Multicultural Education Goals

The BVSD Equity Office confronts values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices in school and district process that marginalize and silence the voices of diverse populations. Included in this section are our Equity Goals, Beliefs on Equity, Perspectives on Equity (as proposed by Julian Wiessglass, Founder and Director of the Equity Institute for Equity in Mathematics Education and the National Coalition for Equity Education). We have also included our office Dimensions of Equity and Multicultural Education and Proposed Violence Prevention Outcomes.

BVSD Equity Goals

• Provide leadership in collaboration with other district personnel to establish long-and short-term goals for institutional equity for the academic achievement of all students.
• Develop programs, practices, and policies that will enhance equity and the school districts' intercultural competency.
• Provide district curriculum leadership to staff and schools in matters concerning multicultural education.
• Serve as a resource person to the staff in planning and revising curriculum.
• Establish and maintain lines of communication between diverse populations, the community, school staff, and administration through meetings, personal contact, written communication, etc.
• Act as a catalyst and sounding board between the school district and its diverse populations.
• Coordinate district efforts to improve educational opportunities for students through staff and program development.
• Evaluate existing learning materials for their validity, relevance, and inclusiveness for all students.
• Provide leadership for the implementation of the district's multicultural education framework.
• Evaluate and makes recommendations regarding district data, which reflects institutional equity and the success of all students.
• Coordinate Student Achievement Grant Funds at eleven BVSD Schools.
• Develop and implement districts professional development initiatives in the areas of equity, diversity, and multicultural education and policy issues.
• Establish district equity website, newsletter, pamphlet, brochure and community connection.

Perspectives on Equity

• No one is born prejudiced. All forms of bias, from extreme bigotry to unaware cultural biases, are acquired - actually imposed on the young person.
• We are one species. All humans are very much alike.
• In many societies, many of the assumptions, values and practices of people and institutions from the dominant culture serve to the disadvantage of students from the non-dominant culture.
• Individual prejudice and institutionalized biases are dysfunctional for individuals and to the society as a whole.
• Systematic mistreatment (such as racism, classism, or sexism) is more than the sum of individual prejudices.
• Thoughtful action with regard to curriculum, pedagogy, and school policies and organization is necessary to overcome the effects on people and institutions of along history of prejudice and discrimination.
• Individuals and groups internalize the systematic mistreatment. They often act harmfully toward themselves and each other. This process must also be identified and eliminate.
• Educators are an important force in helping people overcome the effects of societal bias and discrimination, but schools also serve to perpetuate the inequalities and prejudices in society.
• Race, class, and gender bias are serious issues facing U.S. society and education that are usually not discussed.
• Talking about them is necessary, not to lay blame, but to figure out better ways of educating our children.
• Lack of acceptance and support is an impediment to the development of educational leadership among people of color, women, and the working class.
• To make progress on this very complex problem, it will be necessary to improve alliances between educators from different ethnic and racial groups, between males and females, between people of different class backgrounds.
• Discussing and gaining new understandings about the existence and effects of bias and discrimination will usually be accompanied by strong emotions.
• Changed attitudes and actions will be facilitated if we are listened to attentively and allowed to release our emotions as we attempt to make sense of our experiences and the experiences of others.

      An in depth discussion of these perspectives is contained in Ripples of Hope: Building Relationships for Educational Change by Julian Weissglass.

Proposed Violence Prevention Outcomes

• Students and school staff treat all and work with all individuals with dignity and respect regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or religion.
• Schools demonstrate evidence of a welcoming and positive school climate free of drugs, violence, harassment, and fear.
• Students demonstrate skills to resolve conflicts, recognize and deal with emotions, and make decisions.
• Schools involve parents, students and staff in developing, implementing and/or sustaining violence prevention and intervention program.