All tagged Diversity

Equity Audit on Hold, Diversity Training Ongoing

Equity Audit on Hold, Diversity Training Ongoing

Rachel Pastan
WSSD School Board

An equity audit of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is on hold for now, pending an investigation into who might best perform it, board member Kelly Wachtman reported at the board’s meeting on Monday. Also, Superintendent Lisa Palmer reported that the school board has begun equity training with Heather Bennett, Director of Equity Services for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. Palmer anticipates that the board will produce an equity statement and an equity policy by the end of the school year.

Also at the WSSD Board Meeting: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Swarthmorean Staff
WSSD School Board

Board member Jerry Ballas reported on the activities of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Ballas noted several disturbing incidents at Strath Haven High School on the first day of school. “It’s important that we not only talk about but fundamentally demonstrate that behavior of that type is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the school system,” he said. The public comments portion of the meeting included reading out the following letter, written by leaders of the group Wallingford-Swarthmore Schools Big IDEA.

Panel Wrestles With Racism and Inclusion

Panel Wrestles With Racism and Inclusion

Rachel Pastan
Borough Council

As the country wrestles with racial justice in the wake of the May 25 killing of George Floyd, Swarthmore’s Human Relations Commission (HRC) is attempting to finalize a mission statement, draft a diversity and inclusion statement for the borough, and identify concrete steps to improve Swarthmore’s racial climate.

WSSD and Community Respond to Racist Video

WSSD and Community Respond to Racist Video

Rachel Pastan
WSSD School Board

Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Superintendent Lisa Palmer reported in an email to WSSD families on Sunday that “a hurtful and disturbing video...is circulating within our community.” School district officials forwarded the video to the Nether Providence Police Department on Thursday, May 28. The department is investigating. Chief David Splain said that the results of the investigation will be presented to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office to determine if a crime was committed and whether to file charges.

What They Said, part 2 Parents and Students Respond to WSSD Book Removals

What They Said, part 2 Parents and Students Respond to WSSD Book Removals

Swarthmorean Staff
WSSD School Board

Last week, the Swarthmorean published several statements given by district parents and students during the public comment section of the March 9 Wallingford-Swarthmore school board meeting. The speakers were responding to the removal of three books on LGBTQ+ subjects from a fifth-grade classroom library. These two statements, given by seniors at Strath Haven High School, were not prepared in advance, but were offered on the spur of the moment.

New Group Promotes Diversity and Inclusion in WSSD

New Group Promotes Diversity and Inclusion in WSSD

Rachel Pastan

In the early evening of February 11, the library at the Swarthmore Rutledge School hummed with energy and ideas. Groups of parents, grandparents, teachers, and staff rotated around the room, with its bright blue rug and imagination station, brainstorming strategies to better support and teach about diversity in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District.