Supt. Paul Gordon's Response to Protests Against Racism in our Community and Across the Nation

Superintendent Dr. Paul Gordon’s response to the tragic death of George Floyd and protests against racism here and around the nation.

As the Superintendent of the Wenatchee School District, I want every student, staff member, parent, and community member to know where I stand on the issue of racism. I believe human rights are for every human, not just the privileged or the wealthy. I stand with our African American and Latino students, parents, and community members of all races, genders, and sexual orientations. Equity and social-justice can no longer just be words and phrases that are spouted off in public meetings to help soothe the feelings of years of racial injustices that have occurred for generations in our country. 

In our District, over 51% percent of our students identify as students of color. That is one of the things that make our District such a special place; however, we will not celebrate its diversity without fully embracing our desire and responsibility for inclusion, equity, belonging, and justice. As educators, we acknowledge this current and persistent crisis as a painful reminder of how much more work needs to be done. At the same time, we embrace this opportunity to double our resolve to embrace diversity and lean into our responsibility for inclusion, belonging, and justice.

I recognize that I am a white man over 50 and that my voice in this space means little, but what I also understand is that I do have privilege and my privilege allows me to take action that can create positive outcomes for our community. My position offers me the ability to create a space that welcomes EVERYONE to the table for conversations that can lead to actionable changes. We can begin our journey by listening to the voices of our students, of our families and of our community members of color. We need to be honest, we need to be vulnerable, own our downfalls, and take action to eliminate the inequities and injustices in our school district and throughout our community. I have the opportunity to create safe environments that allow others a venue to listen and learn. As I, too, need to listen and learn. In the coming weeks, we will be collaborating with community partners to create a space to discuss racism and social justice. As a community, we can solve almost anything we put our minds and effort toward if we are first willing to listen to each other. 

Resources for talking with children about racism.
We must take action and that begins by talking with our children about these issues. I am including some resources here that may be helpful.

Talking with children about racial violence:
New York Times: Talking to Kids About Racial Violence, By Haig Chahinian
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education: Talking to children after racial incidents

Talking with children about race and COVID-19
National Association of School Psychologists: Countering COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Stigma and Racism: Tips for Parents and Caregivers
National Geographic: Talking to kids about xenophobia, By Leslie Hsu O

Paul

Dr. Paul Gordon
Superintendent 
Wenatchee School District