With the Black Lives Matter Week of Action set to happen nationally this week, the Ames School District said it will not participate this year.
“We will, however, be using this opportunity to share more of what equity looks like in our district,” said a document on the district’s website. “Our goal has always been to embed equity work throughout the year and not to make it specific to just one month. We believe that our students deserve safe, affirming environment where they see themselves in the classroom materials and engage in deep learning each day they come into our buildings.”
The district said it will be focusing efforts at the building level to affirm the worth and value of black families, students and staff members.
“Each building will be creating its own plans to celebrate and affirm black people in our district,” the website said.
Teachers are being asked to “intentionally increase” the representations of black people in their instructional materials throughout February.
