Rockwood School District: A Statement From The Rockwood Board Of Education

Press release from the Rockwood School District:

May 6, 2021

The seven members of the Rockwood Board of Education shared this statement at the May 6 Board meeting, in regards to recent events in the Rockwood community:We would like to begin this evening with a sincere thank you to our teachers, administrators and support staff for continuing to love, nurture and educate our children despite the noise and challenges of the 2020-2021 school year. We want you to know that we support you and appreciate all that you do for our students. This year, our district and our staff have been the subject of sometimes hateful and certainly hurtful social media posts, emails and voicemails. This is not acceptable. Harassment in any form is not acceptable. Racism in any form is not acceptable. It is an embarrassment, and it does not reflect who we are as a district. We call on all stakeholders - parents, community members, staff and students  - to stop spreading hate and shame. Help us build our Beloved Community where everyone belongs and feels safe. We implore you to think about what you say, what you post, what you write in an email. Listen to understand and consider the perspectives of others. Form a positive relationship with your child’s teacher and administrators in a supportive and gracious manner. Develop trust so that you can have respectful conversations when you have a concern or a question related to your child’s education. We want to be very clear: the Rockwood School District is not teaching Critical Race Theory. We are committed to providing an equitable, welcoming and safe learning environment for all students, as outlined in The Way Forward. We value and embrace diversity and want our students to consider various perspectives. Engaging in respectful conversations about how people think and view things differently is what helps develop students as critical thinkers and problem-solvers. When we developed The Way Forward, you told us that you wanted students to think globally, learn to be problem-solvers, collaborate with others and engage thoughtfully and respectfully. As adults, we should be modeling those behaviors for our students.We have four weeks remaining in the school year. Let’s fill these weeks with positive celebrations of our student and staff achievements. There is so much to celebrate this year, despite the pandemic, and we want to focus on our students and staff as we move forward. While we do not have all the answers, we are confident that if we act with grace, love, compassion and empathy, and listen with open hearts and minds, we can make positive change throughout our schools and communities.  In 2019 we signed a proclamation in support of our anti-bullying program in Rockwood. In 2020 we signed a resolution acknowledging and affirming our dedication and commitment to universal equity, opportunity and access in the Rockwood School District. We believe that the district’s work can only be realized by ensuring that teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents and community members organize in unity to collectively continue to implement the d​istrict’s mission.Signed,Jaime BayesLynne MidyettTom DunnKeith KinderRandall MillerLoralee MondlTammy Rhomberg​

The seven members of the Rockwood Board of Education shared this statement at the May 6 Board meeting, in regards to recent events in the Rockwood community:We would like to begin this evening with a sincere thank you to our teachers, administrators and support staff for continuing to love, nurture and educate our children despite the noise and challenges of the 2020-2021 school year. We want you to know that we support you and appreciate all that you do for our students. This year, our district and our staff have been the subject of sometimes hateful and certainly hurtful social media posts, emails and voicemails. This is not acceptable. Harassment in any form is not acceptable. Racism in any form is not acceptable. It is an embarrassment, and it does not reflect who we are as a district. We call on all stakeholders - parents, community members, staff and students  - to stop spreading hate and shame. Help us build our Beloved Community where everyone belongs and feels safe. We implore you to think about what you say, what you post, what you write in an email. Listen to understand and consider the perspectives of others. Form a positive relationship with your child’s teacher and administrators in a supportive and gracious manner. Develop trust so that you can have respectful conversations when you have a concern or a question related to your child’s education. We want to be very clear: the Rockwood School District is not teaching Critical Race Theory. We are committed to providing an equitable, welcoming and safe learning environment for all students, as outlined in The Way Forward. We value and embrace diversity and want our students to consider various perspectives. Engaging in respectful conversations about how people think and view things differently is what helps develop students as critical thinkers and problem-solvers. When we developed The Way Forward, you told us that you wanted students to think globally, learn to be problem-solvers, collaborate with others and engage thoughtfully and respectfully. As adults, we should be modeling those behaviors for our students.We have four weeks remaining in the school year. Let’s fill these weeks with positive celebrations of our student and staff achievements. There is so much to celebrate this year, despite the pandemic, and we want to focus on our students and staff as we move forward. While we do not have all the answers, we are confident that if we act with grace, love, compassion and empathy, and listen with open hearts and minds, we can make positive change throughout our schools and communities.  In 2019 we signed a proclamation in support of our anti-bullying program in Rockwood. In 2020 we signed a resolution acknowledging and affirming our dedication and commitment to universal equity, opportunity and access in the Rockwood School District. We believe that the district’s work can only be realized by ensuring that teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents and community members organize in unity to collectively continue to implement the d​istrict’s mission.Signed,Jaime BayesLynne MidyettTom DunnKeith KinderRandall MillerLoralee MondlTammy Rhomberg​

This press release was produced by the Rockwood School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.