To the Editor:
Over the past several weeks we have witnessed distress in our school community as some have become aggressively vocal about the way they believe our schools should be run.
We have listened to our community members rail against equity and inclusion practices while repeating the well-worn rhetoric of racial divide. We have watched community members cry out that their personal liberties and rights are being violated while simultaneously demanding that their personal beliefs be imposed upon the entire community, without recognizing their irony. We have grown concerned that members of our community have become disassociated with our modern and diverse community.
The Franklin Equity and Justice Coalition is a collective community built to engage, advocate and grow a culture of inclusion in the larger Franklin community.
We seek to provide avenues for the voices of our minoritized community members to rise up and be represented. We seek to celebrate our diverse community and educate fellow community members on multicultural issues. We seek to ensure our local legislative body takes the entire community into consideration when making decisions, including our minoritized population.
We seek to encourage our fellow community members to open themselves up to the exciting cultures and experiences as our small town continues to grow and attract more people from other places. We believe Franklin is the best community to live in, work, play and raise a family, and we believe that this community experience should be shared by everyone equally.
We recognize Critical Race Theory is a hot button topic for our school community. We also recognize Critical Race Theory is not taught in our schools, because it is an advanced scholarly lens for specific fields of study in higher education.
We recognize that Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a vital tool to help our children understand themselves, and those around them, in healthy and positive ways. Social and Emotional Learning has shaped educational practice for many decades, and will continue to do so regardless of its misinterpretation as a political tool.
What we do support in our schools is critical reflection, contextualization and addressing multiple perspectives. We also support academic rigor, challenging curriculum and individual student empowerment. A curriculum that promotes ideals of equity, inclusion and critical thinking will be wholly successful in these endeavors, and give our students the tools they need to exist in this diverse patchwork we call America.
We support the Franklin Community Schools Board of Trustees, superintendent and all the individual school administrators and teachers in their efforts to continue to provide the remarkable educational experiences they are known for. Franklin schools are a pillar of our community and we applaud your efforts in recognizing and supporting the diverse perspectives of our community members.
We recognize that this effort may draw ire from some members of the community, but know their opposition means you are doing the right things. We appreciate the work you do.
Jessica Daudy-Hamm
The Franklin Equity and Justice Coalition
