Dear Lansing School District Community,
I hope this newsletter finds you well. As always, it is a pleasure to be writing to you all.
In this week's update, I would like to acknowledge and commemorate Black History Month. I find Black History Month bittersweet. The idea that we have to create a month to make sure that we as a society focus on all of the incredible contributions of African Americans to America is, in some way, already hurtful. Black History is American History. It shouldn't need a month of focus; it should be embedded in our societal framework. But, if we are honest, we know that it is not. Black History tends to be marginalized and put off to the side. That is why Black History Month is so important. We can never underestimate the power of representation. When a student sees someone that looks like them, there is a kind of immediate recognition and understanding.
If we truly care about supporting our youth in becoming great contributors to our community, then we must not only tell them that they can do great things but show them that they can do great things. If all we ever discuss is disconnected to our students' own lives and being, then it is harder to see oneself as the next contributor. If students never see themselves as the main character or the hero, it is harder then to take those next steps in picturing yourself as such. There is a great pedagogical framework developed by Emily Style called windows and mirrors. In its most simplest form, the idea behind windows and mirrors is that school and the curriculum should expose all students to windows (seeing the amazing attributes of folks very different than you) and mirrors (seeing the great attributes of people that are more like you.) Exposing everyone to windows and mirrors just strengthens our ability to move our entire community forward. And one of the best examples is a focus and care around Black History Month.
I hope that in all of our own lives, we are able to see people who look like us succeed to great heights but also to see others as great too. Thus, again, I want to acknowledge and commemorate Black History Month and the innumerable contributions of African Americans to America and the world at large.
Thank you so much for all of your incredible support of our community. Together, we will do great things for Lansing.
Benjamin Shuldiner, Superintendent
Lansing School District
