Moorestown School Board To Host Forum On Race In Schools Feb. 2

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The Moorestown Public School District Board of Education will host its second online town hall exploring the issues of race and racism in the district next month.

The forum will take place via Zoom from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Feb. 2, according to the district’s website. More information on this forum will be available later this month.

The first forum took place on Oct. 27, after the Moorestown Alumni for Racial Equity & Inclusion (MAREI) group submitted a 32-page "Call To Action" to the Board of Education.

The group had said it hoped Moorestown would become a leader on equity and inclusion. Read more here: Alumni Group, Moorestown Schools Working On Cultural Changes

The October forum attracted 130 people who heard presentations from the district, MAREI, and the Moorestown Alliance for Diversity and Equity (MADE). They then broke into smaller groups to speak with each other about different subjects concerning racism in the district. Read more here: Forum Tackles Racial Disparities In Moorestown Schools

"That turnout makes me hopeful, and proud of everything groups like MAREI and MADE have accomplished," MAREI Member Quinton Law told Patch after that forum. "We are excited to continue our advocacy and won't rest until we can deliver the change our students deserve." Read more here: Social Justice Advocate Appointed To Moorestown Council

Racial diversity is not just being discussed in the schools. Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie participated in the first forum from Burlington County's new Minority and Equality Rights Task Force dealing with Police Interactions with Minority Communities the same week the school board held its first forum. Read more here: Moorestown Mayor Talks Officials’ Role In Police Interactions

Gillespie is a member of that task force, which was formed last year in the wake of George Floyd’s death. The group is charged with devising ways the county can combat systemic racism and support equality for all, no matter race, color, gender, nationality, religion or sexual orientation. Read more here: Burlington County Establishes Civil Rights Task Force