Flash player is required to view weather conditions. Download

site web  

School officials may not be able to eliminate racism from schools, but they can make significant progress, said Glenn E. Singleton, author of "Courageous Conversations About Race."

"As we are addressing these issues of racism, schools are becoming far more able to do the work they are designed to do for all children," Singleton said.

School equity teams from Fairfield, Middletown, Talawanada, Mason, the Ohio Department of Education and Butler Tech are working to eliminate the systemic racial disparity in their districts. It is a collaboration of Miami University, Pacific Educational Group and West Wind Education Policy, Inc.

Four years ago, Middletown City Schools Superintendent Steve Price heard a presentation by Singleton and asked him to work with Middletown. Price said it quickly became apparent there was a need to include other districts to truly make an impact.

"We had a lot of content that people were learning," Price said. "We ended up with five districts that wanted to stick it out. Our goal is to create anti-racist leaders understanding leadership theory and combining it with the courageous conversations Glenn Singleton provides."

Although Singleton said he has been with some schools for a decade, his goal with this consortium is to work himself out of a job as quickly as possible.

The consortium as a whole, he said, is already a success.

"I think it's a good thing because it not only brings together districts that are interested in looking at this large scale transformation, it also combines some key agencies in the community that are essential in addressing this large scale problem."

Vote for this story!