“A critical part of disrupting and dismantling oppressive systems is a recognition that the problems exists. The more important step is to act.”
~Dean Pope Davis, “Racial Justice and Equity in EHE,” The Ohio State University
According to the Fordham Institute, more than 92% of Ohio’s teachers are White. The teaching population is even less diverse than the nation’s teachers overall. Only 4% of Ohio’s teachers are Black. Most teachers are female (75%), and teachers in almost every district are paid more than the median family income for the district. Contrast this with Ohio’s public-school students and families: only 69% are white, almost 17% are Black, 6% are Hispanic, and 5.5% are Multiracial. Over 51% of Ohio’s public-school students are male. Nearly 50% are economically-disadvantaged.
As a Statewide Family Engagement Center, we are charged with promoting high-impact family, school, and community engagement. We partner with OSU faculty and staff, school districts, community organizations, and families across the state to deliver training and provide tools to improve family engagement practices. We do this work in support of every student, every family, and every school in Ohio. There are many challenges to building these supportive partnerships, and we do not shrink from addressing them. We want what every Ohio student deserves, the benefits of home, school, and community working together to help them reach their brightest future. Addressing the challenges of racism may be uncomfortable but we know it is vital to recognize and speak to this challenge if we are to achieve our mission to support the success of all Ohio students from kindergarten to graduation.
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