I taught in Warwick for 34 years and am newly retired. I love my students, their parents, my colleagues and this town. This is my first letter to the editor.
Rumors have been circulating about the equity program being started in our school district. It’s clear there’s much misunderstanding about this program and its goals.
Fact: Warwick does not import curriculum from outside sources. Teachers who are experts in their fields and who know the children of this community collaborate to write their own curriculums based on both state and district guidelines.
Fact: The first goal of this equity program is to gather data to discover any barriers to learning. Gathering this information will be a long, slow and transparent process that involves community input. We do not have cookie-cutter kids but a garden of varied and beautiful flowers each with different needs to thrive. We must assess the nature of this garden before we can tend it more effectively.
Fact: Learning barriers can be mitigated by considering how socio-economic status, disabilities, gender, race, or other factors could adversely affect a student’s educational experience. Once any barriers are identified, changes can be developed so that all students have the chance to fulfill their learning potential.
It’s alarming that there has been so much misinformation and heated rhetoric. I want to have confidence that any school board member would evaluate changes in programs with a level head and only after gathering all the facts. We are so fortunate to have a school board that works to ensure that our existing programs, as well as any to be developed, are based on facts and research.
That’s why I am voting for the incumbent candidates, Lynn Lillian, Sharon Davis and Dave Eaton.
Debra Leporati
Warwick