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[This letter was originally sent to the Sudbury Public Schools School Committee and Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School School Committee. It was submitted to Sudbury Weekly by Janine Taylor and Safa Khan on behalf of the Sudbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission.]
Dear Members of the School Committees,
On behalf of the Sudbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commission, we are writing to follow up on the equity audit conducted by Tracey Benson Consulting across all five schools in our district. As outlined in the original scope of the project, this audit was not only intended to assess current practices but also to build internal capacity by providing training and development for district leadership and staff.
To that end, we would like to understand what recommendations were made and which of those have been implemented. Just as important, we hope to learn which recommendations have not been adopted and the reasoning behind those decisions. Transparency in this process is critical to maintaining accountability and to ensuring that all stakeholders can support the District’s equity goals.
Despite this important investment, we continue to hear troubling reports from students and families about discriminatory and exclusionary experiences within our schools. Even more concerning is the perception that school staff and administrators are often ill-equipped to handle these situations effectively. In light of this, we ask the School Committees and District leadership to provide an update on the following:
- What equity-focused training has been provided to staff and administration since the audit was completed?
- What steps have been taken to build ongoing, in-house equity expertise as outlined in the contract with Tracey Benson Consulting?
- What measurable actions are being taken to diversify school faculty and leadership, so that students see themselves reflected in those who educate and lead them?
In addition, we want to elevate a concern that has gained real momentum within our community—specifically, the call to recognize important religious and cultural holidays such as Eid, Lunar New Year, and Diwali in the school calendar. As the DEI Commission, our role is to amplify the voices of these communities, who are advocating not just for symbolic inclusion, but for equity, fairness, and the opportunity to be seen and valued within our public institutions. This is about ensuring that no student or staff member is forced to choose between honoring their faith and fully participating in school life. Major Christian and Jewish holidays are already reflected in the school calendar; it is only just to extend similar recognition to other traditions that are meaningful to members of our community. At a minimum, we urge the School Committee to mark these holidays on the district calendar and to ensure that significant school activities—such as MCAS testing, field days, assessments, and staff meetings—are not scheduled on these dates.
We urge the School Committee to give these issues serious consideration, and to engage in thoughtful, inclusive discussion that leads to meaningful action. These are not just matters of logistics or tradition—they are matters of equity, inclusion, and basic fairness.
Finally, we would like to extend an open invitation for members of the School Committees and/or school leadership to attend our DEI Commission meetings, held on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. When the Commission was initially formed nearly four years ago, it was the clear intent of the Select Board that regular engagement and collaboration between the schools and the DEI Commission would be a key component of this work. We hope to renew that spirit of partnership moving forward.
The DEI Commission remains committed to supporting the District and the School Committees in this work and stands ready to assist however we can.
Sincerely,
Sudbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission