Our Shared Commitment to Anti-racism and Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Non-discrimination Statement

Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District do not exclude from participation, deny the benefits of Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District from or otherwise discriminate against individuals on the basis of race*, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, active military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition, homelessness, ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, or any other category protected by state or federal law in the administration of its educational and employment policies, or in its programs and activities.

*Eace to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, hair length, and protective hairstyles.

DEIB Mission-Vision Statement

In the Concord and Concord-Carlisle Public Schools, we embrace our diverse community regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, religion, disability— mental or physical, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. We welcome, respect, value, and encourage our employees, students, and families to share their culture with those they work, learn, and interact with to allow a greater sense of cultural humility for all. 

We understand the commitment it takes to cultivate healthy learning and working environments that balance psychological safety with accountability. We accomplish this by modeling behaviors that foster equity, inclusion, and belonging. A modeled behavior recognizes the uniqueness of each learner and embraces the strengths of our neurodiverse students, faculty, and staff, who learn, think, and behave in unique ways. We practice risk-taking and work to confront and dismantle systems of oppression, privilege, and bias that perpetuate discriminatory ideas and actions in our policies; these policies disproportionately impact our community's historically marginalized groups. 

We commit to bolstering equity and justice in our academic and workspaces, an environment where our diverse employees and students have equal access and opportunities to thrive professionally and academically. We will hold ourselves accountable for practical anti-racism actions to serve everyone in our community, especially historically marginalized people. In the Concord and Concord-Carlisle Public Schools, we will lead by example and show others how to be the change we wish to see in our schools. 

A Must Read!

Dismantling Racism Starts with You

Henry J. Turner and Kathy Lopes, a high school principal and a director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Newton Public Schools in Massachusetts, weave their professional experiences and their personal stories to connect the reader to the importance of the consistent routines, ongoing learning, and structural changes that will help foster an antiracist school culture.

School leaders, in partnership with educators, students, parents, and the community, have remarkable potential to change the narrative so that all students, regardless of race, can feel seen, empowered, and engaged in their learning communities. Through the lens and actions of antiracism, Change the Narrative provides a pathway for school administrators, leaders, and change agents who want to put into action the values of antiracism in their school community every day.

Full of practical and effective strategies, this book is for those who have been fighting for equity their entire career as well as those who are just beginning on their journey. It will push you to expand your mindset in new ways and serve as a reference you can return to as often as you need.

Purchase Change the Narrative today on Amazon!

What is this site for?

At this moment in history, many are orienting themselves toward action: seeking information and a deeper understanding of systemic racism and other forms of oppression, and how to dismantle it by being actively anti-bias and anti-racist. This work requires preparation in order to uncover how systems negatively impact some groups and individuals. As an anti-bias, anti-racist educator, you have to be willing and open to truly diversify your curriculum, practices, and resources in your classroom. You have to engage intentionally with your students by serving them equitably, and using inclusive language that makes them feel welcomed, valued, and respected. As you begin your anti-bias, anti-racist journey, think about what you can do differently to impact the lives of your students, and colleagues, family, and friends. 

How should I use this site?

The collection of resources on this site includes web-based texts, podcasts, short videos, book suggestions, and more for Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District educators, staff, and community. We have created this website as a resource hub to engage all members of our school community in this work of cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion, anti-bias and anti-racist education. Our intent is that all members of our school community will use this resource "hub" to consider their own racial identity, and the identities of others in our school community to further their understanding of diverse issues and perspectives that relate to institutional and systemic racism, oppression and discrimination. 

Include your students, colleagues, family, and friends in reading, listening, watching, and thinking through the content and resources on our website. We expect that you will utilize this website in professional learning communities that you become active in. 

There is an abundance of content and resources on our website. you could choose a section to explore across multiple forms of media, or you could select a medium that you want to dive into across multiple sections. While engaging in any of the content and resources, we recommend taking the time to also reflect and ask yourselves (or others you are collaborating with) the following questions:

(Adapted from the School Reform Initiative’s Four “A”s Text Protocol)

How did we choose this content?

With the leadership and direction of Andrew Nyamekye, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (formerly the METCO Director for Concord and Concord-Carlisle School Districts, we organized subcommittees comprised of members from our PreK-12 Cultural Competency and Anti-racism Steering Committee, to compile content and resources relating to cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-bias and anti-racist education. We know our site has a lot to offer, so if you find yourself overwhelmed, we’d recommend you start HERE. 

Who to contact?

If you would like to recommend additional content or resources, please submit your ideas using this Google form. If you have any questions, please contact: