Thank you everyone for joining us today!

we’re so grateful all the work you’ve done to make tonight possible, Monique

* grateful for

Blessed, very much needed!

Love it!

what a great panel! thank you!

What an impressive group!

So thrilled for this opportunity- thank you!

Thank you so much for your contributions!

I appreciate you all being here!

I appreciate your willingness to share your stories.

Hi Jolene, that is a great and important question. I know Santa Rosa City Schools is seriously looking at this question, as are other districts. Were you asking about one in particular our county-wide? We know that recruiting teachers of color is a county-wide issue.

I do believe that Ethnic Studies will create more interest in teaching. We must also support BIPOC students in thinking about and experiencing teaching in high school.

Yes just what I was thinking such leaders!

As a Principal in this County I appreciate your perspective. We need to hear your voice!!!

Wow thank you for your perspective Liyah. We as educators MUST do better.

Thank you so much for your courage, leadership, and honesty, students. You are brilliant and part of making change right now!

I SO wish we could do this in person so these brave individuals can see and feel us respond to them as they’re sharing their very personal and real experiences. Please know we see you!

Such courage, such wisdom, Liyah - thank you.

I am so thankful for all of you right now. You are powerful, courageous, and change agents.

I'm humbled and hopeful because of all of you. thank you.

I heard that your white or non-black teachers are avoiding explicitly addressing topics of black history and systemic racism in the classroom, and the result is that our black students are faced with addressing this with their white peers - they are feeling the burden of all of this.

Powerful 🔥🔥

Outstanding Beth!

Thank you for this highly relevant question for educators—we need strategies to make changes. Starting with these personal classroom testimonies are so helpful.

Yes Beth!!

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Yessssss!!!

Beth - this is so important too! Sometimes teachers just get so set on sticking to the plan - there is no room for diverging within our curriculum for what is happening in the world.

so true!

Howard Zinn People’s History as a source!

Come on Liyah! 🔥🔥

Yes! Yes, Liyah! It IS information suppression!

Why are we getting “schooled” by Liyah. Preach on young sister. That is culturally relevent curriculum. We need to change our curriculum.

Yes ma'am, Liyah!

Here here

Yes!!

I’m wondering how educators, white educators in particular, can be allies and not saviors… if that makes sense. How do we do _with_ black students without making them feel as if they have to be the spokesperson for their entire race?

We need culturally competent and sensitive teachers!

Yes, Joanna Paun. We absolutely do

Yes, Essence! That was my experience and what I have to do with my own 4 daughters.

We CAN do better. We HAVE to!

Yes 🔥🔥

That’s a disgrace and reflection of our Eurocentric curriculum.

Thank you for that feedback Lauren. We will share this with our leadership to consider.

And students of all races need to learn this!

Multicultural curriculum!

ETHNIC STUDIES Y’all

Great idea to share comments from the chat Monique. I’ve been hoping the students have been seeing that!

Allayah What a great way to start to building classroom community!

Reminder: We’re not that far from segregated school systems.

Yes, build community and have ZERO tolerance for the foolishness and ignorance that’s being allowed.

YES! Thank you Joanna!

Thank you for sharing that, Shawntel!

Kia I a so glad you feel empowered with this zoom meeting!

As Lisa said, I wish you could see our reactions because we are captivated and absolutely honored to hear your voices today.

“Press the issue of protecting Black students and students of color” YES

yes just getting cut off

it’s okay

I hope all the school district reps attending will share this with staff

School staffs should all watch this.

It would be great if all school staff took Cultural Diversity classes.

Great idea Justin about the universality of food!

“Over 55 countries and even cultures in the continent”

Some need geography lessons

Beth thank you for this sharing!

A word!

“We should all have human connections”

Yes!

Yes, Amena!!!!

Slow clap

.....somebody who really cares!

Nicole such a critical point for people to understand to avoid stereotypes.

Nicole, counselors and school support staff ad so important for developing meaningful connections!

YES

Yes Amena!!!

YES!!

Agreed!

Liyah you can launch this and teach it!

#truth

Ethnic Studies is a must.

Yes ethnic studies!!!

Hi Monique! My phone died as I was answering your question about timing. We’re doing well! There are a few audience questions but not too many. We can either keep going with the students as they are now because they’re going so strong until about 7:15 or stop around 7:05 and take a few questions. It would probably be good to wrap up around 7:20 to pass it off to Dan to discuss next steps.

what i was going on to say was that "we need more teachers who really truely care about what we'er learning and why.

How we for timer?

Yes and offer literature pieces and novels that are cultually relevant and written by black and brown authors.

How are we for time

Important**Hey everyone, just to correct a previous statement, Ethiopia and Eritrea were actually one country. Divided by politics, and mabey one day will be united. The countries are very very similar from food to religion to culture.

We’re doing pretty well Monique! I’d say we should try to wrap up by 7:20 so Dan can discuss next steps and wrap up by 7:30. We can either take audience questions soon or just skip that part and keep hearing from our amazing students.

We need to get some new novels on our approved reading list!

Great point, DeAndre!

Jamie, I would like the questions be addressed. Especially the first one.

We need BIPOC showcased in the sciences too!

Got it Diann! The one about Piner?

Yes Jamie

Thank you. Monique, I’ll post the questions here.

First question: How do you feel about the controversy about Piner High alumni trying to take down the black lives matter

Second question: I’m wondering how educators, white educators in particular, can be allies and not saviors… if that makes sense. How do we do _with_ black students without making them feel as if they have to be the spokesperson for their entire race?

Third question - Essie brilliantly answered this one in the chat, but in case anyone else wants to weigh in: What can teachers do to make the classroom comfortable for you when they are discussing a topic, showing a movie, or reading a book when it highlights a Black person or Black culture that could make you feel more comfortable?

Beth, thank you for speaking to/educating on the history of the relationship between Eritrea and Ethiopia. This is such important and relevant information.

“Understand what’s under that American flag”

Yes, Kia!

“Ethnic studies is a necessity”

So proud of the whole panel. Special props to Lobo Kia representing with his mind, heart and courage.

There needs to be more education about what Black Lives Matter stands for.

Monique a bunch of questions have come in in the chat, but I think we’re almost out of time. Do you want to try to take one more or let this be our last one? We have just about 5 minutes before we need to turn it over to Dan.

Jamie and Monique I think this is a good way to end. fired up and leaving a question in people’s mind

thank you thank you thank you.

Sounds perfect, thank you Diann and Monique. Thank you students…you are incredible!

Answering question number 2 provided by Ms. Hansen, If white educators or educators in general work with us instead of against us they will absolutely be allies.

So true the contradiction imbedded in the symbol of the American flag. It is becoming an America many cannot stand behind.

What a powerful group of leaders!! THANK YOU ALL for leading us in the right direction! LOVED hearing your voices!!

Thank you, each and every one of you, for speaking and sharing tonight. I am listening, and ready to keep listening and to continue to find ways to amplify your powerful voices.

Yes, Dr. Kitamura! Keep up the BLM Banner.

Excellent to hear, Dr. Kitamura!

Thank you for sharing your truth!

Having you in our administrative ranks makes me proud!

Thank you Beth!

Amen Beth!

Panelists thank you for sharing your personal testimonies!

YES! And Ethnic studies will have such a big impact on all teachers and staff, I hope. But these students are so right in highlighting that black history needs to be taught in all classes! THANK YOU!!!

Thank you so much for your strength and leadership!

Thank you for sharing, panelists!!!

Thank you all for taking your valuable time to speak in this forum. I am super fortunate and thankful to be part of it.

Thank you so much for holding this space to hear all of the panelists' voices! This really hit home for me and was extremely powerful! You all are great leaders!

Woohoo! You all were absolutely incredible. It was such an honor to listen and learn from you tonight. Thank you, Mrs. Luke, and each and every one of you!

We are blessed by each of you, thank you! You are true and fierce heores.

Thank you to all of the SCOE team. This would not have happened without your support. Contacting students. etc. you’re amaizng

Thank you so much, Dan

Thank you, Dan!

SRCS is committed to implementing of Ethnic Studies KA-12 and as a graduation requirement. We are also committed to ongoing professional development at the Museum of Tolerance, unconscious bias, and the Culturally Responsive, Sustaining and Humanizing curriculum. SRCS is committed to hiring practices that ensure BIPOC are hired in our district as a rate that begins to match the demographics of our district. Changes begins and is sustained through policy. It Risk and courage area must!

Black Lives Matter.

Thank you Dan, powerfully put.

Thank you, Dan.

Thank you so much Mr. Blake

Thank you, Dan. I appreciate you so much.

Thank You Dan

much appreciated Mr. Blake !