L-S Regional HS Superintendent Takes Issue With Newspaper's METCO Coverage

SUDBURY, MA—The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, otherwise known as METCO, has long been integrated into the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. The goal behind the program is "to provide a strong academic foundation, as well as an environment rich in cultural, educational, ethnic and racial diversity," according to its mission. METCO buses approximately 3,300 students from Boston and Springfield to schools in the suburbs, including Lincoln-Sudbury.

The Boston Globe recently featured the program, pointing to less-than-positive experiences from the students who participate in METCO, and also Lincoln-Sudbury-specific incidents and students.

"Fifty years after Massachusetts launched an ambitious voluntary school desegregation initiative, the yawning social disparities and tensions the plan aimed to ease remain — and painful incidents persist," writes Globe reporter Kay Lazar.

Lincoln-Sudbury Superintendent Bella Wong sent out a lengthy message to the school community over the weekend, addressing the Globe piece, indicating that, "We all know that how students feel about their learning environment directly impacts their capacity to learn. The article did not at all fully capture what was shared about our intensive efforts to address student expressions of 'not belonging' and feelings of being not safe."

The following is the complete letter that was emailed to the L-S school community.

Dear LS Families,

I am writing regarding the cover story in today’s Sunday Globe about the METCO program. I appreciate that the reporter allowed me a significant amount of time to speak with her and acknowledged receipt of a comprehensive written summary of what many of us in the community have done in leadership roles and as participants working with one another and directly with students to support each one's academic and social success. I am proud of our collective commitment and of what we have done individually and in collaboration with each other. At no point do I deny students feel the way they do. I am not nor should we be defensive about this. Our job is to determine how we can effectively improve the way we work with our students to establish a culturally responsive climate that is embraced as being universally inclusive.

We all know that how students feel about their learning environment directly impacts their capacity to learn. The article did not at all fully capture what was shared about our intensive efforts to address student expressions of 'not belonging' and feelings of being not safe. It did not convey the depth of our commitment; how much time we have invested in reflecting on how to make things better. Because the article left this part unsaid I offer assurance now of what was unspoken. Our community's commitment and actions regarding respecting diversity and fostering inclusion remain a longstanding priority for us.

We actively review and develop our school’s curriculum and programs to ensure these values are integrated into the lessons we seek to teach and in the behaviors and relationships we hope we all model. When events do occur that are our contrary to these principles we respond immediately with appropriate communications and consequences to reinforce expectations. Holding each other accountable to support an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students is a shared responsibility among all members of our community.

I look at each of our students as potential future leaders of the world. The importance of these efforts is not just about resolving issues in our immediate environment. It is about fostering leadership to empower our students to make a difference on a broader scale that is premised on the fundamental belief in their infinite potential.
Best Regards,
Bella Wong