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Is remaining silent in the face of racial injustice an act of racism? This thought-provoking question was posed at a recent meeting of one of our boards. Whether silence rises to the level of racism is open to debate; but it is, unequivocally and categorically, cowardly and insupportable.

We are a small staff, predominantly white, though our collective complexion has been changing over time. As we move forward, we will work - with renewed urgency and intentionality - to build a Central Office team that better reflects the richness and diversity of the students whose welfare and well-being are at the core of everything that we do.

As we have reflected on recent events as a staff, we have recognized that each of us views them through our own lens; that we react to and process them in the absence or presence of our own unique biases, implicit or explicit. But what we all share, with a stark and powerful commonality, are a sense of outrage and a desire to drive change.

With this message, we wanted to spotlight the individual voices of two of our staff members, Cherese Miller and Henry Rondon. We do so not simply because they are people of color - and the voices of people of color have been marginalized for far too long - but because the fact that they are people of color means that they have experienced the world in ways that most of us have not; that the racism that has reared itself so unabashedly in the recent days... weeks...months...years...resonates more personally and more powerfully with them. We thought it was important to glimpse the world through their eyes.

From Henry Rondon, Assistant Director of Unified Sports®/Student Activities 
I grew up in Harlem in the 1980s, when the social and economic challenges were great. I found an escape in athletics; and, looking back, I realize that I learned as much on the sports field as in the classroom. For me, sports provided an avenue for overcoming social injustice and addressing racial and social inequality.  History has shown us that the sports world has been ahead of the curve, having taken the lead in addressing many of the racial and social issues that plague society at large. I have never understood why we haven’t learned from its example.  

Far too many of our youth in this nation, especially our Black students and other students of color, are growing up in conditions and communities where they encounter racism, racial violence, and inequity.  In my twenty-plus years as a teacher and coach, I have been committed to helping young people--especially young men and women of color--to believe in themselves, and to sharing with them the power of education to change lives, both now and in the future. Those same goals now drive my work here at CAS-CIAC.  

This is a very difficult time. In the midst of a pandemic that has taken loved ones from so many of us, closed our schools to in-person learning, and cancelled athletics and graduations, we are now inescapably confronted with the viruses of racism, racial violence, and inequity in ways that cannot be ignored or cured with any vaccine. We are in need of vast and systemic social and cultural change.  

I know that young people of color may feel that they are not being heard. I am here to tell them that there are people listening. I am listening. My colleagues are listening. And we will continue to listen and work together towards social justice for all.
From Cherese Miller, Director of Student Activities 
Growing up as an African American woman with two parents who immigrated from Jamaica, I was initially sheltered when it came to social injustice. My parents always taught me to love everyone. Race was never really a topic in my home. It wasn’t until we moved to a predominantly white neighborhood and school system that I realized the disparities that existed when it came to race and equity in education. Many times I have been judged by stereotypical norms in society. Sometimes it was unintentional. Although I try to always give the benefit of the doubt, I take those situations and use them to help me grow as a person. I was fortunate enough to have a teacher and guidance counselor who looked beyond my race and encouraged me to go on and do something great in life. Not every young person is as fortunate.

I am no stranger to violence. My late husband was killed in a home invasion when our daughter was six years old. My close friend’s son was killed by law enforcement at the age of 22. Those are just two examples of how violence has penetrated my inner circle. There are others. I say this to emphasize that violence is not the answer.

Social change comes about through having one’s voice heard. As educators, we can and must provide the platforms for students of all backgrounds to have a voice. Students who are educated about racial and social injustice will use their voice to make change.

Our students and our society are facing enormous challenges. Domestic violence, unemployment, gang violence, hunger, homelessness, and mental health concerns are all exacerbated by racial and social injustice. Too many young people are committing suicide, being killed, and going to prison. They are scared and confused. It is our moral obligation, as educators and as human beings, to work towards change.

All of us at CAS-CIAC recognize the need to become introspective during this existential moment, to look deep inside ourselves, to understand our own feelings and biases, so that we can begin to help our students and school communities understand and acknowledge their own. It is up to us as leaders to create opportunities to have meaningful conversations that through listening and truly hearing what each of us is saying, bring us to deeper understanding, caring, empathy, and connections. This becomes the catalyst for healing and unifying us all as one.

In line with our mission, we at CAS-CIAC are committed to combating racial and social injustice and to making a difference for the students of Connecticut. We pledge to work together with you to help our schools and our students overcome the challenges of these unsettling times as we strive to end racism, social injustice, and inequity.

With hope and healing,
The CAS-CIAC Central Office Staff

Our next action in driving change will be a roundtable discussion on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
Please join us via Zoom at 11:30 AM for:

"What do we say? What must we do? How can we build culturally responsive
school communities?"

The meeting link is https://casci.ac/5715.
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