Community Coffee Recap - Discussing Race
On Friday, April 28, the final Community Coffee of the year was held in the Adventure Playground Gazebo.
On Friday, April 28, the final Community Coffee of the year was held in the Adventure Playground Gazebo. On this beautiful spring morning, parents and staff gathered to enjoy a light breakfast, conversation and the beauty of the garden. Also in attendance: many affable chickens and Birch the quail, the latest addition to the SFS barn family.
Once the coffee was poured and the croissants consumed, Anne Hipskind Roberts (North Class Fox and 1st Grade parent) and Rich Brown (5th Grade parent) moderated the discussion on “Talking to Our Children About Race,” based on last week’s SPEAK event with Dr. Howard Stevenson. They reviewed his concept of racial stress, the importance of having a courageous response to racist words and deeds, and teaching awareness of cross-cultural tensions to children of all ages.
Subsequently, Anne and Rich invited others to share their own questions and experiences. Several topics of thoughtful conversations followed, including understanding and contending with racism within one’s own family; the difficult but realistic necessity of teaching children of color about potential threats to their safety; an actual playground conversation by students about supporting each other in moments of strife; and the importance of integrating diversity and social justice in the SFS curriculum, from preschool to middle school.
Many thanks to our room parent hosts Kim Oakes and Taara Hoffman, our moderators, and all those who attended. A copy of Dr. Stevenson’s book, “Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools: Differences That Make a Difference” will be available in the SFS library to lend to staff and parents.
Posted May 02, 2017
