Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Equity at Walatowa High Charter School means:
To give the students of the Walatowa High Charter School a vision of a better world attained through increased knowledge and global awareness. At its core, this is what diversity, equity, and inclusion in education are all about.
- Diversity must be promoted to achieve a positive, harmonious academic setting. This refers to all students, regardless of race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, or physical ability.
- Equity is distinguished from equality in that fairness is achieved by taking a student’s starting point into account. This means providing the specified support and resources necessary for students to achieve success based on individual needs.
- Inclusion is the celebration and appreciation of all experiences and perspectives, with the expected result of an environment that feels inviting and open for all. (UTEP.EDU)
- We will prioritize our interactions with every individual.
- Provide a welcoming environment to all stakeholders (students, staff, parents, community members, tribal leaders, etc.) who enter our spaces (offices, classrooms, etc.).
- Students will see themselves/their culture represented throughout the Walatowa High Charter School and the curriculum.
- Curriculum, discussion, lesson plan, visuals, etc. provide opportunities for students to see their culture valued, integrated, and represented and the cultures of others valued, integrated and represented.
- WHCS Faculty and staff will embed cultural competency, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed practices into their teaching, professional development, and interactions with students.
- Cultural competency requires a thorough understanding of other cultures, an understanding of how cultures intersect and interact, valuing all cultures, and the flexibility to include and integrate those cultures into our classrooms and larger school community.
- Cultural responsiveness requires teachers to know and understand the many facets of culture our students bring to the classroom and to leverage those elements of culture to meet the academic and social needs of our students.
- Trauma-informed practices require our staff to provide safe and supportive spaces for both students and staff to learn and work by implementing practices that do not cause further harm and help all stakeholders thrive.
- Work toward building an anti-biased, anti-racist system that promotes academic and civic excellence. Provide specific Anti-Biased Anti-Racist (ABAR) learning opportunities for staff, students, families, and our community
- Encourage the Walatowa school community to speak up, ask questions, learn more, and build understanding.
- Educate all stakeholders
- Provide a restorative approach to discipline that educates students to make appropriate choices.
- Provide more student voice/influence on discipline policy recommendations
- Reduce exclusionary discipline practices
- Remove cultural factors from discipline referrals
- Invest and engage students in their learning by supporting student and teacher efficacy.
- Define success by what our families and community value rather than solely by the success criteria.
- Continue to have courageous conversations as we progress toward an equitable and just system.
- Advocate for policy changes at the local, state, Tribal, and federal levels to stop the systemic oppression of children and families based on race, gender, gender identity, religion, ability, age, income, tribal differences, and zip code.
Anti-Racism/Anti Oppression
The Anti-Racism/Anti Oppression (ARAO) Portal is a resource created by the Black Education Act to report school-based incidents of racism.The ARAO portal supports communication between WHCS, students, and their families. The ARAO Portal covers racialized incidents that happen within New Mexico schools.
The Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression is a resource created by the Black Education Act (House Bill 43) that is available for WHCS staff, students, families, community members, and any stakeholders to report school-based incidents of racism or racial discrimination against anyone. The Black Education Act was passed during the 2021 New Mexico General Legislative Session.
WHCS Black Education Act Policy: The purpose of this Policy is compliance with the Black Education Act of the New Mexico Legislature in working to create equitable educational opportunities for and treatments of racial minority students. Racialized aggression is strictly prohibited on the WHCS’s campus and at school-related events. “Racialized aggression” as defined by the WHCS’s Student Discipline Policy means hostile or violent behavior or attitudes toward a student or school staff member that can result in emotional or physical harm and are based on race.
No school employee or student who in good faith reports any known or suspected violation of the Discipline Policy or in good faith attempts to enforce this Policy will be held liable for any civil damages as a result of such report or of the employee’s efforts to enforce any part of the Policy.
Each year, all school staff shall successfully complete an online or in-person antiracism, racial awareness and sensitivity training or professional development approved by the department that addresses race, racism and racialized aggression and demonstrates how to create and foster an equitable and culturally responsive learning environment for racial minority students.
Contact the Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression Portal:
Report Incident: Incidents of racialized aggression should be reported to the New Mexico Anti-Racism AntiOppression Portal. Staff, students, families, and community members can report school-based incidents of racism to the Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression Portal by contacting:
WHCS Executive Director
505-527-3393
awilkinson@walatowahcs.org
More Information: NMPED Black Education Act https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/identity-equity-transformation/black-education-act/