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SUBURBAN SCHOOLS: Diversity coordinators vent at round-table discussion Page 2 of 4 them, come into suburban school districts, they still don't pass at that same rate as if they were in urban schools_ 5o we can't totally say it`s economics and it has all to do with housing and so forth. We definitely have to iook further and think about race and race issues, prejudicial treatments and biases, whith I fnd in our district plays a big role. So, is one of the answers making the school staffng reflect the population of the students? Lisa McLeod: Very much so. That is one of my priorities. We cannot just go after the achievement gap alone. There's a lot of variables leading up to closing the achievement gap. Of course, we have to look into social programs. Joy Muelfer: OK, I'd like to address that. That's because I don't befieve that. I beiieve that if a teacher is trained, no matter what race� and they believe that every chifd can achieve and have high expectat€ons, that that achievemenk gap can be closed. OK, so let me just foilow up then: Are the teachers naw setting different expectations for different classes of kids? ]oy Mueller: No. What it is, is that teachers don't k�ow how to deal with students of color and that`s the part where we need to train them how to deal, how to feel camfartable walking through that door and stepping into another culture. And I believe once ail teachers are trained like that, then we're going to see that achievement gap close. What are some other examples of 6ias? Lisa McCleod: I don`t think (teachers) are intentionally biased. I think their bias is from a lack of knowledge. We have to train our teachers. But our teachers have to have a desire to want to be trained ta be culturally competent.We hear a lot of tirnes: "Oh my god, another new program. What do we have to do now?" And tha# attitude, that mindset, we have to dispense with that if we're going to say that we're educators for all children. Tania Chance: I think that teachers are feeling overwhelmed and for very good reasons and teachers know, good teachers knaw, that teaching is a process of continuous improvement and knaw diversity isn't another program. It's a reality. Now do you get teachers on board? �oy Mueller: OK, I'm going to go back just a little bit because I want to come from the teacher's perspective on a positive end. I have teachers that call me up constantly and say, "]oy, how do I deal with the situation I have? I have this wondertul student sitting right in front of ine, very polite, smiles, nods their head and doesn't understand a thing I'm saying. How do I assess and how do I work with this child?" So, I'm coming from the perspective that there are teachers out there that really have the attitude and the passian. If you fooked at al1 your teachers, how many would you say, what percentage are resistant? Dan Forrest: Well, in our district it's zero. If we would walk in with the staff deveioprnent day — you know, state law sets aside three — and we said, "One of these days would be devoted to diversity, is that �K with you?" They would say fine. . . ...a,.. . .. .. __,..�.. . . . _. . . � ........ .. ..�,�_. _.. ��.�..�� . �. ..�.+.��..� that didn't have very many students of color and it was a real problem irying to tell them that this was http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioncerpress/living/education/4330425.htm?template=co... i0/21/2002