Community Fellows, Summer 2023: ArlingtON PAR
Arlington Parters Against Racism is group of action-oriented anti-racist community members and parents in the Arlington Central School District dedicated to equity and institutional diversity. We amplify the voices, experiences, and needs of marginalized groups to ensure they are represented, understood, and responded to. Our focus is on race and racism. We intentionally center and support District members from marginalized racial groups. As we stand in solidarity with other groups organizing to support communities experiencing marginalization and oppression, we affirm our collective commitment to creating and maintaining a district in which all members can thrive.
Project or Position Title: Program Support
Project or Position Description:
The last two decades, racial diversity has significantly increased in the Arlington Central School District, the K-12 school district in which Vassar sits. Despite the district’s demographic changes, its policies, practices, and culture have for the most part remained stagnant. Moreover, recent interviews with district members, and studies of the district’s policies, practices, and culture, reveal persisting and deeply-embedded racism, bias, discrimination, and inequality that jeopardize institutional well-being, and the emotional, physical, and mental health of students, and their ability to thrive and strive for excellence. Arlington has been cited by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for disproportionately disciplining Black and Latino/a/x students. Students of color are frequent victims of racist physical and mental violence and speech, and administrators and educators of color are vulnerable to disciplinary action including dismissal.
ArlingtON PAR intends to offer educational and community engaged learning experiences for Vassar students to engage with ACSD’s students, faculty, administrators, initiatives, and entities, the Board of Education, a decision- and policy-making body that has enormous power and long lasting impact over the lives and futures of students. We join with the college and faculty to encourage, support, and facilitate Vassar students’ engagement outside of the classroom and college space. We hope to build a culture at Vassar where students are interested, invested, and committed in being more relational with local community members and to working on projects that benefit the local community. Students will have an opportunity to develop important skills and learn concrete tools that will serve them well. Not only will students be positioned to gain knowledge about the local K-12 district, but they will be supported in doing something about the issues they recognize.
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
- Educate students on the use of intergroup dialogue
- Use intergroup dialogue, to engage with the ACSD community, including student equity teams, student organizations MBK and POCkets, and parent-teacher-administrator equity teams
- Lead focus groups or discussions with high school students about equity work and the future of the district
- Create and facilitate a joint intervention at the Board of Education with high school students
- Strategize with student organizers from other local school districts
- Draft equity-related policies for the district to consider adopting
- Learn more about and engage in mobilizing, organizing, and building campaigns for action
- Further develop critical reading, thinking, writing, discussion, debate, public speaking, collaboration, communication, research, community organizing, and advocacy skills
Specific Skills/Experience Required for the Project:
- An interest in public policy and education
- Strong communication skills
- Comfort in facilitating group discussions
Time Commitment:
- Students should expect to be available during the organization’s work hours.
- In some cases, fellows might be invited to participate in events over the weekend/ evenings.