June 30, 2021
By Mike Kruzman / [email protected]
An American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney is seeking help from the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) in combating racial climate within Brighton Area Schools.
ACLU Racial Justice Prosecutor Mark Fancher wrote a letter (see below) to the MDCR on Tuesday in response to two special events that have occurred in the district over the past few years that he claims ” are not unique “. and isolated, but actually reflect an ongoing trend of racialism in the school district itself. ”
The most recent incident involved pictures posted on social media in late May of a Brighton High School student who wore a black face and had anti-gay slurs written on his forehead.
That incident caught the attention of the Michigan ACLU, which was already campaigning on behalf of a family in the county for an incident in 2018 that a black kid in second grade Hawkins Elementary reportedly had a knitted hat with artificial locks on its head a teacher. In the letter, Fancher says the child was “not only humiliated when other children laughed at him, but photos of the child were taken and shared.”
Fancher told WHMI that after speaking with others in the district and looking at demographics, the ACLU is concerned that the problems may be more widespread in the district. The racial homogeneity of the city and the district is worrying. “Brighton is more than 99 percent white and the Brighton Area Schools have not much more diverse racial demographics.”
Fancher said that while this is not the fault of anyone who lives or goes to school there, it does pose a challenge for the district to prepare students to enter and participate in a world that is much more diverse than that what they might experience on site.
The ACLU is asking the MDCR to work with the district in finding ways to help students have a broader experience with people who do not fit their demographics. Fancher offered some ideas, but also added that education professionals might have better ideas. He said one thing the district could consider is an exchange program where students participate in activities with districts that have a different make-up. They could even collaborate through technology and team up with a more diverse school on projects. Another option would be to revise the curriculum to show the global similarity of human experiences in terms of social, political and economic development.
Fancher wrote in the letter to the MDCR that the social, historical, and institutional factors responsible for the enhanced benefits and protection of the white community must be understood if racial issues are to be effectively addressed. When asked if he was an advocate of Critical Racial Theory, Fancher told WHMI that while the phrase was heavily politicized, it is now more important than ever to advance these types of initiatives. He said, “The idea that students should be protected and shielded from the realities of world history so that they can cling to and retain backward ideas that underline and support ideas about the superiority of certain groups over others is a destructive thing and should be head-on be taken. Regardless of the controversy, now is the time to openly and boldly take action against it and say, ‘Yes, the students have to know.’ “
Despite being a lawyer, Fancher said litigation is not what they want or think they will help, and that they hope this becomes a voluntary effort to address these issues.
When asked about the letter, Matthew Outlaw, Superintendent of Brighton Area Schools, referred WHMI to his earlier testimony made at the time of the Facebook photos. When these came to light, Outlaw said, “As a school district, the Brighton Area Schools have worked with schools across the country to ensure a welcoming and accepting environment for all of our students. There is still a lot to be done in integrating groups such as special needs students With this in mind, a district committee was formed a few months ago, and its immediate efforts will focus on more staff development and educational programs for our students in the fall. The district has already met with groups of students to get feedback and will set up a parent advisory group in the fall. These efforts will continue through the summer, but we feel we have a good plan to make further improvements as a district. Ultimately, the district’s vision is that our continued work on culture and climate will help everyone feel better BAS students feel part of the Bulldog family. ”
