Haverford Suffers From Systemic Racism, New Report Claims

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP, PA – Racism is alive and well in the Haverford community, according to a report from a local social justice group.

The Haverford Community Action Network (H-CAN) drafted a report that alleges racism still pervades some aspects of the community, including the School district of Haverford Township and among the police department.

The 31-page report was drafted after at least two families disenrolled their children from Haverford Middle School due to racist incidents in the school and community, according to H-CAN.

H-CAN said "multiple other families" have discussed moving to a different district or enrolling their children in private schools due to racism and a lack of diversity in the teaching staff in Haverford schools

"For families of color, biracial families, and families belonging to religious minorities, living and going to school in Haverford Township pose a particular set of challenges," the report says. "Ultimately, we hope to help the School District of Haverford Township (SDHT) address the obstacles to creating a more inclusive culture for students of color and students with various religious and ethnic traditions, which will in turn create a more diverse learning environment that benefits all students."

Incidents of racism documented in the report include:

• a disproportionate amount of African American drivers being pulled over by Haverford Township Police;
• a young boy riding his bike near Haverford Middle School and being called a racial slur in May 2017;
• an immigrant family being photographed in October 2017; the photo was then shared on social media with a false story about them being child abductors;
• racial slurs etched into a sidewalk in 2015;
• a swastika spray painted on a bench at the Ardmore Junction Train Station in 2017;
• and an African-American family who moved to Havertown two years ago who have not found a "welcoming environment" particularly for the children, and is considering moving

The report claims the school district suffers from "ongoing experiences of overt and unconscious biases in the curriculum and from teaching staff and school officials" as well as from non-teaching staff and peer-to-peer discrimination and a lack of response from district officials. The report states these alleges issues are why some families are considering leaving.

The report documents numerous cases of alleged racism in various district schools, including a student being called a "terrorist," an African American student being called a "cave man," and reinforcement of stereotypes of Mexicans.

H-CAN suggests the district address these alleged issues through more diverse hiring; creating district-wide programs or longer-term trainings; expanding the Inclusivity Committee; hiring a Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion; and conducting a district-wide audit to assess various aspects of the district's strengths, diversity, perceptions of school culture, safety, and reporting and responsive mechanisms for bias incidents, and more.

The district said administration officials are looking at the report's findings and suggestions.

Diana Robertson, president of the NAACP Main Line branch, said in a letter to the district that the practices documents in the report were "totally unacceptable."

"It is my hope that after reading the report submitted to the School District of Haverford Township for action,
you will find a need to immediately respond so that ALL children attending the School District of Haverford Township will have an educationally rewarding experience preparing them for future pursuits of accomplishing goals upon graduation," Robertson said in her letter.

Read the full H-CAN report here.

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