Syosset, NY – March 29, 2023 – ERASE Racism President Laura Harding issued today the following statement on the resignation yesterday of Riverhead school board Vice President Laurie Downs:
"Laurie Downs was right to resign from the Riverhead school board yesterday. Her derogatory, factually incorrect, and stereotypical statements about Latinos in Riverhead and the community of Brentwood have no place in the leadership of any school system.
Her resignation should not be seen, however, as the end of the problem. In my work with administrators, teachers, and families across Long Island, I am hearing more and more concern about school board members who do not embrace the diversity that is growing in the region.
All Long Island students should feel welcomed, respected, and supported by their school districts, and school boards have a responsibility to ensure that. Deliberate actions are needed to assess student perceptions of school culture and its inclusiveness, diversify teaching staffs and district leadership to reflect the student body, and build and maintain positive relationships within and across lines of difference.
Laurie Downs's statements and her resignation should be a reminder to all school districts of their obligation to embrace inclusiveness and to ensure that it is prioritized for all."
To speak with Laura Harding, contact Henry Miller – 917-921-8034 – hmiller@highimpactpartnering.com
"Laurie Downs was right to resign from the Riverhead school board yesterday. Her derogatory, factually incorrect, and stereotypical statements about Latinos in Riverhead and the community of Brentwood have no place in the leadership of any school system.
Her resignation should not be seen, however, as the end of the problem. In my work with administrators, teachers, and families across Long Island, I am hearing more and more concern about school board members who do not embrace the diversity that is growing in the region.
All Long Island students should feel welcomed, respected, and supported by their school districts, and school boards have a responsibility to ensure that. Deliberate actions are needed to assess student perceptions of school culture and its inclusiveness, diversify teaching staffs and district leadership to reflect the student body, and build and maintain positive relationships within and across lines of difference.
Laurie Downs's statements and her resignation should be a reminder to all school districts of their obligation to embrace inclusiveness and to ensure that it is prioritized for all."
To speak with Laura Harding, contact Henry Miller – 917-921-8034 – hmiller@highimpactpartnering.com