The letter below was written to the Essex-Westford School Board. – Editor
Having read the current version of the EWSD Policy on Equity and listened to the discussion at the June 1 Board Meeting, it is clear that the Policy was developed without considering a full diversity of views on equity. We request that you look at this video, TakeCharge: A new narrative in the Black Community of America. The video captures a serious, valid viewpoint that was totally ignored in developing the EWSD Policy on Equity. This viewpoint is well captured by TakeCharge’s “Our Purpose”:
“Concerns and sensitivities are still on edge from last year’s death of George Floyd, riots, and destruction in Minneapolis. TakeCharge is a new organization committed to countering the prevailing narrative in popular culture that America is structured to undermine the lives of black Americans. Kendall Qualls will lead TakeCharge with the objective to inspire and educate the black community and other minority groups in the Twin Cities to take charge of their own lives, the lives of the families and communities as citizens fully granted to them in the Constitution.
“We acknowledge that racist people exist in the country, but explicitly reject the notion that the United States of America is a racist country. This is a subtle, but significant difference! We also denounce the idea that the country is guilty of systemic racism, white privilege and abhor the concept of identity politics and the promotion of victimhood in minority communities.
TakeCharge will build a coalition of community champions, academic professionals, and business leaders to ignite a transformation within the Black community of the Twin Cities by embracing the core principles of America – not rejecting them. These principles are embedded in the belief of hard work, education, faith, family, and free enterprise in the personal pursuit of dreams that can be realized by anyone regardless of race or social standing.”
In our view, the EWSD Policy on Equity needs major revision.
Richard and Molly Jesse, Essex