Opinion: TTAR response to school committee comments

After hearing Joe Pires speak at the end of the Joint School Committee meeting on 1/19 and reading his statement in the Facebook group, Tri-Town Buzz on 1/25, I feel compelled to respond. 

 

My name is Alison Noyce, I am a founding member and the president of Tri-Town Against Racism (TTAR).

 

TTAR is not a special interest group. A special interest group is a group of people or an organization seeking or receiving special advantages, typically through political lobbying.  TTAR is 501c3 registered nonprofit. We are a community group working hard to create a more inclusive community. 

 

The mission of TTAR is: We seek to defend against racism within the community by providing education, promoting positive communication, and listening to the voices of those affected. We foster an environment of inclusion and acceptance for all. We create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect to ensure that all community members are respected and valued. 

 

Joe Pires speaks as a minority. His  experiences, and the experience of his children, are just that, the experiences of one family, told by one member of that family.

 

Joe speaks of his kids’ experience with racism and said at the JSC meeting that it has “never affected them long term”.  I sincerely hope that is the case for his family, but there are numerous studies showing that racism can have long term and lasting impact on a person’s mental and physical health. 

 

According to Academy of American Pediatrics, “Racism is a social determinant of health that has a profound impact on the health status of children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families. Although progress has been made toward racial equality and equity, the evidence to support the continued negative impact of racism on health and well-being through implicit and explicit biases, institutional structures, and interpersonal relationships is clear.”

 

Joe talked about raising his kids to be strong and confident, not to be vulnerable and not to be victims. If only protecting our kids from racism or the pain it causes were so simple. Confident, strong kids, who don’t see themselves as vulnerable or as victims can be hurt by racism. And what of the kid who is not confident or strong? Are they to blame for the racism they experience or the negative impact it has on them? Neither good parenting nor confident children can prevent our BIPOC kids from the harm caused by racism.   

 

Since TTAR began in April of 2020 we have been told numerous stories by BIPOC members of the Tri-Town about racism in our community. The experiences shared have been from OR alumni, current students, and adult community members. This is why TTAR started, and why we continue work toward a community where everyone feels valued and included. 

 

Joe said, “There cannot be shaming, there can not be smearing , and certainly cannot be going after a family because a child has made a mistake. The outcome should be positive on both sides.”  He said it must be a win win. 

 

Winning in racism? The victim of racism is never in a position of winning. You can create an outcome where a student who does or says something racist, receives the benefit of education around the incident. And that is what TTAR advocates for. We care about all children, even when they say or do things that hurt their peers. We want to lead with compassion, care, and the opportunity to learn and grow. But to indicate that a racist incident can lead to a win for the victim is preposterous, ignorant, and dangerous. 

 

Also problematic is the statement, “When situations of racism occur, we should not condemn, we need to help everyone involved.”  Actually, we absolutely always need to condemn racism. Every time. As stated above, how we respond to a student is another matter. Yes, we want what is best for all involved. But I am really struggling with a school committee member, who is a member of the Equity subcommittee, that does not believe that racism should be condemned. 

 

Joe takes issue that a member of the school committee is also a part of TTAR. He considers it a conflict of interest. Aren’t school committee members also community members? And as community members aren’t they allowed to be part of community groups?  Can they be scout leaders? Can they be coaches? TTAR is a community group, a nonprofit, a group committed to an inclusive community. How is this considered a conflict rather than an asset? 

 

Joe’s post on Tri-Town Buzz was meant to provide clarity as to where he stands. For me it left more concern than clarity, more questions than answers.

 

If you have not listened to Joe Pires remarks at JSC or read his statement on Tri-Town Buzz, I encourage you to do so. 

 

I strongly encourage anyone with questions about TTAR to check out our website to see who we are, what we are doing in the community, and why our work matters. tritownagainstracism.org. You can contact us through the website as well. We’d be happy to talk to you. 

 

Alison Noyce,

Rochester