Madison High Schools divides parents based on race for police brutality conversations
MADISON, Wis. April 27 2021 The Madison Metropolitan School District is defending itself against criticism for an email sent to some families of students at one of its high schools, admitting it may have been “poorly worded.”
The email offered families a virtual space to discuss policing and pointed them to groups divided by race.
Framed in the light of the “all the police brutality and violence that is going on” and as a response to the Derek Chauvin verdict and “the murder of another young Black female,” an apparent reference to the death of Ma’Khia Bryant, the letter to Madison West families proposed the separate conversations to offer a chance for them to process the events.
It argued the conversations would help “build strong, trusting relationships” necessary for “students and families to openly share and dialog around such complex issues.”
District spokesperson Tim LeMonds told NBC15 News administrators have reached out to staff members at Madison West High School and they are discussing their next steps.
“Although their intent was to provide families an opportunity to process their emotions and feelings related to current events, the language used to organize the discussion was less than sensitive,” he said.
LeMonds noted that the email only went to families who identify as families of color, multiracial or blended. He did not say if the remaining parents received a different version of the email.
The framework was based on the Affinity Group model, LeMonds explained. He described the model as “a well established method” for allowing people who share a common identity to connect, especially in situations where they feel their identity is being marginalized.
Based on a screenshot posted on Reddit that was confirmed by the district to be of the email, the message read (emphasis theirs):
Hello West Families,
Looking back on all the police brutality and violence that is going on in our country and or communities and even after the verdict of Derek Chauvin and the murder of another young Black female, it is very necessary to have space for our families to discuss and process. The most important thing we can do for our students and their families is to continue our work to build strong, trusting relationships as we engage them through virtual and face-to-face learning. Only after we establish these strong connections can we expect students and families to openly share and dialog around such complex issues. We want to work together to help our students and families feel safe, discuss challenging issues productively, and think about how they can make positive changes in our community. Please join us tomorrow (Thursday, April 22nd) at 4:30pm to have these difficult but necessary conversations. Please see the Zoom Links below:
Zoom link for Parents of Color
Zoom link for White Parents
Full statement from Madison Metropolitan School District to NBC15 News:
MMSD district office has been made aware of this and is in contact with West staff to address the message and develop further response.
The message you are referring to was, unfortunately, a poorly worded message sent by West staff to only West families who identify as families of color, multiracial or blended, to promote the school’s effort to provide them a virtual discussion space and support, utilizing the Affinity Group model. Although their intent was to provide families an opportunity to process their emotions and feelings related to current events, the language used to organize the discussion was less than sensitive.
The Affinity Group model is a well established method to provide opportunity for people who share a common identity to connect with other people who share aspects of their identity, especially in a situation where they feel their identity is marginalized.
nbc15
