A Message from Superintendent Paris:

I write to you today as we continue to experience a nationwide outcry for racial justice, fueled by yet another series of black lives needlessly taken and a devastating blend of sadness, pain and outrage that is shared by all of us at Lawrence Public Schools.

It should of course go without saying that LPS condemns racism in all its forms and supports the struggle for equal treatment of everyone, everywhere – but now is not a time for anyone to leave these most fundamental values unspoken. I want you to know that we recognize our special responsibility as the school system for a community in which people of color are not just a majority, but overwhelmingly so, one whose students are especially susceptible to our societal failures around race and the loss of equal opportunity they cause. We embrace this responsibility fully, and I am proud to know we do so with the unequivocal support of our city and its leaders.

It is my greatest hope that this national moment will result in a sustained dialogue addressing both the deep wounds that brought us here as well as the steps needed to heal, resulting in meaningful reforms and a nation t­hat does, in fact, strive to deliver on its promise of equal justice for all. We will continue to prioritize space in our schools for students’ voice in this conversation. It is work we re-committed to over the past year with our ongoing district-wide transition to a restorative justice model, and its emphasis on seeing, hearing and respecting each other as full and equal members of a shared community.

LPS also wishes to support your efforts to engage in this challenging work with students. I encourage you to explore these age-appropriate resources for talking to children about race,  the writings at Raising Race Conscious Children, and the book collection at Books for Littles. These discussions are as essential as they are difficult, and we will all benefit from having them together.

Cynthia Paris, Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent