The Board of Trustees has fulfilled our demand by issuing a formal public commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement. This concludes our specific campaign but we are now shifting our focus to tracking the implementation of the internal policy changes promised by the school administration.
July 29, 2020
Final supporters
UPDATE:
Kirby School and the Board of Trustees have made Facebook posts and sent out emails apologizing for their silence and acknowledging that BLACK LIVES MATTER. Racism is alive and well in the world and at Kirby School and there is so much more work to do. Keep fighting the fight.
UPDATE:
Kirby School made a public post to their Facebook page on Saturday, June 13 at 10:52am. If you want to see it and comment, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/KirbySchool/
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the protests that have swept the nation, Kirby School, which was named after the suffragette Georgiana Bruce Kirby, whose mission statement claims to teach students to "engage diverse communities with thoughtfulness and respect," has remained silent on the matter. Alumnae communicated with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, and the Chair of the Board. The response was inadequate and full of excuses but no commitment to act. They listed various efforts at internal diversity work, but their lack of public support for Black Lives Matter shows how much more work the school needs to do. They have made no apology for their lack of response nor have they committed themselves to making any kind of forceful public statement of support that Black Lives Matter.
We ask that the administration publicly declare their support for Black lives and apologize for their inaction. All lives can't matter until Black lives do.
Updates
June 13, 2020
The administration has acknowledged our pressure but their internal commitments remain insufficient. I am currently drafting a formal letter outlining specific policy changes for the Board of Trustees to review at their next session.
Reached 100 supporters
June 13, 2020
35 Comments
I am a Kirby alum and am saddened to hear that the school I attended for six years has not publicly shown support for the Black Lives Matter movement. All Kirby students, particularly Black students in this predominantly white institution, should feel like their school values their lives and their futures.
As a former student council president of Kirby I am extremely disappointed in the lack of a public statement on solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. With the resources and flexibility that Kirby has (a high school that is able to offer linear algebra and differential equations classes), this institution has the duty to take the lead in educating its students on racial injustice and White privilege. Kirby has the responsibility to be anti-racist and anti-colonial. Kirby needs to develop a concrete action plan of how the school intends to use its platform to be anti-racist in its community, curriculum, and administration.
Silence = acceptance To be silent is to be on the side of the oppressor. In times like these it’s much easier to be quiet than to put forth a public opinion, but the easier option is hardly ever the right one. Please show the POC students you have right now that they matter and that you stand behind them! It’s sad to me that companies like LEGO and Bratz Dolls are able to put forward statements (the bare minimum of activism) supporting BLM but Kirby isn’t able to? To pride Kirby as a place of acceptance and welcoming then to be silent on this issue is completely contradictory. There’s never been a time in history where being silent was the right choice. Please, do better.
I’m honestly not that surprised. I went to Kirby for 6 years and I never once felt like I mattered as much as the white students did. As a POC, it was so hard for my to fit in because there were no people who looked like me. I was always knows as... “that one Mexican kid.” Kirby needs to change and the way they handle these situations need to change. I am just taken back but honestly not shocked that Kirby hasn’t done much since they haven’t been helping out POC for years. Come on Kirby, get your head in the game and see that we all matter.
Black Lives Matter. Kirby is an overwhelmingly white place, which talking to my black former classmates and friends was a really isolating experience at times For them. Kirby has a lot to improve on in terms of diversity, and not making a statement now sets a precedent of keeping the status quo. We don’t need status quo we need action and a list of ways in which Kirby can improve so that it’s an amazing experience for everyone.
Black Lives Matter. Attempting to be apolitical in this moment is taking a political stance and does all of you Black alumni and current Black students a disservice. By not releasing a statement you are telling Black members of the Kirby community that they are lesser than the rest of the community members. Do better.
I don't know if my initial comment went through so I apologize if this is a repeat. The statement made by the board co-chairs was so disheartening. Their inability to stand with Black people within the community and outside is appalling and shows who they truly are. Their beliefs demonstrate their deep implicit racism -- while all must educate themselves and it takes some time to do so, they should not be in power while they continue to hold these beliefs. I implore you to sign and share this petition demanding that they resign. They have completely failed their community and I cannot find a way to trust them as leaders. If you would like to discuss further I'd be more than open to do so: [email protected]. I apologize for the anonymity as well, I promise this isn't fake I just can't have my name associated with a demand for their resignation right now. We cannot have racist people anywhere in our community, but particularly not as board chairs. http://chng.it/jdFn4Y6kNN
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The Board of Trustees has fulfilled our demand by issuing a formal public commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement. This concludes our specific campaign but we are now shifting our focus to tracking the implementation of the internal policy changes promised by the school administration.
July 29, 2020
Final supporters
UPDATE:
Kirby School and the Board of Trustees have made Facebook posts and sent out emails apologizing for their silence and acknowledging that BLACK LIVES MATTER. Racism is alive and well in the world and at Kirby School and there is so much more work to do. Keep fighting the fight.
UPDATE:
Kirby School made a public post to their Facebook page on Saturday, June 13 at 10:52am. If you want to see it and comment, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/KirbySchool/
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the protests that have swept the nation, Kirby School, which was named after the suffragette Georgiana Bruce Kirby, whose mission statement claims to teach students to "engage diverse communities with thoughtfulness and respect," has remained silent on the matter. Alumnae communicated with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, and the Chair of the Board. The response was inadequate and full of excuses but no commitment to act. They listed various efforts at internal diversity work, but their lack of public support for Black Lives Matter shows how much more work the school needs to do. They have made no apology for their lack of response nor have they committed themselves to making any kind of forceful public statement of support that Black Lives Matter.
We ask that the administration publicly declare their support for Black lives and apologize for their inaction. All lives can't matter until Black lives do.
Updates
June 13, 2020
The administration has acknowledged our pressure but their internal commitments remain insufficient. I am currently drafting a formal letter outlining specific policy changes for the Board of Trustees to review at their next session.
Reached 100 supporters
June 13, 2020
35 Comments
Kirby’s culture needs to change and acknowledge the “colorblind” mindset, because it IS A FORM OF RACISM! As a former Black student it’s disappointing to have been/still be let down from a high praised academic white institution.
I am a Kirby alum and am saddened to hear that the school I attended for six years has not publicly shown support for the Black Lives Matter movement. All Kirby students, particularly Black students in this predominantly white institution, should feel like their school values their lives and their futures.
As a former student council president of Kirby I am extremely disappointed in the lack of a public statement on solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. With the resources and flexibility that Kirby has (a high school that is able to offer linear algebra and differential equations classes), this institution has the duty to take the lead in educating its students on racial injustice and White privilege. Kirby has the responsibility to be anti-racist and anti-colonial. Kirby needs to develop a concrete action plan of how the school intends to use its platform to be anti-racist in its community, curriculum, and administration.
Silence = acceptance To be silent is to be on the side of the oppressor. In times like these it’s much easier to be quiet than to put forth a public opinion, but the easier option is hardly ever the right one. Please show the POC students you have right now that they matter and that you stand behind them! It’s sad to me that companies like LEGO and Bratz Dolls are able to put forward statements (the bare minimum of activism) supporting BLM but Kirby isn’t able to? To pride Kirby as a place of acceptance and welcoming then to be silent on this issue is completely contradictory. There’s never been a time in history where being silent was the right choice. Please, do better.
I’m honestly not that surprised. I went to Kirby for 6 years and I never once felt like I mattered as much as the white students did. As a POC, it was so hard for my to fit in because there were no people who looked like me. I was always knows as... “that one Mexican kid.” Kirby needs to change and the way they handle these situations need to change. I am just taken back but honestly not shocked that Kirby hasn’t done much since they haven’t been helping out POC for years. Come on Kirby, get your head in the game and see that we all matter.
Black Lives Matter. Kirby is an overwhelmingly white place, which talking to my black former classmates and friends was a really isolating experience at times For them. Kirby has a lot to improve on in terms of diversity, and not making a statement now sets a precedent of keeping the status quo. We don’t need status quo we need action and a list of ways in which Kirby can improve so that it’s an amazing experience for everyone.
Black Lives Matter. Attempting to be apolitical in this moment is taking a political stance and does all of you Black alumni and current Black students a disservice. By not releasing a statement you are telling Black members of the Kirby community that they are lesser than the rest of the community members. Do better.
I don't know if my initial comment went through so I apologize if this is a repeat. The statement made by the board co-chairs was so disheartening. Their inability to stand with Black people within the community and outside is appalling and shows who they truly are. Their beliefs demonstrate their deep implicit racism -- while all must educate themselves and it takes some time to do so, they should not be in power while they continue to hold these beliefs. I implore you to sign and share this petition demanding that they resign. They have completely failed their community and I cannot find a way to trust them as leaders. If you would like to discuss further I'd be more than open to do so: [email protected]. I apologize for the anonymity as well, I promise this isn't fake I just can't have my name associated with a demand for their resignation right now. We cannot have racist people anywhere in our community, but particularly not as board chairs. http://chng.it/jdFn4Y6kNN
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Kirby’s culture needs to change and acknowledge the “colorblind” mindset, because it IS A FORM OF RACISM! As a former Black student it’s disappointing to have been/still be let down from a high praised academic white institution.