Oneonta For Equality envisions a community where students of all races, religions, nationalities, sexualities, and gender identities feel equally safe, heard, and supported. It uplifts & amplifies the voices of marginalized people in the Oneonta City School District and the broader community by providing support & advocacy for students and acting as a resource for educators around issues of race & equity.
Initiatives
Curriculum:
​
Create elective(s) for Black Culture & African History, including Black pop culture.
_________________
​
Include more comprehensive Black History in existing history classes
_________________
​
Add more diverse culture & history lessons to home economics classes
_________________
​
Offer optional college prep for HBCU’s as early as 9th grade, letting students of color know there is a place specifically for them, & providing better & earlier preparation for college.
_________________
​
Offer a seminar geared toward black girls specifically, providing education about adultification & fetishization of black women.
_________________
​
Provide a closer examination of the books taught in classes
​
​
Student Engagement
& Support:
​
Create Cultural Club for all ethnicities, including things like cooking & music classes. Get parents involved too!
_________________
​
Implement Big brother/Big sister/Mentorship program. Alumni could be involved too!
_________________
​
Incorporate more inclusive cosmetology, providing info about natural hair & skin care, especially for mixed race students in white homes (could be tied to mentoring, clubs, BOCES)
_________________
​
Share Instagram stories on diversity & inclusion
_________________
​
Plan event(s) such as a picnic, bike rides, etc.
_________________
​
Provide scholarships for students for college as well as class trips & senior class events
_________________
​
Provide resources for students experiencing racial insensitivity, bias, & violence.
​
​
Advocate for OCSD To:
​
Provide sensitivity training for all faculty & staff to better equip educators to create a culturally sensitive & appropriate classroom environment where all students can thrive.
_________________
​
Evaluate statistics on suspension & retention rates in the district by race, & incorporate findings into staff sensitivity training.
_________________
​
Incorporate personal stories of alumni into teacher training materials to draw attention to the sorts of things that shape students’ experiences in the district.
_________________
​
Keep police presence out of OHS
_________________
​
Support newly created race & Equity Team made up of parents, teachers, & perhaps some students (work closely with this group)