10 • THE GRYPHON Summer/Spring 2021
Racial Equity Task Force Recommendations In the spring of 2020, the Head of School announced the convening of a Racial Equity Task Force to assess the state of racial equity with special attention to the experience of Black students at CSW. While there are always ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at CSW, the national outcry for greater awareness of and response to racial injustice, as well as the letter written by student members of USC (United Students of Color) calling for greater care and attention to the wellbeing of our students of color, prompted more critical self-examination. The task force, a diverse group of twenty members across constituencies including students, alumni/ae, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, and board members, met every other week from October to May. The questions that drove the work of the task force were: Are Black students experiencing a sense of belonging at CSW? What barriers exist that may be keeping Black students from experiencing a sense of belonging? Are there existing inequities with regards to the educational experience of Black students at CSW?
There were two main methods of collecting information from the community: Focus group discussions were conducted with Black-identifying students and alumni/ae, facilitated by an outside consultant, to gather the stories and experiences of those willing to participate. Of the 12 Black-identifying students (students who self-identify as Black, African American, Afro Latinx, Black multiracial, etc.), 8 participated in the focus group discussions. 8 Black identifying alumni/ae ranging from the graduation years of 2008 though 2019 participated in the focus groups A racial equity audit of every department was conducted to examine departmental policies and practices, and to collect data that could inform our understanding of the experience of Black students. Having looked at the data collected, there are some clear areas of need and improvement. One clear indication that students of color are not feeling connected and experiencing a sense of belonging is that once graduated, alumni/ae are generally not staying connected to the school. Few Black alumni/ae responded to the invitation to participate in the focus group discussions, and we don’t have updated contact information for many alumni/ae of color. Additionally, alumni/ae of color participation in reunion events is generally low. The following are some preliminary and overarching recommendations that we believe would cultivate a greater sense
of belonging for Black students and students of color in general.
I. Composition of the School It is necessary to have a critical mass of Black students, and students of color in general, in order for the school to feel inclusive. Being the only Black student in a classroom, or any other space, is isolating and students of color feel spotlighted when race or other diversity/equity issues are discussed. It’s important that students of color have a community of peers with whom they share experiences, and that they see themselves represented in the community and not in ways that feel like tokenism. This year the admissions department implemented strategies that allowed the school to yield a significant number of students of color, doubling the number of Black and Latinx students at the school.
Recommendations: The task force recommends that CSW continue these efforts ensuring that every year we increase the percentage of students of color so that it more closely resembles the demographics in the United States.
II. Representation of Faculty and Staff of Color It is necessary to hire and retain Black and other faculty and staff of color so that students of color see themselves represented in the adults. These adults provide important mentoring, support, modeling, and valuable perspectives for all students, and especially for students of color.
Recommendations: Continue to make intentional efforts to hire faculty and staff of color. Hiring strategies should include: Using consulting services that focus on diverse hiring to ensure that pools are diverse, training hiring committees on antibiased hiring practices, and offering competitive compensation and benefits. As openings occur, proactively work to hire faculty and staff who identify as Black and other underrepresented identities in all departments. Retention strategies should include: Providing institutional support for the needs of faculty and staff of color, offering professional development opportunities, as well as opportunities for advancement within the school.
III. Inclusive School Culture As a predominantly white school it’s important that white students and adults reach out to students and adults of color and invite them in. All spaces should feel welcoming to students of color, and the onus is on white students and adults to share space and be self-aware about the ways in which white culture and values dominate the environment.
Recommendations: Create more opportunities for white students and adults to explore their identity and privilege to raise their awareness, and learn about how to be more equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist. Create more opportunities for the parents of white students to learn about their identity and privilege to raise their awareness, and learn about how to be
