Framingham Schools To Form Gender Equity Group

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham Public Schools is seeking volunteers for a new committee that will examine gender equity in athletic programs. FPS expects the group to start meeting in January.

Here's more from an FPS press release:

Framingham Public Schools is in the process of forming a Gender Equity Working Group to look specifically at gender equality issues in athletics. We are looking for a diverse representation of volunteers from the Framingham community; coaches, student athletes, former athletes, weekend athletes, families of athletes, fans of athletes and non-athletes alike.

While space is limited, we want a group that is representative of various abilities, races, ethnicities, socio-economic status, sexual orientations, religions, nationalities, gender expressions, etc. Anyone interested in affirming gender equity in sports is welcome to apply! We anticipate starting this working group in January 2022. Meetings will be held quarterly during the school year.

Action items for the Gender Equity Working Group may include:

• Offer suggestions on the FHS Booster Policy for its effectiveness and impact on athletic programs
• Look into the creation of new sports to achieve substantial gender proportionality
• Examine means of procuring funds for fields, facilities, and equipment
• Other related topics

"As the newly appointed Manager of Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance for Framingham Public Schools, it is important that we find new and creative ways to support all schools and departments in their efforts to improve the student experience," said Saundra Edwards, Manager of Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance. "What we are doing with this initiative will have a positive impact on our high school athletes today and in the future. We look forward to bringing together a group of community members who share our commitment to improving the student athlete experience."

If you are interested in joining the Gender Equity Working Group, please contact Framingham High School Athletic Director Paul Spear at 508-620-4963, ext. 27650. He can also be reached by email at Pspear@framingham.k12.ma.us with any questions.

The District continues to find and create opportunities for family and community engagement. If this opportunity is not of interest to you, there may be other recruitment efforts for working groups and committees in the future.

The communication shared with FPS Families in English, Spanish, and Portuguese can be found here: Gender Equity Working Group Recruitment