Dear School Board Directors, Superintendent Jones and Senior Staff,
Yesterday’s School Beat includes an article, Addressing Instances of Hate and Bias. The first sentence affirms SPS’s belief in having safe school communities regardless of race, religion, gender, immigration status, language, sexual orientation, political view or social economic status — as an important foundation to academic success.
On behalf of the 8,000 students in SPS with IEPs and the thousands more with 504 Plans and undiagnosed disabilities, we write to express our profound distress and sadness that students with disabilities were left out of the District’s public statement against hate and bias.
You might want to talk to disabled students and their families and learn about the intolerance, bullying and harassment they have suffered.
The Seattle Special Education PTSA will be sending you an invitation to the Community Conversation About Inclusion we are sponsoring on October 26, during Disability History Month. We are inviting a broad and diverse group of community stakeholders to engage in a conversation about the benefits of making sure our schools are safe, inclusive spaces for all students to reach their potential. It is clear how much work remains to be done.
Respectfully, Janis White, President
Seattle Special Education PTSA
