We continue to be appalled by the racially motivated hate incidents of violence and harassment against Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi Americans (APIDA). These acts of discrimination and violence have increased alarmingly since the start of the pandemic.

Monterey Bay Charter School believes in social justice, anti-racism and inclusion. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for all, where racial equity and inclusion is of the utmost importance. We strongly condemn these acts of discrimination and stand by our Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi American communities.

Monterey Bay Charter School’s mission is to inspire joyful learning and courageous living! We must model our mission for our students. Ultimately, change starts with us.

Below, you will find resources that can assist you in recognizing and reporting hate crimes.

• The California Victim Compensation Board
• Bystander Resources

Committed to equity and inclusion for all,
Monterey Bay Charter School Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce

January 2021

Month-long observances:

• National Mentoring Month
• Poverty in America Awareness Month
• Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• January 1 – New Year’s Day
• January 4 – National Braille Day
• January 7 – Christmas (Eastern Orthodox)
• January 10 – Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
• January 17 – World Religion Day
• January 18 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• January 26 – International Customs Day
• January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• January 28 — Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)

February 2021

Month-long observances:

• American Heart Month
• Black History Month
• Human Relations Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• February 1 – National Freedom Day
• February 12 — Chinese New Year (Year of the Ox)
• February 14 – Valentine’s Day
• February 15 – Nirvana Day (Buddhist)
• February 15 – Presidents’ Day (U.S.A.)
• February 16 – Mardi Gras
• February 17 – Ash Wednesday
• February 20 – World Day of Social Justice
• February 25 — Purim (Jewish)

March 2021

Month-long observances:

• Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
• Ethnic Equality Month
• Gender Equality Month
• Greek-American Heritage Month
• Irish-American Heritage Month
• National Colon Cancer Awareness Month
• National Kidney Month
• National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness and Education Month
• National Women’s History Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• March 5 – Employee Appreciation Day
• March 8 – International Women’s Day
• March 11 – Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
• March 14 – Pi Day
• March 15 – Eastern Orthodox Lent begins (moveable)
• March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
• March 19 – Naw-Ruz (Baha’I New Year); Nowruz (Pan-Persian New Year; Zoroastrianism, the Baháʼí Faith and some Muslims, consider it a holy day. Ojibwe New Year
• March 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• March 27 – Passover begins (Jewish)
• March 28 – Holi (Hindu)
• March 28 – Palm Sunday (Christian)
• March 30 – Cesar Chavez Birthday
• March 31 – Equal Pay Day
• March 31 – International Transgender Day of Visibility

April 2021

Month-long observances:

• Arab-American Heritage Month
• Autism Awareness Month
• Celebrate Diversity Month
• Earth Month
• National Child Abuse Prevention Month
• National Volunteer Month
• Tartan (Scottish-American) Heritage Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
• April 2 – Good Friday (Western Christian)
• April 4 – Easter (Western Christian)
• April 8 – Yom Hashoah (Jewish)
• April 12 – Ramadan begins (Muslim)
• April 20 – Start of Rivdan (Baha’i)
• April 22 – Earth Day
• April 23 – National Day of Silence (LGBTQIAA+)
• April 30 – Holy Friday (Eastern Orthodox Christian)

May 2021

Month-long observances:

• ALS Awareness Month
• Haitian Heritage Month
• Indian Heritage Month
• Jewish-American Heritage Month
• Mental Health Month
• National Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Older Americans Month
• South Asian American Heritage Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• May 2 – Eastern Orthodox Easter (Pascha) – date changes every year
• May 3-7 Teacher Appreciation Week (US-date changes annually)
• May 5 – Cinco de Mayo. Remembrance day of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls
• May 9 – Laylat al-Qadr (Muslim)
• May 11 – Ramadan ends (Muslim)
• May 12 – Eid al-Fitr (Muslim)
• May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
• May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
• May 22 – Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
• May 29 – Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
• May 31 – Memorial Day

June 2021

Month-long observances:

• AIDS Awareness Month
• Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
• Black Music Month
• National Caribbean American Heritage Month
• Pride Month (LGBTQIAA+)

Important D&I calendar dates:

• June 8 — Race Unity Day
• June 12 – Loving Day
• June 19 – Juneteenth
• June 20 – National Indigenous Peoples Day
• June 21 – Litha, Summer Solstice (Pagan)
• June 24 – Pride Day (LGBTQIAA+) (varies by city and country)

July 2021

Month-long observances:

• French-American Heritage Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• July 4 – Independence Day
• July 9 – Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha’i)
• July 11 – World Populace Day
• July 14 – Bastille Day
• July 18 – International Nelson Mandela Day
• July 19 – Eid al-Adha (Muslim)
• July 24 – Pioneer Day (Mormon)
• July 26 – National Disability Independence Day
• July 30 – International Day of Friendship

August 2021

Month-long observances:

• National Civility Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• August 9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
• August 9 – Hijri New Year (Muslim)
• August 17 – Marcus Garvey Day
• August 19 – World Humanitarian Day
• August 26 – Women’s Equality Day
• August 29 – Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)

September 2021

Month-long observances:

• Hispanic Heritage Month
• National Guide Dog Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

October 2021

Month-long observances:
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Bullying Prevention Month
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• Filipino-American Heritage Month
• Italian-American Heritage Month
• LGBTQ History Month
• National Work and Family Month
• Polish-American Heritage Month
• Family History Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• October 2 – International Day of Nonviolence
• October 6 – Navrati begins (Hindu)
• October 10 – World Mental Health Day
• October 11 – National Coming Out Day (LGBTQIAA+)
• October 11 – National Native American Day
• October 15 – White Cane Safety Day (Blind awareness)
• October 16 – Bosses’ Day
• October 17 – Spirit Day (LGBTQIAA+ anti-bullying)
• October 19 – Eid Milad ul-Nabi (Muslim)
• October 20 – Sikh Holy Day (birth of Guru Granth)
• October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day
• October 31 – Halloween
• October 31 – Dia de los Muertos begins

November 2021

Month-long observances:

• Movember (awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer)
• National Native American, American Indian, and Alaskan Native Heritage Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• November 4 – Diwali (Hindu)
• November 6 – Birth of the Bab (Baha’i)
• November 7 – Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
• November 9 – World Freedom Day
• November 11 – Veterans Day
• November 15 – Eastern Orthodox Advent Begins
• November 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance
• November 24 – Day of the Covenant (Baha’i)
• November 25 – Thanksgiving
• November 27 – Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha (Baha’i)
• November 28 – Hanukkah begins (Jewish)

December 2021

Month-long observances:

• Universal Human Rights Month

Important D&I calendar dates:

• December 1 – World AIDS Day
• December 3 – International Day for People with Disabilities
• December 10 – International Human Rights Day
• December 21 – Yule Winter Solstice (Pagan)
• December 25 – Christmas (Christian)
• December 26 – Kwanzaa begins
• December 31 – New Year’s Eve

The Mission of the DEI Taskforce is to: Strengthen and uphold the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of the community.

Below is what each individual is working on within the DEI Taskforce at this time.

Cassandra
The Taskforce is working within a google virtual space as well as meeting weekly over zoom. The Taskforce’s roadmap is the Board’s adopted resolution, “To Adopt Equity Policies and Procedures.” This resolution requires anti-racism and LGBTQ professional development and culturally responsive training; increasing the dialogue and input between marginalized communities and the school, ensure student centered learning by providing cultural connections to curriculum; providing anti-racism resources to faculty; ensure policies are consistent with gender identity; prioritizing resources for underserved populations, students with disabilities; and conduct outreach to minority populations to diversify the school community (including board, employees and students).

We developed our Taskforce’s mission statement, defined our individual focus areas to effect change, and during meetings we will be collaborating across focus areas and reporting on our areas of focus. We collect and share pertinent resources and have courageous conversations about race, equity, and inclusion. Our intention is to live up to our mission statement through our individual and collective work. My focus area will be in diversifying our governance bodies and reviewing all policies through the lens of DEI and developing the budget to fund the necessary resources to support change. The newly revised dress code is an example of a revised policy adheres to the board’s resolution of equity and inclusion.

Parisa
I am a parent at the school as well as K-higher ed social justice educator. My role in this taskforce has been to meet weekly and reflect on the school’s current approach on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Together, we have drafted our mission statement and we will soon create smaller focus areas for study and action.

Candace
As the Communications and Development Manager, my role within this group is to share what the DEI Task Force is working on with the parent body and greater community as well as recruiting guest speakers, researching grant opportunities for school murals and our DEI work, sending out the weekly agenda and taking notes.

It has been a pleasure to participate in weekly meetings within this group. Our conversations are robust and thoughtful. Each individual offers a unique perspective to better understand how we can continue to make improvements to our curriculum and community, with a diverse lens and open heart.

Luke
Is a parent of a student who attends MBCS and is interested in focusing on the curriculum and the parent life.

Steven
It is a philosophy of humanism that celebrates and uplifts the inherent dignity in each individual. And the antidote to inequity is not diminished expectations for all. It is an equal opportunity, and a belief in each person’s capacity for upward mobility, no matter their race, ethnicity or skin color”- this is far more eloquent than I am, but it is an example of how our discussions have been and its end goal. Our meetings have provided the foundation for us to explore avenues to achieving the goal as quoted above.

Jazmin
Is a first grade teacher and is participating in the Heart Mandate Group, which focuses on the Waldorf curriculum, pedagogy, setting agendas for Faculty Council meetings, and professional development. The faculty council will be working on equity by design with Jazmin’s leadership.

Sara
Is a parent of a student who attends MBCS and is interested in focusing on festivals, curriculum and policy.

Joy
Is a fourth grade teacher at MBCS and is interested in ensuring the curriculum is multi-cultural and inclusive.

Anne
I have taught at MBCS for five years and this year I am a 2nd grade teacher at our school, as well as the mother of two MBCS students. In addition to attending weekly meetings, I worked on the mission statement, and since joining the taskforce, have attended three webinars addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom and bringing a more global and multicultural perspective to the curriculum; two were given by the California State University system and another given by the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education.

Jessica
Is the Director of the school and is interested in ensuring the curriculum is multicultural and inclusive. As the primary individual responsible for hiring, she will also focus on diversifying the school’s employees.

Status: Action (Roll Call Vote)

Issue: Since, 2010, when the School adopted its “Diversity Statement and Policy,” the school has improved both its student demographics from 88% white to 59.6% white since 2006. In the past, the school has provided diversity training through the National Coalition Building Institute. This spring we planned to bring a new training to all employees, but it was postponed due to the COVID closure. This training has been rescheduled for this fall and developed from a 2019 school-funded professional development three day seminar provided by the Othering and Belonging Institute.

However, we need to do more.

This resolution lays out practical steps the school will take to establish equity policies and procedures.

Background: Cassandra Bridge Sent a message to the Community on June 2, 2020. Updated information has been included below and a resolution is being recommended for the Board of Directors’ consideration.

Message from Cassandra Bridge (June 2, 2020)

I want to express my heartbreak over the death of George Floyd and to acknowledge the pain being expressed across American cities and the world in response to not only Mr. Floyd’s death but to the impact systemic racism has on all people of color. The marches and riots are a response to voices that have long been unheard. This is a call to action for all of us, especially those of us who are white, to engage, to educate, to commit to change, and to make a difference.

 

I also want to acknowledge, in addition to the stress and suffering of COVID-19 which disproportionately affects our communities of color, that our students, families, and employees of color are experiencing yet another layer of pain and trauma.

 

As a school, we are committed to educating our students about racism because our communities of color cannot overcome oppression, racism, and hate without partners that help lead this fight together. We must strive to do more and to do better. I know that words are not enough and I commit to building partnerships between our school and community organizations that focus on eradicating systemic racism and ensure that no policies or practices within our own school contribute to this unjust system.

 

Now, and when we return to school in the fall, teachers will be leading conversations with their students to not only support those directly impacted but to help students process the events they are inevitably seeing on television or learning about from their peers or family members.

 

I have provided helpful links for you to talk about racism with your child. I am sure it is a conversation that occurs daily in the lives of people of color. I also encourage you to continue to connect (virtually if necessary) with local community resources for support, such as a neighborhood center, a faith-based community, a social network, or other organizations.

 

Thank you for your partnership in talking with your child about racism. If your child needs more support, please encourage them to reach out to a trusted adult, now more than ever, we need our students, especially our students of color to know we love them and are here for them.

 

Respectfully yours,
Cassandra Bridge, Executive Director

Helpful links:

• How To Talk To Kids About Tragedies In The Media
• Racism and Violence: Using Your Power as a Parent to Support Children Aged Two to Five
• Resources for Parents: Uplifting Youth Through Healthy Communication About Race
• Talking to youth about racism and violence

Updated Information:

Our State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education will be “launching a series of discussions that will include superintendents and educational leaders from across California, students, teachers, support staff, parents and caregivers.” Mr. Thurmond intends to “convene stakeholders in discussion of implicit bias beyond schools to include leaders of statewide and national law enforcement organizations, elected officials, civic community leaders, and more.”

We, as a school, intend to engage in systemic change through the adoption of this resolution.

BEFORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MONTEREY BAY CHARTER SCHOOL
MONTEREY COUNTY, STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Resolution No. 2020-6-25-2

A BOARD RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH EQUITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

1. WHEREAS, Monterey Bay Charter School recognizes the current unprecedented challenges facing our community related to both the COVID-19 crisis and the inequities involved in all aspects of health, wellness, and learning; and
2. WHEREAS, the mission of Monterey Bay Charter School is to inspire joyful learning and courageous living for everyone, yet this opportunity has not been made possible for every student; and
3. WHEREAS, the national crisis of racism has been reflected in both recent and historical events highlighting the injustice and discrimination that is pervasive through our culture and institutions; and
4. WHEREAS, we realize that structural racism is built into bones of every structure in society; we have to build anti-racism into our school’s bones in order to increase student empowerment, belonging, value, and hope for the future ( adapted from Ijeoma Oluo ); and
5. WHEREAS, we have adopted a Diversity Statement and Policy, participated in professional development with the National Coalition Building Institute, and gathered community feedback every year from community stakeholders, educators, parents, and students on how to improve the educational experiences of students, however there is more work to be done;
6. WHEREAS, to ensure academic and developmental progress, all students deserve a safe, supportive educational environment where they are treated equally and fairly, respected for who they are as a person, protected from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and have an opportunity to participate equally in all programs and activities; and
7. WHEREAS, we are committed to change in order to truly live our vision of Inspiring Joyful Learning and Courageous Living!

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will establish equity policies by the Spring of 2021 that guide budgetary processes, operations, and student programming.

1. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will establish a policy that requires all new employees to participate in anti-racism and cultural responsiveness training before working with students;
2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will establish policy that ensures anti-racism and cultural responsiveness training continues with current staff and ensures that all staff regularly participate in:
   ○ Anti-Racism professional development as well as Culturally Responsiveness Training;
   ○ Culturally Responsive Training for the school community (including students, parents & partners)
   ○ Sustained Dialogue: School Employees & School Community (facilitated)
   ○ Professional development to deepen understanding of LGBTQ issues and policy implementation to support LGBTQ students, including training specific to the needs of transgender and gender-nonconforming students;
3. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will implement additional structures to increase student voice and specifically collect input regarding issues related to racial equity and LBTBQ by
   ○ Enhancing current student surveys to include questions specifically related to racial and LGTBQ equity;
4. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will advance equitable student-centered learning by providing cultural connections to curriculum, student agency, and project-based learning,
   ○ Form a task-force comprised of curriculum specialists, classroom teachers, and the parents to provide recommendations for aspects of equitable student-centered learning by Spring 2021;
5. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will articulate to the community how Waldorf education supports social emotional learning and provide resources to enhance the the curriculum and develop additional anti-racism resources for staff;
6. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Monterey Bay Chater School will adopt specific policies for ensuring transgender students are treated in a manner consistent with their gender identity, including:
   a. Using chosen name and pronouns;
   b. Changing name and gender in school records;
   c. Ensuring student privacy and confidentiality in disclosing private student information;
   d. Providing access to facilities and programs according to the student’s gender identity;
   e. Implementing gender-neutral dress codes; and
   f. Reviewing all gender-based activities;
   g. Integrate respect for human rights, including LBGTQ and ethnic and racial minorities;
7. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will prioritize resources to support the holistic needs of underserved populations;
8. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will prioritize resources and training to continue high levels of inclusion for students with disabilities;
9. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will ensure all students have equitable access to technology and are able to access distance learning;
10. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Monterey Bay Charter School will conduct assertive outreach to minority populations to continue diversifying our school community to include students and Board Members; and
11. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Monterey Bay Charter School will establish ambitious goals for increasing work-force diversity.

THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION was adopted upon motion by _______________ , seconded by ___________________, at a regular meeting held on June 25th, 2020, by the
following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:

I, Jody Garry, secretary of the governing board of the Monterey Bay Charter School do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed and adopted by
said Board, at an official and public meeting thereof, this 25th day of June, 2020.
Secretary, Board of Directors