically threatened or harmed in their lifetime due to their LGBTQ identity,
- 61% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being prevented or discouraged from using a bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, and
- Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all or most people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected.
Here is the link to read the full report.
Here are some resources you may find helpful:
Additional Dates to Keep on Your Radar!
Being Adopted is an Identity
The Netflix Documentary: Found
This documentary brings to the surface the emotional struggles adoption may bring. Although all girls appear to be in loving homes with supportive adoptive parents, there is still a longing to know who their biological parents, culture, and customs are. This documentary takes us through their journey to better understand aspects of their "identity" that they felt were absent and/or missing because of being adopted.
Zach Loveall states in the article 'Found' and the Intimacy of Documentaries, "The documentary addresses the harm caused by China’s One-Child policy, a 1979 family-planning policy intended to reduce the growth rate of the Chinese population. The policy penalized families that had more than one child with debilitating fines. Often, the fines required were more than a family’s annual income. However, this policy fueled waves of international adoption from China when second children were relinquished or forcibly taken away from their Chinese birth families."
Veterans - An Identity Many Honor and Celebrate in November
Thank you for your sacrifice and love for OUR country!
A Veteran is an identity that is honored and celebrated in America on November 11th, 2021. Do you know the history behind this day of celebration in honor of our Veterans?
"During the conflict, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers) fought against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States (the Allied Powers) (History.com)." Even though the US Department of Veterans Affairs stated that this war officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. The Great War also known as World War 1 began in 1914 and lasted until 1918. A temporary cease fire between the allied nations and Germany occurred on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month. November 11th of 1918 became known as the day that ended the war. Thomas Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that November 11th, 1919 will be the first Armistice Day and in 1926 the United States Congress made a resolution that this celebration of peace will occur annually.
Here are some resources that may help you better understand the history behind Veterans Day and how this identity impacted the behaviors of individuals, the collective and this nation:
- 8 Events that led to World War 1
- World War 1 Battles and Timelines
- How WW1 Changed Literature
- African Americans in WW1
- Fighting For Respect: African American Soldiers in WW1
- Asian Pacific Americans in WW1
How a few Milton Public Schools celebrated Veteran's Day...