A Safe Place to Learn

In recent weeks, news reports have highlighted a number of anti-Black incidents in local schools. Anti-Black acts in the public schools, one of our community’s most fundamental institutions, are of particular concern to me as a child psychologist. I stand with the Black community in calling for an end to racism in all of its forms.

While I recognize that the practice of anti-racism is the work of all of us, I implore our local school districts and administrators to further implement developmentally appropriate anti-racism programming. My hope is that incidents of hate will be eliminated.

However, when anti-Black action occurs, individuals who are impacted, including students, families, and school staff, must be provided with access to racially sensitive mental-health support by trained clinicians.

Furthermore, I urge the districts to make every effort to ensure that affected children are able to return to a supportive learning environment at their base school. Children cannot learn in environments where they feel unsafe.