ARA North Jersey Letter of Support- Racism in Florham Park

On October 28, 2020, an article in the New York Times “You’re Out of Your Mind if You Think I’m Ever Going Back to School” written by Melinda D. Anderson was published expressing Black students’ virtual schooling experiences during the pandemic. The people interviewed in the article described how their families were coping with this new educational medium. They expressed
a variety of emotions including relief from exposure to racial aggressions the students faced on a daily basis at school. The youth also reported microaggressions in the virtual learning experience as well; one event involved seeing other students wearing MAGA hats in the virtual classrooms. The student’s reaction was to shut the video off and experience temporary relief. Virtual learning gave the student power to control what she could see.

Since then, there has been a range of reactions towards the article and families profiled in it.
Some Florham Park community members have denied the traumatizing systemic racism experienced by directly impacted Black and Brown people in the school system and others have empathized. Those who have denied have gone so far as to claim that the family is exploiting their children and demand that the family move somewhere else. On town forums, community boards and social media sites, many have expressed their support of the school district, denied, and
disregarded the lived experiences of the student and family. There have been overt racist threats and comments to the parent, ranging from slave tropes and animal references, including a community member suggesting someone post the address of the family and “let it play
out” on a Facebook post—all while stating it is a welcoming town. In a subsequent statement from the Florham Park Board of Education and administration to the parents, guardians, and staff, the district’s choice to deny the parent and child’s experience is evidence of the racial trauma within the community and district.

This issue has come up repeatedly in the past. Over the summer, in the wake of the George Floyd murder, students and community members came together to provide a Teach-In in Florham Park on Black Lives Matter and Anti-Racist principles. Former Black students painfully shared their experiences growing up in Florham Park and how racism affected their educational, social, emotional and psychological development within the school district. This event was attended by hundreds of people from Florham Park and the surrounding towns.

Even the data collected by the Federal Office of Civil Rights Data Collection, indicates Black students in Florham Park receive in-school suspensions over 4 times as much as White students for similar behavior.

The Anti-Racist Alliance of North Jersey has worked throughout New Jersey providing anti-racist
trainings. It is clear to us that systemic racism is real and occurs in all aspects of life including the public school system. We honor and uphold the views expressed by the students and families who are reporting their experiences in the article. We also understand that the way racism operates may not be fully seen and understood by many people. It is imperative that we hear the voices of those who have been hurt by the impact of racism and who are protecting their children by speaking out. We believe that the only way to end systemic racism is to acknowledge its existence, address it head on through anti-racism training and, as a society, make every effort to change the systems we live in. We do not accept blaming the people interviewed for sharing their experiences, and we will not tolerate any threats to the family. We stand united against all forms of racism. Instead of arguing or denying people's lived experiences, we call on the community to listen, accept and understand. We call on the Florham Park School District to fulfill the promise affirmed in their letter to provide anti-racism training to their Board, administration, staff, teachers and students. We demand that the community acknowledge its racism and come together to abolish it.

In New Jersey, we have been in the lead in understanding and addressing the negative impact of bullying, intimidation, and harassment, and the schools have clear policies about these issues.
Systemic racism in our schools results in these damaging experiences for children. We would like to refer you to the National Education Association (NEA) statement about the importance of recognizing and addressing the experiences of Black students: "As racism and xenophobia become more prevalent and overt in our schools and communities, it is more important than ever to listen to and elevate the voices, experiences, and history of our fellow citizens and communities under attack." NEA goes on to call for "critical reflection and honest conversation in school communities for people of all ages to engage with issues of racial justice." We call on the Florham Park School District, Superintendent, and Board of Education to heed the words of your fellow educators and ensure that the experiences of your Black students are acknowledged and respected, and that the youth themselves are protected and nurtured.

Article referenced:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/1...
7mN5OCMQ-DRforKKQEuhMhAuCy803C2vxHpoU9uIdRKiid5ngF_zaQ
https://neaedjustice.org/black...

OCR:
https://ocrdata.ed.gov/profile...

Anti-Racist Alliance: http://www.antiracistalliance....
antiracistalliancenj@gmail.com

Supporters Signatures

Willard Ashley, Pastor of
Abundant Joy Community Church, Jersey City

NJ Certified
Psychoanalyst, Jersey City, NJ

Nicole Auffant, Newark, NJ

Barbara Okamoto Bach, Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
Anti-Racism Commission, Scotch Plains, NJ

Beata Geyer
Beaudoin, Ph.D., ABPP- Clinical Neuropsychology,
Denville, NJ

Gregory Benson, Psy.D.

Marisa N. Benson, Ewing, NJ

Deirdre Birmingham, Montclair, NJ

Rhea Mokund Beck, South Orange, NJ

Scot Beck, South Orange, NJ

Judith Bernstein, Psy.D., Maplewood, NJ

Alicia Blandón

Erika Bocian, Madison, NJ

Mona Boewe, Teacher, West Orange, NJ

Lee Ann Brensinger, She/Her: Mother, Grandmother, Educator, Human

Luda Bryzzheva, Bloomfield, NJ

Jane Califf, retired, Director of Outreach, Department of Urban Education, Rutgers/Newark, Bloomfield, NJ

Folasade Campbell, Family Preservation Collective

Syretta Carrington, Restorative Justice Teacher, Special Assignment Montclair
Public Schools

Lina Maria Caswell, Parent and Higher Ed Educator, Boonton, NJ

Katia Segre Cohen, Millburn, NJ

Monique Coleman, educator and activist, Highland Park, NJ

Briana Cox, Psy.D., Mountain Lakes, NJ

Bonnie Cushing, LCSW, ARA of NJ

Mary Dashiell, LCSW

Sondra deGraft-Johnson, Rockaway, NJ

Deborah Donker

Jennifer Donnelly, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Valerie Drew, MBA MS CyberSecurity, West Orange, NJ

Shana Dworken, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Dr. Mary Early-Zald, PhD, MDiv, Unitarian Universalist Chaplain

Marta Esquilin, South Orange, NJ

Susan Cohen Esquilin, Ph.D., ABPP-Clinical, South Orange, NJ

Gina Falada, Montclair, NJ

Stephanie Field, LCSW, LCADC

Michelle Fine

Karin Fiore, MSW, LSW, Former Florham Park resident and parent

Rachel Fisher, Ph.D., Maplewood, NJ

Barbara Foley, Emerita Distinguished Professor of English, Rutgers University-Newark

Danielle Francois, MPH, Bloomfield, NJ

Karen Gaffney, PhD, Raritan Valley Community College

Mary Beth Gallagher, Montclair, NJ

Lillian Garcia, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Maria-Cruz Garcia, Master in Physics, Basking Ridge, NJ

Denise Geffke-Ramos

Shana Ginsberg, M.Ed.

Ted Glick, Bloomfield, NJ

Rebecca Gotterer, Montclair, NJ

Green Party of Morris County

Green Party of New Jersey

Rev. Carol S. Haag, Unitarian Universalist Minister, retired.

Amanda Hamlin, Doctor of Education, West Orange, NJ

Marshall Harth, Ph. D.

Fatimah Hayes M.Ed., Educator, Lawnside, NJ

Susan Herschman, Psy.D.

Marjorie Heyman, Florham Park, NJ

Dagmar Hobson, West Orange, NJ

Jennifer Hoff, School Board President, William Penn School District,
Lansdowne, PA

Joan Hussey-Rothenberg, Bloomfield NJ

Raquel James-Goodman, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Mary Alosio Joelsson, President, Mountain Lakes League of Women Voters

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, MSW, M.Div., The Unitarian Society, East Brunswick, NJ

Maggie Joralemon Ed.M, Anti-racist educator and organizer, Montclair, NJ

Lisa Jordan, Madison Alliance for Racial and Ethnic Equity, Associate Teaching Professor, Drew University, Madison NJ

Revs. Stephanie and Seth Kaper-Dale, Reformed Church of Highland Park

Margaret King, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Hannah Korn-Heilner, MSW, South Orange, NJ

Neena Kumar, PsyD, Psychologist, Maplewood, NJ

MJ Laqui, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Faye Lederman, Montclair, NJ

Aida Ismael Lennon, Psy.D

Jillianne Lyon, Carlstadt, NJ

Jessica M

Ravi Maharajh, MA, EdS, LPC, ACS, Somerset, NJ

Theresa Markila, Jefferson, NJ

Brenda Martin-Lee, MBA, Edgewater Park,
NJ

Colleen Daly Martinez

Joselene Martinez-Correa,
Psy.D., Clinical psychologist, Lincoln Park, NJ

Susan D.
Marx, Psy.D., Springfield, NJ

Lynnette Mawhinney, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Urban Education, Rutgers-Newark, Yardley,
PA

Elizabeth McCarthy, Belleville, NJ

Deborah McDonald, Hoboken, NJ

Brian McKittrick, New Vernon, NJ

Christina McKittrick, New Vernon, NJ

Diana Melendez, LCSW, Educator and Doctoral Candidate, West Orange, NJ

Kristin Miller, MSW, LCSW, South Orange, NJ

Caridad R. Moreno, PhD, NJ Licensed Psychologist

Kesha S. Moore, PhD, Senior Researcher & Development Specialist, Thurgood Marshall Institute, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., NY, NY

Melissa Muilenburg, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Yvette R. Murry, MSW, LCSW, President, Aspire Institute for Mental Health & Wellness, North Brunswick,
NJ

Mutual Morris

T.S. Murphy, Antiracist Alliance of Bergen County Educators

Sheree Neese-Todd

Ikechukwu Onyema, Irvington, NJ

Rose Oosting, PhD

B. Pakizegi, Ph.D.

R. Kymm Pardo, MA, MSW, Case Practice Specialist, Newark Center City LO

Susan C. Parente, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist, Certified School Psychologist, Montclair, NJ

Eleanor Peterson, LCSW, Highland Park, NJ

Lauren Picciano, Psy.D., Highland Park, NJ

Thomas P. Pizzano, Millburn, NJ

Dana Pogorzelski, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Deborah Alejandra Popowski, Esq., Montclair, NJ

Donald Richards, Morris Twp., NJ

Nicole and Michael Riley, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Elissa Rozov, Ph.D., Highland Park, NJ

Lori Rush, LCSW, Asbury Park, NJ

Doris Salgado

Andrea Savage, PhD

Janice Schindler, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Arthur Settembrino, Restorative Justice Teacher, Special Assignment Montclair Public School District

Renee Shalhoub, Special Education Teacher, Roxbury, NJ

Amy Sheppard, MSW, LSCW, Program Director, NewBridge Jobs Plus, Parsippany,
NJ

Elisabeth Shohen, Boonton, NJ

Michelle Siddons, M.A. Ed., Mountain Lakes, NJ

Nancy E. Skinner, M.A. , New Vernon, NJ

Laura Leigh Smith, PhD, LPC Springfield, NJ

Peter A. Smith, OT/LSpringfield, NJ

N. Swart, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Deana Stevens, Psy.D., Highland Park, NJ

Caroline Tantum, Evesham, NJ

Nina K. Thomas, PhD, ABPP, FAPA, Morristown, NJ

Chelsea Torres, M.A., LPC, Township of Washington, NJ

Sarah Valor, Oakland, CA

L-Mani S. Viney, M.A. Ed

Linnea Weiland, Ph.D., Teacher Educator, Metuchen, NJ

Tom Werder, Denville, NJ

Lorene S. Wilkerson, Piscataway, NJ

TJ. Whitaker, MALS Rutgers ‘02, English/Language Arts Teacher, South
Orange/Maplewood

Carolyne White, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Urban Education

Rutgers University Newark

Khadijah Costley White, PhD, Maplewood, NJ

Mia Charlene White, PhD, South Orange, NJ

V. White, Newark, NJ

Scott W. Woerner, PhD

Margaret L. Woods, President/CEO, Independence: A
Family of Services, East Orange, NJ

Marc Wurgaft, LCSW, LCADC

Caroline Yarbrough, Mountain Lakes, NJ

Sindhu Xirasagar, Basking Ridge, NJ

Ilene and Jeff Gruenwald