The Upper Adams School District (UASD) School Board said it was united in its condemnation of any discrimination and racism in the district and committed to ensuring alleged issues recently brought up on social media platforms are addressed going forward.
“We must all do our part to eradicate racism, inclusive of all forms of discrimination,” the board said in a letter read aloud by president Tom Wilson on Tuesday evening.
Superintendent Wesley Doll said the district was actively rolling out a multi-faceted anti-racism plan. Included in these initiatives are:
- “Listening sessions” with school officials, students and alumni. Doll invited alumni who wish to participate to contact the district office
- A school climate survey, administered to groups of students, families, and community members and coordinated with the National School Climate Center, assessing perceptions of social emotional learning, student-centered reports, and school safety
- Administration of a Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium equity audit
- Training sessions with faculty and staff including sessions on “What is equity?” “Identity training,” “Unconscious bias training,” and “Culturally-responsible pedagogy”
- An expanded communication plan
Brooke Say from the law firm of Stock and Leader, representing the district’s solicitor, said her firm had been asked by the district to recommend an independent counsel to support the concerns presented to the school board by the community. “We were pleased to recommend the appointment of Fox Rothschild out of Philadelphia as the third party investigator proposed to conduct an independent, unbiased assessment of the district’s policies, procedures and a response to the alleged acts of racism and/or discrimination that have recently been shared by students and alumni of Biglerville High School on social media.”
The board unanimously voted to approve a contract with Fox and Rothschild.
Next regularly scheduled school board meeting is on March 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.