We are residents of Smithfield, parents of students in the Smithfield Public Schools, and parents of students Ms. Jester’s classroom, and we support overturning the Superintendent’s decision regarding the non-renewal of Ms. Jester’s contract.

We are not afraid of difficult discussions. We are not embarrassed to admit that we sometimes need to be corrected in our speech or behavior. We understand that all students have had different life experiences, and school is a place where they learn about people who are different from themselves. We fully support creating an inclusive and safe environment for students where racism and other forms of bigotry are not tolerated. We believe that teaching kids about racism is necessary to effectuate change. Confronting bias is an uncomfortable process, but it is a necessary process.

It is well known that the Smithfield Public Schools have struggled with hate speech and bigotry, and they do not have sufficient mechanisms in place to deal with these issues. The teachers voiced their concerns last year during the Equity Audit and asked for clarification, education, and support, which they have not received. It is disingenuous, at best, to ignore the teachers’ requests for clarification and then accuse them of failing to follow the policy when they make an honest effort to address racism in their classrooms. Ms. Jester’s approach was thoughtful, educational, and done without targeting any particular students. If students felt called out by her discussion, then they are identifying themselves as people who are engaging in racist behavior. Those students should be encouraged to reflect on their hurtful behavior, not protected from the natural consequences of it. For far too long, the schools have failed to protect students and teachers of color. We need to do better. We need to renew Ms. Jester's contract and give all of our teachers the tools they need to create an anti-racist environment in our schools.