STRIVING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Jennifer Riesenmy advocates for change cultivated by English to Speakers of Other Languages programs. “The ESOL program was arginalization, inequity and incredibly inviting and helpful,” exclusion. Everyday, these sophomore Artur Breternitz said. three words resonate with “You can really tell [the teachers] care Jennifer Riesenmy — not just as about their job and kids.” surviving relics of the American However, despite demographic education system, but as motivation diversity, ensuring equity has to reform Ladue School District into a proved challenging. Because of more equitable home for learning. past discrimination built into the Riesenmy, Ladue’s diversity, education system, marginalization equity and inclusion coordinator, within Ladue still remains. represents a growing movement “We have to recognize the within the district to address urgency that we need change now,” exclusivity in education. After years Riesenmy said. “We can change of being a part-time role, the position policies, but changing the way people has been made full time for the first view the world — that’s hard.” time this school year. The COVID-19 pandemic has only “I work with teachers on how to amplified this inequality. Unequal fuse equity and inclusion into their access to resources, combined teaching practices and curriculum with health and financial concerns and also at home, have resulted in groups experiencing disproportionate losses in learning. “Ladue is making a difference on diversity, equity and inclusion, [but] COVID-19 has brought challenges to the ESOL program,” Diana Hsu, coordinator of the district ESOL program, said. “It has been difficult this year to reach all students at a Walking through Riesenmy’s variety of levels virtually.” typical activities Despite these challenges, district administrators continue Presentation for Superintendent to push for meaningful reform. assistants across the region on Until everyone can have humanizing antiracism equal access to education, Riesenmy refuses to quit. “The education system was built for the majority,” Riesenmy said. “We have Meeting with Director of to change systems in Communications to broaden school so that it serves support of district affinity groups everyone that we say we value. Everybody has the right to learn.” p
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look at our structures from a district standpoint,” Riesenmy said. Since embracing this full-time role after 22 years working in the Ladue district, Riesenmy has taken action to address disparities within the district. This year, Riesenmy coordinated the rethinking of outdated, district-wide disciplinary policies to enhance student equity. “Prior to now, there were students who were disproportionately sent to the office [through] 70 different discipline codes that were subjective and based on assumption,” Riesenmy said. “Now, our discipline code is very specific and is about helping heal relationships and reflection, not punishment.” While slow, this work has brought progress towards making a welcoming environment in the Ladue curriculum. Today, the Ladue School District is home to students of 59 different language backgrounds — a level of diversity
DR. RIESENMY photo by | GRACE HENSLEY
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Meeting with lead ESOL teacher about testing access and inclusion FEATURES
SPREAD DESIGN BY OVIYA SRIHARI
