FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — Issues of systemic racism at Franklin Area School District have been a focus of attention for several months and continue to remain a concern.
Jeff Polley of “Together We Can” told exploreClarion.com that his involvement with issues at the district began after several mothers in the district brought forward the concern of their sons being subjected to racial slurs and racially-motivated taunting on the bus.
“They went to a teacher about it, but historically nothing gets done about that. Historically, these things kind of get pushed under the rug,” Polley explained.
The issues were initially brought to light in February of 2020, but the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic turned the focus elsewhere as schools moved to remote learning.
However, the general discussion regarding racism and specifically systemic racism became a focus again in the area during the summer of 2020, after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and rallies.
That is when Polley and other like-minded individuals came together.
According to Polley, “Together We Can” was never intended to be a “group” so much as an idea for bringing people together to discuss issues and bridge the racial divide.
“It’s about having conversations with people from diverse backgrounds to try to build a better understanding of race and racism in the area,” Polley said.
Their “Sunday Suppers,” where these issues are discussed, began in January of 2021.
Michelle Jones, who previously approached Franklin Area School District about some of the racism issues in the schools, recently attended a Sunday Supper and noted the suppers allow for people to connect in a different way than they would on a day-to-day basis.
“It’s about seeing different views and understanding race and the experiences others may not have in their life. It’s interesting to see these things from another perspective,” Jones explained.
Polley noted that some of those involved in “Together We Can” have also been helping with a diversity project at another area school, dealing with the same type of issues as those at the Franklin Area School District.
“A lot of local schools have these same kind of issues,” he noted.
One of Polley’s concerns is — with very few people of color on local school boards or working in local schools — students have a difficult time finding someone they feel is willing to really hear and understand what they are experiencing.
“Historically, the problem is you get called the ‘n’ word, but nobody does anything about it, and by the third time, a kid takes the matter into their own hands.”
Superintendent Mark Loucks told exploreClarion.com that the district is working on a better approach to racism.
“We’ve been addressing these issues to the best of our ability,” Loucks said.
“As long as I’m in charge, we’re not going to tolerate racism, but I’ve got to figure out now how to get ahead of it because these seeds were planted before I came to the district.”
Loucks believes the district needs to approach the issue in a way they’ve never approached it before.
“It has to be an attack, using every resource at our disposal,” he noted.
The district has everyone from the school board members to the faculty members to the parents bringing ideas to the table, according to Loucks.
“We’re going to utilize a diversity committee made up of residents and people who are engaged in our local community.”
Loucks said that his goals include a deep dive into how the issues in the district developed, as well as the development of a plan for moving forward.
“I think that last part is easier said than done,” he said.
Loucks wants to start the committee off with a “targeted core group” to get it effectively off the ground.
“I think groups with a large number of people have a hard time finding their direction, and I wanted to streamline this committee and get it off the ground.”
The committee will be holding their first meeting on January 13, and Loucks said he has high hopes for the session and ideas that may come out of it.
Even so, the formation of the committee doesn’t hold the same hope for everyone in the community.
“I would like them to do something and not just talk,” Jones said.
“I know they’re forming a committee, but it seems like more posturing. Sitting on a committee is not going to help students feel safe when they go to school to learn.
“We need to stop thinking about politics and logistics and think about the kids first because that’s the most important thing.”
Polley stated that the issue had also dragged on too long before the committee was formed, as well.
“These problems came to light again in September and October,” Polley said.
“They’re going to host their first committee meeting in January. That’s not good enough for us. They could have used us for resources in the first place.
Both Polley and Jones have concerns about the make-up of the committee, as well, particularly with most of the members being in the same age range.
“We need to bring together different generations,” Jones said.
“The people from the older generations have wisdom and knowledge, but what about younger people who are more in tune with students and could help bridge that gap with kids in school?”
According to Polley, overall, the concern is the district approached the issue too slowly and organized a committee without putting enough thought into it.
“Their board may be excited about this committee, but I’m not excited about the committee at this point. I don’t know that I have a lot of faith in what they can do on their own.”
Loucks, on the other hand, has hope for what the committee can do.
“I wanted this to be our residents and community members because we’ve got to target Franklin. Franklin Area School District is my priority. We want our committee to be launched effectively and serve the purpose best for our residents and taxpayers,” Loucks commented.
“We have a history here that has been brought to light, and the roots of this issue are deep, from what I’m hearing. So, this is going to be a fight.
“We’ll have to roll our sleeves up. We need to commit every ounce of our energy to what we’re doing here.”
