Parents group wants federal probe of whites-only, anti-racist affinity groups in Boston schools
A parental rights advocacy group is calling for a federal investigation into Boston Public Schools after leaked internal documents show the district organized racially-segregated affinity groups for teachers and parents, which included programs intended for whites only.
Parents Defending Education filed a complaint last week through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s office in Boston, requesting an investigation to determine whether BPS’ actions violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Boston Public Schools did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The complaint included lesson plans and other materials related to BPS’ affinity groups, including one called “White Staff and Parents Challenging Racism.” A guide for the group instructs participants to “Learn More about Each Other as White People,” which PDE argued is evidence of the group’s white-only status.
According to the guide included in PDE’s complaint, the program instructs participants to reflect on past opportunities where they may have gathered with white people “to enhance [their] effectiveness as an ally to people of color.”
“BPS also appears to have an affinity group — and certain training — for staff who are ‘White School Leader[s],’” the advocacy group stated in the letter. “This group’s mission includes ‘educat[ing], support[ing], and respectfully challeng[ing] one another as white people...,’ further confirming that BPS is excluding staff from groups and training based on race.”
“The curriculum for the group also emphasizes that the group and its training is only for ‘white principals,’” PDE added.
Another resource in the BPS staff affinity group guide directs participants to an article titled “Why People of Color Need Spaces Without White People,” which explains why individuals of certain backgrounds should have their own affinity group spaces.
Regarding anti-racist affinity groups for white people, BPS’ guidelines promoted this as an opportunity for white individuals to confront their “indoctrination and participation in White supremacy.”
The agenda outlines some of the goals of these affinity groups, stating that the training can help white individuals build “authentic relationships with people of color” and become effective at “disrupting racism.”
If BPS staff wants to apply these tools during conversations at staff or community meetings, then the guide recommends having two co-facilitators who represent the two largest demographic groups at the meeting.
“Define the desired outcomes in advance, ensuring that the participants are ready to engage in respectful, constructive conversation that may be uncomfortable at times,” the guidelines state. “If the White participants have had limited exposure to learning about racism, extra care will be needed to ensure that this is a useful experience for participants of Color.”
Another recommendation emphasized the need to prioritize the “voices of people of color” during staff and community meetings, suggesting a timer to ensure none of the participants, “especially White participants, dominate the conversation.”
“Consider breaking into small groups based on identity, especially if there will be more than one meeting,” reads another suggestion.
PDE expressed concern last year about BPS promoting affinity groups for staff that separated people by race and other characteristics, such as sexual orientation.
According to a document titled “BPS Staff Affinity Groups: Guidelines and Best Practices,” affinity groups are intended to help departments and schools “become an anti-racist organization and institution.”
The document clarifies that affinity groups are for people who share a “common identity,” not those who want to learn about other identities or how to advocate for other groups. It also noted that membership in affinity groups is based on “self-identification.”
“Ask people what group or groups they would like to join; never assume you know how someone identifies. Some people with mixed heritage may want to join more than one group (ideally, groups should be scheduled at non-overlapping times for this reason),” the resource states. “Sometimes it is helpful to have a separate affinity group or breakout sessions within an affinity group for people of mixed heritage.”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
