Hello Highline,
Last week, one of our schools was defaced multiple times with racist graffiti. This hateful act was traumatizing for the adults and children who experienced it, and we are working closely with our local law enforcement partners to prevent this from happening again.
This comes as we are all reeling from the horrific racist attacks in Buffalo and Los Angeles. As your superintendent and a member of this community, I want to be clear: hate has no place in Highline. We must stand up and speak out against racism and hate in all its forms.
We must also ensure that our children feel safe and supported, and I recognize that it is difficult to help them make sense of this when we as adults are struggling to do so. Below are some resources that may be helpful.
One of the things I love most about Highline is that we are a richly diverse community and proud of it. At a time when division is all too common across our country, I ask that we be the model for unity. Together we are stronger, because together we are Highline.
Resources for Talking with Students
- Talking to Children After Racial Incidents
- When Bad Things Are Happening
- The Dos and Don’ts of Talking to Kids of Color About White Supremacy
- Resources to Support Children’s Emotional Well-Being Amid Anti-Black Racism, Racial Violence, and Trauma
- Talking about Race, Racism, and Racialized Violence with Kids
Resources to Support Staff
- Self-care tips for Black people who are really going through it right now
- Black Fatigue: How racism erodes the mind, body, and spirit
- Racial Trauma
Susan
Susan Enfield, Ed.D. | Superintendent | Highline Public Schools Office: 206-631-3070 | susan.enfield@highlineschools.org