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MS 442 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team

Mission Statement

In order to ensure the academic success of our students, MS 442 has established a Diversity Team that will meet the needs of our students by closing opportunity gaps, addressing the systemic challenges of oppression and working with all community members. This work will continue to provide equitable and inclusive working and learning environments.

 

The definition of diversity includes: socio-economic, disability, gender, race, sexual orientation, language, age, and religion.

 

We strive to advocate for equitable practices and systems within the school; anti-racism work (i.e, participation in anti-racism training, reading, and discussions to inform curriculum, pedagogy) and understanding among students and staff; inclusive classrooms with culturally-responsive curriculum and pedagogy. Working collaboratively with school staff to create pedagogy, activities and events that bring inclusivity for all our students and community. 

 

The NYC Department of Education has established the Equity and Excellence for All program with the intention of supporting diversity in New York City public schools. For the NYC Department of Education "Equity" means meeting every student where they are, and providing the support, resources, and high expectations for them to achieve at consistently high levels. 

 

The MS 442 community is committed to creating and supporting learning environments that reflect the diversity of New York City and with the belief that all students benefit from diverse and inclusive schools and classrooms. Teachers are participating in professional development, creating lessons and activities without bias and sharing resources to create an environment for all students to thrive.

Contact Us

We want to hear from you! If you have any ideas or are interested in collaborating, please fill out this form here.

 

Please feel free to email us with any questions and concerns at diversityteam@ms442.org. All ideas are welcomed. 

Our recommended reading

01/

Alicia Rivera

My book of the month is Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal. In this book, Wilkenson examines systemic racism in America, history of our system and consequences of our system through real stories. Wilkerson is known for her books, Warmth of Other Suns and White Fragility. 

02/

Eric Lee

Esmeralda Santiago's story, When I Was Puerto Rican, begins in rural Puerto Rico, where her childhood was full of both tenderness and domestic strife, tropical sounds and sights as well as poverty. She learned the proper way to eat a guava, the sound of tree frogs in the mango groves at night, and the taste of the delectable sausage called morcilla. When her mother, Mami, a force of nature, takes off to New York with her seven, soon to be eleven children, Esmeralda, the oldest, must learn new rules, a new language, and eventually take on a new identity. Santiago brilliantly recreates her family life of her earliest years and her journey from the barrio to Brooklyn, from translating for her mother at the welfare office to high honors at Harvard. 

03/

Melissa Cleveland

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez: What’s Missing from the American Immigrant Narrative: This TED talk focuses on dismantling myths surrounding immigration and groups of immigrants. A good starting point to dive deeper into current events surrounding immigration. 

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