Antiracist System Audit

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any specific recommendations come out of the newly released anti-racist audit?

Report Recommendations
To succeed, the audit findings suggest that MCPS organize around a series of recommendations that do not add more programs or initiatives.

The recommendations are:

Coherence: The district must develop a systemic, coherent plan to address the issues identified. This plan should be co-constructed with the community and articulate a vision and strategy for district improvement across the organization. MCPS should develop a theory of change centered on racial equity that represents what matters most to the community.

Accountability for Racial Equity Work: MCPS must create mechanisms and processes for consistent outward accountability of its racial equity work to ensure the consistent implementation of the district’s racial equity-centered vision across organizational levels.

Equity-Centered Capacity Building: The successful planning and implementation of a districtwide racial equity vision and coherent strategy require equity-centered capacity building. Professional learning needs to be systematic and ongoing. Families, students and community members must be included in professional learning opportunities to create authentic collaborations and partnerships.

Continuous Data Collection: The successful planning and implementation of a districtwide strategy for racial equity requires ongoing data collection to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and determine areas for revision. Interim and formative data points are critical to ensure MCPS is being adaptive and responsive to district needs.

Relational Trust: The successful planning and implementation of a districtwide racial equity strategy requires MCPS to develop systems, procedures and practices that increase relational trust between the district and the community. Relational trust relies on multiple factors, including continuous communications, opportunities for feedback, deliberate conversations, transparency and execution of stated objectives.

Other Recommended Actions
Beyond these recommendations, the report states that it is equally important to ensure the district has:

Ongoing Community Engagement: MCPS should continue its commitment to ongoing, repeat, two-way community engagement to build trust and meet system goals for antiracism.

Next Steps: Development of a comprehensive plan created with the community and presented by March 2023. This provides the time to engage the whole community and develop specific strategies, measures and milestones.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=13206&type=&startYear=&pageNumber=&mode=

Literally what does any of this mean / are there any actual actions, beyond a lot of packaged buzzwords?

Isn't the purpose of the audit to find the issues? The solutions need to be determined in collaboration with the community - that's a central aspect of anti-racist work. And that's what this audit is recommending. Not that I have any faith at all that MCPS will do this in any meaningful way.

Maybe but is it really MCPS's job to solve the problems with our society? Maybe they should focus more on educating kids.

You didn't even bother to read the audit did you? It identified problems in MCPS, not society at large.

And you didn't even bother to read my post did you? I was responding to a precious poster, not the audit. Take a minute and think before you post snide remarks.

You're being nonsensical. I said the purpose of the audit was the identify the problem. You whined about how MCPS can't solve societal issues. I said the issues are within MCPS. Good lord, you all are really determined to believe that racism doesn't exist and if even if it does MCPS can't do anything about it. How convenient.

All we want is for the school system to focus on education. Is that too much to ask?

What you want is for the school system to continue focusing on the education of White children, especially the wealthy ones. Yes, that is an unreasonable thing to ask.

The teachers are speaking a special language that only white wealthy people can understand. This is not fair. Please stop doing this.

Why do you think racial (and I mean racial, not socioeconomic) disparities exist?

Differences in cultural and familial priorities/emphasis.

Do you know a lot of Black parents?

Yes. And they agree. Do you?

Lol yes and that's how I know you are lying

Not that poster, but 42% of the Black American adults in the county are foreign-born, and I'd venture to say they are more in line with what PP is saying than what you are saying.

It's actually a mix. Both systems issues and cultural issues.

Foreign born Black people have better outcomes than those that are not foreign born because they and their families have not been as impacted by racism as those that are born here.

Exactly. They more often bring wealth, which the U.S. has systematically denied to African Americans. So lumping them all together does nobody any good when trying to figure out the root causes of racial disparities.

And yet, we lump them based on skin color. Same with Asians. There are marked differences in wealth, income, housing, educational attainment, and so on based on how and why Asian immigrants came here. Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese immigrants and their kids do better in these quality of life indicators than Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, and Cambodian immigrants and their kids. But let's lump them all together and make it all about race. Rather than recognizing their are differences within, and meeting every child where they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are doing ourselves a huge disservice with the way we have framed the racial equity conversation. The audit is nothing but a bunch of studies about how people feel, and what they perceive. There is no science behind any of this.

I have a question for those who think performance disparities mean there is systemic racism within the schools:

Asian students outperform everyone on every measure. Graduation rates, English proficiency, SAT scores, AP test scores, and so on. Is the system somehow set up to advantage Asian students above everyone else, including whites? Because that's what the data shows. The superficial data that everyone takes as gospel.

We don't "take superficial data gospel". We look at it in the context of empirical studies from outside the county that inform what is happening, as well as an understanding of the history of this country and how it impacts education, particularly of Black children. Unfortunately the history you and I were taught in schools was severely lacking in a lot of context about racism, such as the fact that when schools were desegregated, Black teachers were kicked out of the teaching workforce and have not really been able to return. It is complex and not really something that can be explained in a internet forum, especially to people who are determined not to learn it. But if you are truly interested in this, there are a lot of free resources on the internet about this, including why Asian children as a group tend to do well. But I hope you start with learning about anti-Black racism in education because that is really what drives a lot of this.

You are making tons of assumptions about me based on your take on what I wrote, and none of them is correct.

The entirety of the work that the county has done over the past 3 years on racial equity has been broken down into simplistic racial disparity data, benchmarked against population data. It hasn't taken any confounding factors into account, and therefore hasn't controlled for them. So we get elementary level drivel to work with, and I guarantee no decent improvement will come from what has been collected and presented.

[Anonymous]

The two highest income ethnic groups in the U.S. are nonwhite -- south Asians and east Asians. African immigrants have also been quite successful and that's not because they come here rich either (have you ever met any African immigrants?).

The truth is that America is probably one of the least racist countries on earth. We do however have a lot of inequality, concentrated poverty, and family breakdown. As the descendants of oppressed slaves that disproportionately impacts American-born blacks. (It also affects many white subcultures, although not so much in wealthy DC). The way to address this is not by going on and on about racism and claiming this requires lowering standards in every area, but putting in resources to address the impacts of concentrated poverty and family breakdown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

There is plenty of evidence nationally, and MCPS data is consistent with this though what they release is limited, that race by itself predicts outcomes (independent from class). When you break down the data by race and income, you see that Black children from high-income families do significantly worse than White children from high-income families. You insist that there's no proof, but you haven't even looked.

The 'class' measure in those studies are one year error-prone income measures, generally self-reported. Not wealth, not connections, not the extended family. Basically, the 'class' measure in those studies systematically mismeasures class for black American descendants of slaves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

There is plenty of evidence nationally, and MCPS data is consistent with this though what they release is limited, that race by itself predicts outcomes (independent from class). When you break down the data by race and income, you see that Black children from high-income families do significantly worse than White children from high-income families. You insist that there's no proof, but you haven't even looked.

The 'class' measure in those studies are one year error-prone income measures, generally self-reported. Not wealth, not connections, not the extended family. Basically, the 'class' measure in those studies systematically mismeasures class for black American descendants of slaves.

I didn't say class, I said income. No study is perfect, but the data I've seen is pretty compelling. You sound pretty determined to disbelieve anything that contradicts.your world view, so I will leave you too that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are doing ourselves a huge disservice with the way we have framed the racial equity conversation. The audit is nothing but a bunch of studies about how people feel, and what they perceive. There is no science behind any of this.

I have a question for those who think performance disparities mean there is systemic racism within the schools:

Asian students outperform everyone on every measure. Graduation rates, English proficiency, SAT scores, AP test scores, and so on. Is the system somehow set up to advantage Asian students above everyone else, including whites? Because that's what the data shows. The superficial data that everyone takes as gospel.

We don't "take superficial data gospel". We look at it in the context of empirical studies from outside the county that inform what is happening, as well as an understanding of the history of this country and how it impacts education, particularly of Black children. Unfortunately the history you and I were taught in schools was severely lacking in a lot of context about racism, such as the fact that when schools were desegregated, Black teachers were kicked out of the teaching workforce and have not really been able to return. It is complex and not really something that can be explained in a internet forum, especially to people who are determined not to learn it. But if you are truly interested in this, there are a lot of free resources on the internet about this, including why Asian children as a group tend to do well. But I hope you start with learning about anti-Black racism in education because that is really what drives a lot of this.

You are making tons of assumptions about me based on your take on what I wrote, and none of them is correct.

The entirety of the work that the county has done over the past 3 years on racial equity has been broken down into simplistic racial disparity data, benchmarked against population data. It hasn't taken any confounding factors into account, and therefore hasn't controlled for them. So we get elementary level drivel to work with, and I guarantee no decent improvement will come from what has been collected and presented.

The only type of study that would be perfect is s double blind randomized experiment, which would be impossible. At a certain point if you need more data, you are really just trying to hold up progress. We know, when looking at local data and more rigorous studies from outside the county, what is going on. You don't believe it? Fine, nothing I can do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The two highest income ethnic groups in the U.S. are nonwhite -- south Asians and east Asians. African immigrants have also been quite successful and that's not because they come here rich either (have you ever met any African immigrants?).

The truth is that America is probably one of the least racist countries on earth. We do however have a lot of inequality, concentrated poverty, and family breakdown. As the descendants of oppressed slaves that disproportionately impacts American-born blacks. (It also affects many white subcultures, although not so much in wealthy DC). The way to address this is not by going on and on about racism and claiming this requires lowering standards in every area, but putting in resources to address the impacts of concentrated poverty and family breakdown

Yes! Agree with all of this. Very well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The two highest income ethnic groups in the U.S. are nonwhite -- south Asians and east Asians. African immigrants have also been quite successful and that's not because they come here rich either (have you ever met any African immigrants?).

The truth is that America is probably one of the least racist countries on earth. We do however have a lot of inequality, concentrated poverty, and family breakdown. As the descendants of oppressed slaves that disproportionately impacts American-born blacks. (It also affects many white subcultures, although not so much in wealthy DC). The way to address this is not by going on and on about racism and claiming this requires lowering standards in every area, but putting in resources to address the impacts of concentrated poverty and family breakdown

Agree, and MCPS is not going to solve the racism present in our world. However, it can focus on educating our children and stop squandering limited resources on programs that won't solve anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

There is plenty of evidence nationally, and MCPS data is consistent with this though what they release is limited, that race by itself predicts outcomes (independent from class). When you break down the data by race and income, you see that Black children from high-income families do significantly worse than White children from high-income families. You insist that there's no proof, but you haven't even looked.

But just like we discussed in the Education forum, there are lots of potential reasons for this that do not necessarily mean racism. But that would involve some uncomfortable discussions and research.

Does someone have a link to data showing that Black students from high-income families do significantly worse that White children from high-income families?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

There is plenty of evidence nationally, and MCPS data is consistent with this though what they release is limited, that race by itself predicts outcomes (independent from class). When you break down the data by race and income, you see that Black children from high-income families do significantly worse than White children from high-income families. You insist that there's no proof, but you haven't even looked.

But just like we discussed in the Education forum, there are lots of potential reasons for this that do not necessarily mean racism. But that would involve some uncomfortable discussions and research.

Does someone have a link to data showing that Black students from high-income families do significantly worse that White children from high-income families?

Omg google it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another study costing a ton of money that will sit on a shelf. Or be studied some more. Or create more studies. MCPS wastes so much time and money!

Maybe there will be a framework, a roadmap, or a strategic plan to accompany the theory of change.

Right! And let's not forget the committees, boards and panels that will be created to implement and oversee execution! I'm getting excited already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

There is plenty of evidence nationally, and MCPS data is consistent with this though what they release is limited, that race by itself predicts outcomes (independent from class). When you break down the data by race and income, you see that Black children from high-income families do significantly worse than White children from high-income families. You insist that there's no proof, but you haven't even looked.

But just like we discussed in the Education forum, there are lots of potential reasons for this that do not necessarily mean racism. But that would involve some uncomfortable discussions and research.

Does someone have a link to data showing that Black students from high-income families do significantly worse that White children from high-income families?

I thought we were talking about academic outcomes. I found studies about income outcomes, but nothing suggesting that higher SES Black male students do significantly worse in school that higher income White male students.