July 22, 2020

 

Dear UHS Students, Families and Alumni,

 

As many of you know, the protests in response to the murder of George Floyd have inspired Black students and alumni to communicate their experiences of inequitable treatment at schools and colleges on social media, specifically Instagram. The “Black@” Instagram movement has brought to light many stories of pain and injustice. As of this writing, a Black@ Instagram page has not been posted by UHS students and alumni. However, the UHS faculty and administration has been reading and reflecting on the accounts of students at many other institutions.

 

We are reaching out to you to acknowledge that many of these narratives strike a chord of truth for the experience of Black students, parents, faculty and staff at UHS. We recognize that while UHS has made progress regarding antiracism and equity efforts, we have a long and difficult – yet hopeful – road ahead as we strive to name and interrupt events, attitudes, and mistreatments that continue to harm Black students in our community.

 

We want you to know (and share in our pride) that the membership of the current Black Student Union at UHS wrote a compelling letter to the head of school, deans, and heads of the English and history departments. The letter itself speaks to the level of agency and voice these young leaders feel within our community, but it is also a window into the frustration and pain that is experienced by Black students (present and past) at UHS.

 

We thought that sharing the BSU’s Juneteenth letter followed by my response would be a good way to provide a view into what is happening at UHS. Beyond the listing of policies, statements, core values and community agreements (all of which are important), we hope that sharing our Black students’ voices and our response will continue an important dialog with our students, parents and alumni.

 

Dear Members of the UHS Black Student Union,

 

I applaud the ways you continue to push the UHS community by sending your Juneteenth letter to the UHS administration and faculty. I understand that you heard back from our Director of Equity and Community with an initial response from the deans and department chairs. I am writing today to invite you to continue this critical conversation with your teachers and school leaders while also recognizing that the work you have laid out for the school to undertake is our work, not yours. We shouldn’t have to rely on your urging us to make meaningful change to support the experience of our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students.

 

In recent years, UHS has engaged in a great deal of diversity, equity, and inclusivity work as a school – but it is not enough. We are grateful that you continue to leverage your powerful voice to get our attention, just like you did in February when you organized your walkout/sit-in inviting other Bay Area Black students to share your collective concern about the content and safety of community spaces.Our classrooms, our hallways, our assemblies are not immune to micro and macroaggressions and our school community needs to own not only the intention of our individual and collective actions, but the impact as well. I was so grateful to participate in the early conversations and planning of your February walkout and I was humbled then as I am now to witness your dedication to improving the experience at UHS for all BIPOC students. In the #ShiftTheCulture mission statement that you authored at that time you stated, “We want to feel comfortable and safe in our academic environments and we are taking a stand for ourselves and all students of color who feel unsupported and unheard by our school communities. We are shifting the culture.”

 

I am heartened that our department chairs have immediately taken on the task of examining texts; reviewing historical events, narratives and stories included in the curriculum; considering ways that student can have choice and agency in how they are exposed to challenging topics; and raising up positive and meaningful stories of Black Americans. We will continue to seek your input as we consider MLK Day and Community Day speakers – ones who are contemporary, optimistic and who inspire hope (like our recent keynote speakers Louis Trevino and Vincent Medina of Café Ohlone and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez). We will actively support the emerging power, solidarity and activism emerging from our affinity clubs and spaces that is making our community stronger every day.

 

I fully support your interest in directing resources to Black communities and organizations. In past years, we have made contributions to marginalized communities through student and faculty fundraising that has aided in securing access to fresh water in Southeast Asia, assisting safe passage and refuge during the Syrian refugee crisis, and making land reparations to Indigenous peoples. When classroom learning, community engagement projects, and student activism bring these issues to light, the school encourages activities to subsidize these causes. We will continue to vigorously endorse these fundraising efforts with a particular spotlight on Black communities and organizations. UHS benefits from a strong community, an excellent educational program, and a collective commitment to grapple with challenging issues in our classrooms. I’d like to take this upcoming year to consider how we can also contribute those resources to communities in need.

 

In a recent Chicago Sun Times piece, Black educator and Head of School at Chicago Latin School Randall Dunn wrote, “Our only option is action. We cannot allow fear and guilt to distract us from the hard work of shifting and redefining the culture of academia. We must use this moment, with humility, to aggressively foster social equity.” Members of the UHS Black Student Union, I promise you that when we return to school in August, we will, in Mr. Dunn’s words, “use this moment, with humility, to aggressively foster social equity.”

 

We want you to feel supported and heard. I speak for the deans, our faculty, staff, and administration as well as our trustees, when I say that you make the UHS school community of today – and tomorrow – stronger and better.

 

Most sincerely,