Commitment to Inclusion

Resolution condemning racism and affirming the Stillwater Public Schools’ commitment to an inclusive school environment for all:

  1. WHEREAS, members of the Stillwater Board of Education, as well as the Stillwater Public Schools staff, are saddened and outraged by recent events that demonstrate the prejudice and injustice that persists in our country.

  2. WHEREAS, racism and hate have no place in our schools or our society. We must protect the Constitutional rights of every person who lives, works, and learns in our community. We must promote an environment that fosters the principles of inclusion and diversity as integral to all students' education.

  3. WHEREAS, we cannot be silent. We must urgently act to stop injustices that harm and anguish all people, who are our family, friends, neighbors, students, staff members, and fellow Americans.

  4. WHEREAS, we must listen. Those who have endured discrimination and intolerance deserve to be heard as they share the stories and truth about their experiences and feelings, and we must seek with great empathy to understand their challenges and their pain.

  5. WHEREAS, we must learn. It is time to engage our community in meaningful and honest conversation about racial inequality, to promote an inclusive environment, to build alliances with those committed to justice for all, and to work together to support our shared conviction that injustices must end.

  6. WHEREAS, we must lead. Each of us, individually and collectively, is responsible for creating and nurturing an inclusive, equitable, and safe learning environment where every child is respected and valued for who they are and celebrated for their individual differences. We must actively acknowledge, address, and prevent racial bias or prejudice and foster a more inclusive environment as a result of district policies, practices, and actions.

  7. WHEREAS, we must do better. Our district can be and will be a sanctuary of safety in our community by championing and honoring the value of diversity within our community as we build and strengthen trust with those we serve and through our acceptance of all people.

  8. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, members of the Stillwater Board of Education, stand steadfast in our commitment to foster an inclusive educational environment where every student, teacher, support professional, parent, and community member is treated with dignity and respect, as well as our commitment to continue fighting for racial justice and an inclusive environment for all.

We commit to starting by:

  • Engaging in a meaningful, intentional, and thoughtful communitywide conversation about racism, the advancement of an inclusive environment, and diversity

  • Actively and strategically build a school system that champions equity and an inclusive environment for all.