Social justice, equity, and anti-racism resources
SCOE strongly supports State Superintendent Tony Thurmond's May 2020 call to action (below) for schools to promote racial justice, confront bias, and foster tolerance. We are committed to collaborating with and amplifying the efforts of the California Department of Education (CDE) as Superintendent Thurmond launches a state-wide effort to address racism head-on.
Read Sonoma County Superintendent Steve Herrington's community message regarding recent tragedies here.
As a starting point, this page offers resources carefully curated by a group of equity-minded mental health professionals and educators who work for the Sonoma County Office of Education. We invite your thoughts on how schools can help build a more tolerant, just society here in Sonoma County. Please send them to communications@scoe.org.
Video: State Superintendent Tony Thurmond's Call to Action
Getting Started: For Parents, Educators, and Community Members
If you are looking for a place to get started, either as a parent or educator, we recommend this resource, Talking About Race, from the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It provides engaging, easy to understand guides for parents/caregivers, educators, and community members.
Educator Resources
Legal Framework for Addressing Issues of Social Justice and Equity in California Schools
The following memorandum from School & College Legal Services outlines the legal responsibilities and roles of California schools in addressing social justice and equity.
Student Voices Forums
SCOE is hosting a series of forums featuring the voices of students of color on race, equity, and social justice. School leaders including school board members and school administrators, student leadership groups, and community organizations are invited to join us as we listen to students of color about their experiences in our local schools and their ideas for change toward making schools more equitable.
The CARE Collective
Latinx children and families in Sonoma County are deeply and disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, as are black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) across our nation and world. The CARE Collective connects educators and community organizations via virtual panels and facilitated conversations, and provides an opportunity to learn about culturally-sustaining and responsive resources for serving students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARE Collective will specifically focus on building and sharing knowledge related to supporting students and families in the three following areas: physical safety, emotional connection, and academic learning. Learn more and sign up to participate.
Ethnic Studies Curriculum
If you are interested in adopting an Ethnic Studies curriculum for your district, more information can be found at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/ethnicguidelines.asp.
Conversations in Common
Teachers are invited to have their students participate in the soon-to-be launched “Conversations In Common” project, a collaborative diversity and inclusion reading project for Sonoma County Schools that includes support and training in how to facilitate courageous conversations about race, diversity, and social justice.
To receive further information about how to participate, please complete the sign-up form at bit.ly/ConversationsInCommon
Developing a Diverse Teacher Workforce
North Coast School of Education offers a California Classified School Employees Teacher Credentialing Grant for classified school employees interested in becoming teachers. Learn more about the grant or apply.
Understanding Race and Ethnicity
Resources for White Allies
Ways 2 Equity Playbook
If you’d like to learn about the California Equity Performance and Improvement Program and receive the Ways 2 Equity Playbook, participate in the “Ways 2 Equity” webinar being hosted by the Santa Clara County Office of Education on October 8th from 9:00-10:00am
Registration is at https://na.eventscloud.com/ways2equityplaybook.
Additional Resources
Educator Resources to Use with Students
Helpful Tools, Resources, and Apps for Families
