Racial Equity

In the Lexington Public Schools, a keen understanding of the systemic nature of racism in our country guides the work we do with all students.  We understand that traditional definitions of racism as individual acts of meanness limit our ability to dismantle systems of oppression so that all children can thrive.  

Ibram X. Kendi describes the issue well in his book How To Be An Antiracist when he articulates, “Racial inequity is when two or more racial groups are not standing on approximately equal footing” (18).  Within the LPS we understand that these inequities exist within our disciplinary data, leveling practices, access to support services and enrichment opportunities, and more.  We believe that within the social construct of race, there are no biological factors that lead to these outcomes; therefore, we must look to our practices, policies, and procedure--in our schools, our community, and beyond--to determine the causes of these outcomes and take action to effect change.

More information on the many action steps we have taken to root out systemic racism in the LPS is available on the Updates Page.

Critical Race Theory

There is a lot of confusion in education over "teaching" critical race theory. It is important to understand there is no critical race theory curriculum; it is more a set of tenets that encourages the reflection of how race in particular intersects with history and social justice and naming the impact racism has had on various populations. To that end, it does dovetail with LPS's philosophy of teaching students how to critically examine everything they read and hear, be knowledgeable about details to be able to participate fully in discussions, be active listeners, and to be tolerant of multiple perspectives.

This recent position statement from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents may also provide more information and context.

The following resources may be helpful for families who want to learn more:

• What Is Critical Race Theory & Why Is It Under Attack? (EdWeek)

• A Lesson on Critical Race Theory (American Bar Association)

• Critical Race Theory Is a Lens (CNN)

LPS Demographics

Lexington Public Schools values and embraces the diversity in our community.  We are committed to creating equitable opportunities and outcomes for all students.

We are required to collect and report on certain demographic information, such as race.  Below are some of the current statistics for our district.

As noted in our Strategic Plan, "we recognize that people from different backgrounds offer new ways of seeing the world and solving problems. We all learn differently, and our educators draw upon varied approaches to teaching and learning to help meet the needs of every student."  While there is ample evidence to suggest that racially marginalized students benefit from teachers who share their racial identity, we also believe there is benefit to students learning from others from whom they differ.  Below are some resources that explore these ideas.

• How Racially Diverse Schools and Classrooms Can Benefit All Students

• How Diversity Makes Us Smarter

• Black Students Who Have One Black Teacher Are More Likely To To To College

We are making steady progress in racially diversifying our staff through conscious, deliberate efforts lead by our Human Resources Department, including membership and participation with the following groups:

• Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education

• NEMNET (New England Minority Network)

• Coaching for Change (C4C)

• The Teachers’ Lounge

We are also creating a "Grow Your Own" program for promoting diverse educators from our current employees.

Apply for a position today!