A Message from Us
Your Petaluma City Schools Elementary Principals
Dear McNear Community,
As educators and human beings, we stand against all racism and racial injustices. We stand in allyship and solidarity with Black Lives Matter. We acknowledge that racial injustices exist in our community and our country through overt actions, implicit biases and systemic racism.
We are fully committed to teaching, leading, supporting, and protecting our students. One of the greatest gifts of our profession is being able to work alongside families during difficult times. We’ve certainly had our fair share of those lately, haven’t we?
We want to take a moment to remind you that we see each and every one of our students and families. We are listening to all your voices, and seek to empower voices that have been historically silenced and marginalized. We are here for you. We want to live up to our professional commitments, continue growing our awareness and understanding, and act in any and all ways we can to combat injustice and racial terror.
The work we all must do to acknowledge and fight against racism on individual, family, community and nation-wide levels is challenging and necessary. We have collected some resources that you may find helpful as your family discusses current events and learns about allyship, antiracism and social justice.
The research shows no child is too young to begin the conversation around race, bias and privilege. Wherever your family is in this process, please join us in being a part of a healing solution during this important historic moment.
If you have not been a part of this conversation in the past, there is no better time than now. Join us.
In solidarity,
Liza Eichert, McNear
Lauri Anderson, McDowell
Amy Fadeji, Penngrove
Amanda Grey, Grant
Catina Haugen, Valley Vista
Ani Larson, McKinley
Amy Schlueter, Mary Collins
Querida comunidad de McNear,
Como educadores y seres humanos, nosotras estamos en contra de todo racismo y de las injusticias sociales. Nosotras nos ponemos de pie como aliados y en solidaridad con Las Vidas Negras Importan. Reconocemos que en nuestra comunidad y en nuestro país existen injusticias raciales a través de acciones evidentes, prejuicios implícitos y racismo sistemático.
Nosotros estamos completamente comprometidos a enseñar, dirigir, apoyar, y proteger a nuestros estudiantes. Uno de los regalos más grandes de nuestra profesión es el poder trabajar junto con las familias durante tiempos difíciles. Y hemos tenido una cantidad de estos últimamente; ¿Qué no?
Queremos tomar un momento para recordarle que nosotros vemos a todos y cada uno de nuestros estudiantes y familias. Estamos escuchando sus voces, y esperamos darle poder a las voces que han sido históricamente silenciadas y marginalizadas. Nosotros estamos aquí para ustedes. Queremos poder cumplir con nuestros compromisos profesionales, continuar creciendo en nuestra concientización y entendimiento, y actuar de todas las maneras posibles para combatir la injusticia y el terror racial.
La labor que todos debemos de llevar a cabo para reconocer y luchar en contra del racismo ya sea este de manera individual, familiar, comunitaria, y a nivel nacional es una labor dificultosa y necesaria. Hemos recopilado algunos recursos que le puedan ayudar al discutir los eventos actuales con su familia, y al aprender sobre el ser aliado, el anti-racismo y la justicia social.
Los estudios demuestran que ningún niño es demasiado joven para comenzar a tener conversaciones con el/ella sobre los temas de raza, prejuicio y privilegio. Donde sea que este su familia en este proceso, por favor únase a nosotros en ser parte de una solución sanadora durante este momento histórico importante.
Si no ha sido parte de esta conversación en el pasado, no hay mejor momento que este. Únase a nosotros.
En solidaridad,
Liza Eichert
Get involved
Join the TIDE Committee at our school and/or Petaluma TIDE Team Inclusion Diversity Equity. TIDE is a community-led group exploring how to make our schools more safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all of our diverse TK-12 students, families, teachers, and administrators. The citywide TIDE group is made up of representatives from each school and serves as a place of inspiration and collaboration for each school.
Únese con Petaluma TIDE (Team of Inclusivity Diversity Equity - equipo para inclusividad, diversidad, y equidad). TIDE es un grupo comunitario explorando cómo hacer nuestras escuelas más seguras, inclusivas, y agradables para toda diversidad de los estudiantes TK-12, familias, maestros, y directores. Se busca representates de cada escuela.
"When we refuse to talk about race at an early age, children absorb our silence as shame. We’re taught that if we have nothing nice to say – say nothing at all. Well – white folks are aggressively silent when it comes to race! Does that mean that being Brown or Black is something to be ashamed of?”
As you know, there are a wide variety of resources being shared, these are just a few that some families have found helpful. We hope they spark conversation, self reflection and inquiry.
Como usted sabe, hay una gran variedad de recursos que están siendo compartidos, estos son unos cuantos que algunas familias han encontrado que les han sido de ayuda. Esperamos que le ayuden a iniciar conversaciones, auto reflexión y preguntas.
Common Sense Media: Common Sense Media Resources About Race and Racism. Incluye recursos en español https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/common-sense-media-resources-about-race-and-racism
TIME: Why White parents need to do more than talk to their kids about racism: https://time.com/5362786/talking-racism-with-white-kids-not-enough/?amp=true&__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR2wu_82ObxA6ZLuzrLwytmYDMtodP48jq-Bw34WcMdYriGXg0Q_afdQifk
Today’s Parent: 27 books to help you talk to your kids about racism https://www.todaysparent.com/family/books/kids-books-that-talk-about-racism/#gallery/books-that-talk-about-racism/slide-1
Anti-Racism For Kids 101: Starting To Talk About Race https://booksforlittles.com/racial-diversity/
9,000 parents registered for EmbraceRace's conversation last night on "How NOT to raise white kids who are quick to call police on POC". Donate to EmbraceRace or you can watch the program now on Facebook and YouTube.
Your kids aren’t too young to talk about Race: https://www.prettygooddesign.org/blog/Blog%20Post%20Title%20One-5new4?fbclid=IwAR2IYU6fc-IExqXpgDcpkCtggAmnQBV0Ws5sr0WUEvCk-d-RvL3sj2fviCE·
Anti-racism resources for white people: bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
Kids pick up when we refuse to acknowledge racial difference – and how we treat people of color. Why are we surprised then, to see nice, well-behaved children reflect unconscious bias against people of color, then grow into adults who blame people of color for violence and harm against them? https://booksforlittles.com/racial-diversity/
Not sure what to say? This can help: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Nrtnq4XU8mqyj8tuzY-EXZoFMeDvbDx/view?fbclid=IwAR3EsUCR-jcLDY3phmyuvkncvCYJe7F-9ov2qgivcoLRcuVm2BqVgr4izUs
"How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion": Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlaneSchools https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-BY9UEewHw&fbclid=IwAR2flYM0n_MRgE_LbFq1h22teCVQnMcayG_y7WJ3se2kNAeHlLTrRkobEBw
Becoming a Parent in the Age of Black Lives Matter- Clint Smith “My children, as is the case for many other parents, have pushed me to reprioritize, reevaluate, and reorient my relationship to the world.” https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/06/becoming-a-parent-in-the-age-of-black-lives-matter/612448/
Ways to Stay Connected
Email: Leichert@petk12.org
Website: https://www.petalumacityschools.org/mcnear
Location: 605 Sunnyslope Avenue, Petaluma, CA 94952
Phone: 707-778-4752
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McNear-Elementary-243976945636795/?eid=ARA0ovmGs_7oUxh6_4wadNP1pGIc2snX8ZUqdFtE15ERQBNAa6SYUuk1idGxeccJqxEs6pOYIxmx7MJf
Twitter: @mcnearelement