Milton Superintendent To Recommend Educational Equity Director

MILTON, MA — A proposed Director of Educational Equity senior leadership position within Milton Public Schools is scheduled to be presented to the Milton School Committee for a vote during Wednesday night's meeting.

Milton Superintendent of Schools Mary Gormley will recommend the creation of the position to help advance the school district's work in diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and anti-racism.

The position was unanimously approved by the Finance Subcommittee last week.

The proposal suggests using funds from unfilled positions from the past year to pay the salary and will not require additional appropriates. Gormley said the position was to be considered next year, but moved it up to this year's consideration "to underscore the urgency of the work."

"We are deeply committed to building an anti-racism school system, grounded in safe, welcoming, inclusive learning environments where every child has full access to opportunities and resources to achieve personal and academic success," said Superintendent Gormley. "We know that we have a great deal of critical work to do in order to realize that vision, so it is essential that my leadership team is enhanced by a leader with deep expertise in identifying and eradicating obstacles to a truly equitable system, including dismantling forms of systemic racism and oppression in public education."

School Committee Chair Sheila Egan Varela said she supports the position: "The School Committee is fully dedicated and engaged to making systemic changes needed in policy, practice, curriculum, instruction, resource allocation, and other areas of the Milton Public Schools to eliminate racism and bias in all of their forms."

The position's responsibilities are expected to include supporting parents, students and educators on issues related to equity and anti-racism, designing and leading implementation of anti-racism initiatives, coordinating professional development in equity and anti-racism to staff in all schools and central offices, and bringing additional expertise and accountability to the district's ongoing work in recruiting and hiring a diverse teaching staff, developing an anti-racism curriculum, and other critical issues.

The virtual meeting of the Milton School Committee will begin at 7 p.m. and will include presentation of a draft of the superintendent's Return to School plans.

The meeting can be found here, ID 847 990 0959, passcode 934213.