Dear KUSD students, families and staff,
The heinous crime that led to the death of George Floyd has stricken our world with grief and pain. We share in the grief of a life lost, and the pain of what is happening across our nation. The past days and weeks have shone a light on the tremendous injustices in our society. We stand in solidarity with those who are voicing their anguish, anger and deep frustration with systems that oppress and devalue Black lives, KUSD feels the same way. Racism, injustice and violence have no place in our society and cannot and should not be tolerated.
More than ever, it is critical to take a step back and face the hard truth and reflect on what is ahead. Our community must work together to dismantle the biases that exist and use the power of education to positively shape the future. The more we educate, the more we will understand racism and the better we will be at ending it once and for all. The children of our community deserve change so they can feel safe, respected and free of racial profiling.
To our students – you are our beacon of hope. We believe that you have the power to shape the future and encourage you to peacefully use your voice to make change. With each generation our community evolves, and now is the time to continue spreading kindness, support and love to your neighbors in hopes of forming a stronger, more caring community that welcomes all individuals, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability or otherwise. Each of you has a story to contribute, and we want you to share your voices, viewpoints and talents as you strive to inspire others and change the world for the better.
Through the work of our Equity Team and curriculum, we promise to continue educating our staff and students about racism and anti-racist strategies in an effort to break down barriers so all people can be treated with the respect, dignity, kindness and caring they deserve.
We understand that some students and staff may be needing emotional support during these unprecedented times, please know we are here for you. Students in need of support are encouraged to reach out to their school counselor or any other school staff with whom they are comfortable. School staff contact information can be found on the staff tab of school websites. Employees in need of support are urged to use the district’s Employee Assistance Program, which can be found on the HR section of the intranet.
This is not how we envisioned the 2019-20 school year ending, but It is through love, compassion and a dedication to our students and families that we will all remain strong and stand united. We are committed to being champions for our students, staff, community and nation. Honest dialogue and work in fighting injustice will bring us to peace.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sue Savaglio-Jarvis