Teaching Social Justice
The Schoolhouse Learning Center is committed to the work of anti-racism and anti-bias. We believe every student should learn – in age-appropriate ways – about the impact of institutional racism, white privilege, and the policies that have and continue to uphold it. White students should emerge from Schoolhouse with the language, the practical skills, and the experience to be anti-racist and anti-biased, to be “upstanders” in their communities and advocate for social justice throughout their lives. BIPOC students should feel safe and unburdened by the emotional labor of having to defend social justice or explain white supremacy.
An Intentional Community
At Schoolhouse, identity and community are central to what we do. In 1971 The Schoolhouse was founded by a group of families, many of them gay, lesbian, multi-racial, and adoptive, who wanted to ensure that their children would have access to a child-centered education unhindered by hate and discrimination. Relationships and belonging are taken seriously here. In The Schoolhouse’s vernacular, “Stop I really mean it” and “You can’t say you can’t play” carry real weight and meaning. All families, no matter how different they might seem, should feel safe, accepted, nurtured, and valued.
BIPOC students
at The Schoolhouse (Vermont population
is 7% BIPOC)
LGBTQ+ staff
at The Schoolhouse
(Vermont population is 5.3% LGBTQ+)
Schoolhouse families
with reduced tuition
(preschool through middle school)
The Importance of Transparency
It is your right to know specifically how we at Schoolhouse are addressing racism and bias in our school community, on both the individual and institutional levels. It is your right to ask us what we have done, what we are doing, what we will be doing, and what we hope to accomplish.
Transparency holds us accountable to our mission, our Five Core Concepts, our values and intentions. If we are going to evolve as an anti-racist, anti-biased institution, we must be transparent about our policies, programs and practices, and the data we collect related to race and anti-bias.
What Does Transparency Mean?
Transparency means sharing with you what we know and how we act. You should expect clear
information on:
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Student and Family Policies and Expectations
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Admissions Practices
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Hiring Practices
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Faculty and Staff Training
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Curriculum
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Statistics
Seeing the World As It Is
Transparency informs us and you about the importance of anti-racist and anti-biased practices and curriculum in our school and whether and how we are willing to center the lives and experiences of the BIPOC communities. Black people, people of color, indigenous people risk death at the hands of white supremacists and white supremacist culture every day; they’ve always had to educate themselves about racism and bias. White people must have that education as well. In order to dismantle structures of white supremacy and build a better world, we must challenge white ignorance.
If you have questions or feel we can be doing more, please let us know. We are a community committed to social justice in both practice and in process, and we welcome your feedback.