Revere Teachers Issue Challenge to Parents Concerning Garfield

The Revere school system has been in a mini-upheaval over the past week after revelations of adult racial prejudice surfaced from Superintendent Paul Dakin.

Parents have been in intense discussions.

Administrators have been as well.

But the Revere Teacher’s Association (RTA) has issued the strongest words so far, releasing a stern statement on Monday challenging parents who might have misconceptions about the Garfield Middle School.

RTA President Susan Lanza, who is also a teacher at the Garfield, released the statement. It is printed in its entirety.

“Revere teachers are both saddened and angered by the information in last week’s Journal article regarding the lottery,” read the statement. “In the 21st Century there is no room for such bias and intolerance in the Revere Public Schools. We must not allow our whole school district to be judged by the small-mindedness of a few. Teachers work daily to present lessons that encourage acceptance and tolerance only to realize, now, that these valuable lessons are undermined by prejudice and elitism on the home front. Garfield teachers are among the best in the district. This maligning of a school because of location and student population is unfair and unacceptable.

“The misconceptions and myths about Garfield are just that – myths,” the statement continued. “Visit the Garfield. Talk with the students, both former and current. Talk with the teachers, and then revisit your prejudices. If you are still comfortable with your misconceptions, we – as teachers – ask that you do not pass these biases on to your children.”

2 comments for “Revere Teachers Issue Challenge to Parents Concerning Garfield

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.