Panel To Discuss Racially Progressive Schools In Princeton

PRINCETON, NJ — In a bid to promote social justice and antiracism, Princeton Public Schools has in the recent past expanded its racial literacy curriculum and removed the John Witherspoon name from the middle school.

To encourage more dialogue on the topic, a virtual panel on building and sustaining racially progressive schools in Princeton will be held on Thursday, at 7 p.m.

Not in Our Town Princeton, a group promoting racial equality in town is hosting this virtual panel, co-sponsored by the Princeton Public Schools, Princeton Civil Rights Commission, Princeton Public Library, Princeton YWCA, Princeton Family YMCA, the Witherspoon Jackson Historical and Cultural Society and the Witherspoon Jackson Neighborhood Association.

“So often, when we speak about educational equity, we focus on examples of inequity, but not examples of what we are aspiring for our schools to be,” said Raisa Rubin-Stankiewicz, a Not in Our Town Princeton board member and recent Princeton High School graduate. Stankiewicz will be moderating the panel.

Highlighting the various steps Princeton Public Schools have taken to address the issue of racism, Stankiewicz said there’s still a lot more to be done.

“There are still barriers that prevent the district from being a place in which all students feel equally welcome. In order to truly have this conversation, we need to discuss what a racially progressive school looks like and what impedes schools from achieving true racial equity, both in Princeton and nationwide,” she said in a statement.

Organizers said the inspiration for this panel came from the New York Times podcast series “Nice White Parents.”

The panelists include Princeton Public Schools Interim Superintendent Barry Galasso, Princeton High School Assistant principal and parent, Cecilia Birge; equity consultant and author of the 2018 Equity Audit report, Marceline DuBose; historian and former Princeton High School Guidance Counselor, Shirley Satterfield; Princeton High School Teacher, Dr. Joy Barnes-Johnson; Princeton Public School parents, Dr. Keith Wailoo and Dr. Lynda Dodd; Princeton Public Schools Alums, Juan Polanco (class of 2013), Brianna Silva (2018), and Geoffrey Allen (2019); and Princeton High School Students Mojisola Ayodele and Eli Edelman (2022).

Pre-registration for this event is required. Click here to register: https://princetonlibrary.libnet.info/event/4590338.

What: Building And Sustaining Racially Progressive Schools

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Virtual