August 22, 2017

To Our DC Community,

We are extremely excited about the back to school season! Schools are places where our students grow as individuals – where they learn more about themselves, how to relate to others, and important lessons about our nation.

We also recognize that the events in Charlottesville, have stirred strong emotions in our District and nationwide. It is difficult to watch these horrific events unfold mere hours away from where we live. Over the past week, we’ve heard concerns and fears from residents of all ages, races, and backgrounds, fears that are justified by simply watching local news or listening to your local radio station. We, like many others, are frustrated by the race-based hatred we see in our country. As DC education leaders, we are writing today to affirm that we are unequivocally committed to protecting our schools and our young people from hatred.

Let us be clear: All public schools in DC are safe places not just for students, but also for parents, families, educators, staff, and community members. Our schools are places of inclusion that value diversity in all its forms, including race, ethnic background, religion, immigration status, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, language, and family’s income level. The diversity throughout the city doesn’t just make us stronger – it is something to celebrate.

As educators, it is not only our responsibility to develop students academically, but also to help them grapple with the world around them. It is our hope that we can use these events to have deep and productive conversations about inclusion and respect so that everyone in our schools feels loved, valued, and supported.

We stand in solidarity, as one city of educators, against the idea that any human being is less valuable because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, the religion they practice, or any other aspect of their identity. As we move forward, we know that you will help us ensure that our schools are welcoming and supportive environments to all who enter our doors. No matter who you are, you are safe with us.

Sincerely,

Muriel Bowser Jennifer Niles Mayor, District of Columbia Deputy Mayor for Education

Antwan Wilson Darren Woodruff Chancellor, DC Public Schools Board Chair, Public Charter School Board

Scott Pearson Hanseul Kang Executive Director, Public Charter School Board State Superintendent, Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Cosigned by:

Lecester Johnson Keith Whitescarver Academy of Hope Adult PCS Breakthrough Montessori PCS

Shantelle Wright Norah Lycknell Achievement Preparatory Academy Public Brent Elementary Charter Schools Olivia Smith Malaika Golden Bridges PCS Aiton Elementary School Maurice Kennard TaMikka Sykes Brightwood Education Campus Amidon-Bowen Elementary School Christie McKay Eric Fraser Briya PCS Anacostia Senior High School Kerry Richardson Anne Zummo Malone Brookland Middle School AppleTree Early Learning PCS Dwight Davis Dr. Yetunde Reeves Browne Education Campus Alethea Bustillo Cara Fuller Bruce-Monroe Elementary School @ Park View Ballou STAY High School Kara Kuchemba Arthur Mola Bunker Hill Elementary School Bancroft Elementary School LeVar Jenkins Grace. A. Reid Burroughs Elementary School Barnard Elementary Tui Roper DeAnna Rowe Burrville Elementary School BASIS DC PCS Heather Hairston Gwendolyn Payton C.W. Harris Elementary School Beers Elementary School Karen Dresden Anita M. Berger Capital City PCS Benjamin Banneker Academic High School Brandon Eatman Rachel McClam Capitol Hill Montessori School DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Middle

Tanya S. Roane Maura Englender DC Prep PCS - Benning Elementary

Allison Kokkoros Erin Waldron Carlos Rosario International PCS DC Prep PCS - Benning Middle

LaTonya Henderson, Ed.D Maria-Teresa Duvall Cedar Tree Academy PCS DC Prep PCS - Anacostia Elementary

Russ E. Williams Jr. Jennifer G. Leonard Center City Public Charter Schools DC Scholars PCS

Emily E. Silberstein Diedre L. Neal Chavez Schools Deal Middle School

Lanette Dailey-Reese Shukurat Adamoh-Faniyan City Arts & Prep PCS Democracy Prep Congress Heights PCS

Anna Krughoff Masi Preston Cleveland Elementary School Dorothy I. Height Elementary School

Maria Tukeva Naimah Salahuddin Columbia Heights Education Campus Drew Elementary School

Connie Spinner Sandi Logan Community College Preparatory Academy PCS Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Semanthe Bright Abdullah Zaki II Coolidge High School Dunbar High School

Golnar Abedin Hilary Darilek Creative Minds International PCS E.L. Haynes PCS

Daniela Anello Brittany Wagner-Friel DC Bilingual PCS E.L. Haynes PCS - Elementary School

Mary Shaffner Myron Long DC International School E.L. Haynes PCS - Middle School

Emily Lawson Emily Hueber Stoetzer DC Prep Public Charter Schools E.L. Haynes PCS - High School

Avise Hayes Joe M. Smith, Ph.D. DC Prep PCS - Edgewood Elementary Eagle Academy PCS

Wendy S. Edwards Felicia Owo Early Childhood Academy PCS Friendship PCS - Woodridge International

Sah Brown Kennard Branch Eastern High School Garfield Elementary School

Dale E. Mann Brigham Kiplinger Eaton Elementary School Garrison Elementary School

Eugenia Young Catherine Meloy Eliot-Hine Middle School Goodwill Excel Center PCS

Erika Bryant Katie Larkin Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom PCS H.D. Cooke Elementary School

Deborah Lockhart Darrin Slade Excel Academy PCS H.D. Woodson High School

Patricia A. Brantley Lucas Cooke Friendship Public Charter School Hardy Middle School

Khabria Hundley Emin Cavusoglu Friendship PCS - Armstrong Harmony DC PCS

Jeffrey Grant Nadine Smith Friendship PCS - Blow Pierce Hart Middle School

Morrise Harbour Charlette E. Butler Friendship PCS - Chamberlain Hart Middle School

Curtis Lawrence Jen Thomas Friendship PCS - Collegiate Academy Hearst Elementary School

John Sloane Sundai M. Riggins Friendship PCS - Online Hendley Elementary School

David Lawery Dr. Chloe Marshall Friendship PCS - Southeast Academy Hope Community PCS (Tolson and Lamond Campus) Khalil Graham Friendship PCS - Tech Prep Middle School Roxane Rucker Academy Hope Community PCS

Peggy Jones Rembert Seaward Friendship PCS - Tech Prep High School Houston Elementary School Academy

Kathryn Procope Angel Hunter Howard University Middle School of King Elementary School Mathematics and Science PCS Shannon T. Hodge Elizabeth Namba Kingsman Academy PCS Hyde-Addison Elementary School Susan Schaeffler Justin Rydstrom KIPP DC IDEA PCS Abe Clayman George H. Rutherford KIPP DC - LEAP Academy PCS Ideal Academy PCS Aliesha Maye Aaron Cuny KIPP DC - AIM Academy PCS Ingenuity Prep PCS Allison Artis Deborah Dantzler Williams KIPP DC - Arts & Technology Academy PCS Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS Amy Witherspoon Soncyree Lee KIPP DC - Connect Academy PCS Inspiring Youth Program and Youth Services Center Andhra Lutz KIPP DC - College Preparatory PCS Heidi Haggerty J.O. Wilson Elementary School Caitlin Maxwell KIPP DC - Northeast Academy PCS Alysia Lutz Donny Tiengtum KIPP DC - Spring Academy PCS Greg Dohmann Jefferson Academy Middle School Erin Huseby KIPP DC - Promise Academy PCS Courtney Taylor Johnson Middle School Gaelan Gallagher KIPP DC - Heights Academy PCS Kortni Stafford Kelly Miller Middle School Gillian Conner KIPP DC - Valor Academy PCS Maisha Riddlesprigger Ketcham Elementary School Jerry Jellig KIPP DC - WILL Academy PCS David Landeryou Key Elementary John Barnhardt KIPP DC - KEY Academy PCS Johann Lee Kimball Elementary School John Petersen KIPP DC - Quest Academy PCS

Lauren Ellis Zara Berry-Young KIPP DC - Grow Academy PCS Malcolm X Elementary School

Mekia Love Liz Whisnant KIPP DC - Lead Academy PCS Mann Elementary School

Michael Cordell Katie Lundgren KIPP DC - The Learning Center Marie Reed Elementary School

Sommer Wynn Carolyne Albert-Garvey KIPP DC - Discover Academy PCS Maury Elementary School

Roman Smith Linda McKay Kramer Middle School Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS

Carrie Broquard Heather D. Wathington, Ph.D Lafayette Elementary School Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation Kemi Husbands Langdon Elementary School M. Louise Jones McKinley Technology High School and Middle Vanessa Drumm-Canepa School Langley Elementary School Candice Bobo Justin Ralston Meridian PCS LaSalle-Backus Education Campus Bruce W. Jackson Diane Cottman Miner Elementary School Latin American Montessori Bilingual PCS Emily Bloomfield Nicole Hanrahan Monument Academy PCS LAYC Career Academy PCS Akela Stanfield-Dogbe Andrew Smith Moten Elementary School Ludlow-Taylor Elementary School Kristin Scotchmer Niyeka Wilson Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS Leckie Education Campus Chris Cebrzynski Chris Pencikowski Murch Elementary School Lee Montessori PCS Kim Adutwum Jada Langston Nalle Elementary School Luke C. Moore Opportunity High School Jennifer L. Ross Mark Sanders National Collegiate Preparatory PCHS MacFarland Middle School

Kermit Burks Benjamin Williams Noyes Elementary School Ron Brown College Preparatory High School

Carolyn Jackson-King, Ed.D. Aqueelha James Orr Elementary School Roosevelt High School

Mayra Canizales DeWayne Little Oyster-Adams Bilingual School Roosevelt STAY Opportunity Academy

Victorie L. Thomas, Ed.D. Bernida Thompson, Ed.D. Patterson Elementary School Roots PCS

Dr. Tracy L. Wright Holly Searl Paul PCS Ross Elementary School

Stephanie Byrd Lisa Rosado Payne Elementary School Savoy Elementary School

Elena Bell Richard Trogisch Peabody and Watkins Elementary School School Without Walls High School and Francis- Stevens Rachel D. Crouch Perry Street Preparatory PCS John E. Burst School-Within-School @ Goding Willie Jackson Phelps ACE High School Kim Jackson Seaton Elementary School Terri Fuller Plummer Elementary School Mecha Inman SEED PCS of Washington, D.C. O’Kiyyah Lyons-Lucas Powell Elementary School Joy King-Pike Sela PCS Kristie Edwards Randle Highlands Elementary School Jenifer Moore Sela PCS Natalie Hubbard Raymond Education Campus Jade L. Brawley Shepherd Elementary School Dr. Marco Clark Richard Wright PCS for Journalism and Media Regina Rodriguez Arts Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS

Aimeé Cepeda, Ed.D. Sharon Holmes River Terrace Education Campus Simon Elementary School

Jacque D. Patterson, Sr. Kiana Williams Rocketship Schools Smothers Elementary School

Lauren Catalano David Nitkin Somerset Preparatory Academy PCS Two Rivers PCS

Courtney Wilkerson Mitchell Brunson Sousa Middle School Tyler Elementary School

Sharon Raimo Cynthia Robinson-Rivers St. Coletta Special Education PCS Van Ness Elementary School

Carlie John Fisherow Clinton Turner Stanton Elementary School Walker-Jones Education Campus

Don Bryant Elizabeth Torres, Ed.D. Stoddert Elementary School Washington Global PCS

Kristofer Comeforo Howard Mebane Stuart-Hobson Middle School Washington Global PCS

Natasha Warsaw Peter Timothy Anderson Sustainable Futures PCS Washington Latin PCS

Loren Brody Stacy Kane Takoma Education Campus Washington Leadership Academy PCS

Nakia Nicholson N'Deye Diagne, Ph.D. The Children's Guild DC PCS Washington Mathematics Science Technology PCS Julie Meyer The Next Step/El Proximo Paso PCS Michael Alexander Washington Metropolitan Opportunity Davia L. Walker Academy and CHOICE Academy Thomas Elementary School Maquita Alexander Carmen Shepherd Washington Yu Ying PCS Thomson Elementary School Megan Vroman Richard Pohlman West Education Campus Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS Shenora N. Plenty, Ed.D Mary Ann Stinson Wheatley Education Campus Truesdell Education Campus Tenia Pritchard Amanda Delabar Whittier Education Campus Kimberly Martin Eric Bethel Wilson High School Turner Elementary School Andrew Touchette YouthBuild PCS