Chatham Grads 'Demand' Anti-Racism Changes To School District

CHATHAM, NJ - Three 2019 Chatham High School graduates stood before the School District of the Chathams Board of Education on Monday and asked for changes meant to address issues of race.

It was a unique meeting in many ways as participants and spectators wore masks and they were temperature checked at the door before entering but that did not deter Alexis Williams, Eleanor Franklin and Julia Ekert from asking for changes from their former district.

Noting the support of Black Lives Matter Morristown, Wind of the Spirit and members of the Chatham community Williams, Franklin and Ekert listed "demands" for the school board. The list included:

• Institute anti-racism training in all of the Chatham Schools
• Curriculum reform to teach anti-racism
• The elimination of the "N-word" being spoken out loud in classrooms
• A black history class similar to the holocost class taught at Chatham Middle School
• A quota of 20 percent teachers of color in the school system by the year 2026

Superintendent Michael LaSusa called the commentary and conversation "helpful in getting to a better place."

"It's upsetting to hear some of the things the students said, as a parent," School Board President Jill Critchley-Weber said, noting that the district takes these things very seriously and there is a process in place to address things like curriculum.

Weber said they would be bringing in their district experts to get an understanding of where the current curriculum is and see where it can be improved and LaSusa noted this is an issue being talked about in the Department of Education throughout the state.

You can seem the full meeting and comments below.

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