Arcadia Unified Releases Statement on Racial Inequities

Protest planned for Friday in the city

On Thursday night, Arcadia Unified School District Superintendent Dr. David Vannasdall released a statement following days of protest across the country in response to the death of George Floyd, police brutality, and systemic racism in various institutions. The superintendent’s statement reads in part:

“Likemany people across our country and world, our Arcadia Unified community isdealing with sadness, anger, frustration, and grief because of anothersenseless death of an African American. The Arcadia Unified School Districtrecognizes the horrific death of George Floyd. His death has focused a light oninstitutional racism and educational inequities that exist in our country, ourcommunities, and our schools. The events that have unfolded over the pastseveral days across our country have had a profound impact on our community andour children. As an educational body, we commit to listening, learning,reflecting, and acting to stand against racism. We can be better, and we willdo better, as we move forward to creating a socially-just society for our students. 

“As a community of educators, webelieve in living out our purpose of challenging and inspiring all students tomake a positive and profound impact on their world. This can only be achievedwhen each student, regardless of the color of their skin, has access to aworld-class education free from discrimination and racism. The very nature ofour diversity is what makes us better together. 

“In AUSD, we believe we hold aresponsibility to our students and parents to lead through example. Our fivecore values as a district, as seen on the walls of the Arcadia Education Centerand throughout our schools, are Collaborate, Think Critically, Be Creative,Offer Empathy, and Learn from Failure. We know the time is now to focus on andlive out our values more than ever. It is incumbent upon us to collaborate withour students, staff, and parents of color; to think critically of ourselves,and as an institution, about our shortcomings and how we can improve; to becreative in our examination of this process and in providing solutions; tooffer empathy to all of our students, staff, and parents of color who haveencountered institutional racism and educational inequities. We must alsoindeed learn from our past failures to ensure they are not repeated. 

“We have deep empathy for the pain andanger being felt for the many questions with no answers and the voices thathave not been heard for too many years. As we move forward, we believe AUSD hasa responsibility and an opportunity to elevate these difficult conversations inthe commitment to a better tomorrow.”

Vannasdall also provided various links to resources to “help you havesome of these difficult conversations.”

The links included:

• Table Talk:Family conversations about current events.
• Talking to youngchildren about bias and prejudice.
• Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice.
• Engaging youngpeople in talk about race and racism.
• How to talkto kids about black lives and police violence.
• National Association of School Psychologists.
• National PTA:Discussing Difficult Situations with your Children. 
• Arcadia Unified’s webpage for COVID-19 mental health & wellnesssupport and resources. 
• ArcadiaUnified Mental Health Mondays Outreach. 

There is a protest planned for Friday at 3 p.m. at Arcadia County Park.

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