SHELBURNE — A group of Mohawk Trail Regional School District teachers is pondering the question of how to address hate speech in school environments.
Led by an ad hoc committee of teachers and staff, the district welcomed educators, School Committee members and community members to the Shelburne-Buckland Community Center in June to start a dialogue about discrimination, hate speech, bias, and how to create school communities that foster openness and a sense of belonging.
“The goal was not just to have one event, but to begin many more conversations,” said Boris Samarov, a Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School teacher who helped organize the June 12 program. “We’re hoping this is going to become a group that will move forward.”
Samarov said the ad hoc committee wanted to bring people together to discuss what they can do as a school district to address hate speech and bias in the schools.
A report from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security found that hate crimes and bias incidents increased by 21% (to a total of 557 incidents reported) from 2022 to 2023. Of these incidents, 13.3% occurred in a school.
Samarov said a survey asking about bias and hate speech in the school district was sent to community members and received 200 responses, mostly from students.
The survey found that students believe the district is making progress in combating hate through the creation of LGBTQ affinity groups, clarification of expectations in student handbooks and professional development for staff. However, students also believe the district needs to improve its response to incidents as they occur, as well as bolster its communication with parents and families when something is reported.
After taking some time to review the survey data and responses, attendees were led through a discussion by facilitators Tom Chang and Safire DeJong from the Collaborative for Educational Services, a nonprofit based in Northampton. Attendees reflected on the survey and their own experiences, and said there is no one solution to addressing bias in the schools. To determine a best course of action that is cognizant of different perspectives and beliefs, while also teaching students how to be considerate and not spread hate speech, would require more time and discussion, attendees said.
Read more at the Greenfield Recorder…