EDUCATION
In the spirit of Gov. Chris Sununu’s recent proclamation that September 2023 was Welcoming Schools Month, I would like to propose that every day of every school year can and should be focused on cultivating a sense of belonging among all students.
From classroom demographics to curricular design, instruction and assessment, from achievement to discipline and more, there are methods and metrics to ascertain students’ sense of belonging or obstacles to it, and mechanisms ready at hand to cultivate that sense for each and every child, each and every day.
As the author of a review of literature published recently by the New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity, I focus on the meaning and value of diversity in education contexts and write that “(b)elonging is important for students’ well-being, development and achievement at all levels, and warrants serious consideration as a metric of accountability for DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice) efforts and officers.”
Implied but not explicit in that claim is that the efforts must be undertaken by many and not merely one person in a district.
Consider that only four SAUs in the state have a DEIJ officer on staff, and in each case the load of responsibilities and accountabilities is far too great for any single person.
The “belonging case” argument requires thinking about diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in education at all levels and stages.
Because we owe kids everything we can give, and then some, we can and should design and assess curricula with their experiences and expertise in mind.
We can and should employ proven methods like apprenticeship and other nontraditional pathways to diversify the educational workforce at all levels and all positions and all geographies.
We can and should distribute the work of creating equitable educational opportunities through a shared equity leadership model or something similar.
And we should remember that disability has no color line and also has real ramifications for students of color inside and outside the classroom.
We at NHCJE are engaged in the necessary work to create equitable educational opportunities for all students in the state, and welcome productive conversations in this space.
Jacob A. Bennett is project director for the New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity in Chester.
