Developing Diversity: The School’s Attempts to Improve DEI

Over the past several years, the school administration has prioritized expanding and improving diversity at the School. 

Savannah Strong, the Dean of Equity and Community, oversees the School’s diversity efforts. She describes the significance of having diverse faculty at the School, “There’s something intangible about having a teacher who understands how you move throughout the world and who sees you deeply… there’s a level of support and protection that teachers of color… can provide for kids in their care. For me, having a faculty that reflects the students is so important because every kid is entitled to being held in all of their beauty and complexity… and we just need diverse faculty in order to accomplish that.”

Senior Minaissa Maiga reiterated Strong’s sentiment about the importance of having diverse perspectives in certain classes, “It is important for the faculty to be diverse because teachers, especially for humanities classes, should represent certain perspectives that reflect and represent the student body.”

Junior Noe Johnson also agreed, “There’s a lot more relatability with a teacher of color that you are not going to get with a white teacher or anyone who is not the same race as you… Especially in humanities classes, when talking about slavery, the Japanese internment camps, and other historical events where having a complete perspective on the occurrence is very important, there’s an insensitivity to those issues with a lack of people of color in the faculty.” 

Strong emphasizes, “It’s really important for every student to have access to windows and mirrors… when I talk about windows, we’re really talking about opportunities to experience or understand how other people see the world. When we talk about mirrors, we’re talking about seeing ourselves reflected in the adults around you.” 

As a result of the School’s diversity efforts over time, more and more new spaces (like the Muslim Student Association and Women of Color Alliance) for underrepresented students have arisen. Sarkar emphasizes that the community continually ponders, “What are other community spaces we aren’t offering simply because we haven’t thought of it?” to ensure inclusivity and address the members of all members of the School. 

Shahana Sarkar, the School’s Dean of Academics, emphasizes that diversity within the faculty results in teachers speaking from the “I” perspective in proposing new community spaces. Therefore, the lack of diversity as a result of POC faculty departure severely limits the School’s potential for new welcoming spaces for minority students.  

Students and faculty have noted that in recent years, however, the school has struggled to retain teachers of color. Sarkar comments on the faculty morale, “It is hard when anyone leaves… it decreases the atmosphere and [the School’s] morale.”

Strong agrees, describing the sadness felt whenever a faculty member leaves. She emphasizes creating an environment where all identities and cultures can thrive. In a larger context, Sarkar points out that “the administration thinks about what is the ‘Head Royce water’ that we invite faculty to swim in.” 

Ricky Lapidus, head of Upper School, shares their concerns: “It’s startling and painful when any teacher leaves, perhaps more so when we know that, as a school, that person comes from a group that is underrepresented in our professional community. Each person has their own reasons and story, but that does not make it less worrying.”

Lapidus emphasizes the importance of having a diverse environment, stating, “We go to specific conferences that are aimed at candidates of color, and more importantly, those who are not aware of the independent school world… There are consultants and hiring conferences that we go to because we want our faculty body to get much closer and hopefully… the student body in time.”

Overall, the loss of POC faculty has left a void in the School’s social fabric. Clubs and community spaces are greatly affected, as is faculty morale. The School continues to grapple with the psychological impact it has on minority students’ sense of belonging within our community. However, through ongoing efforts and initiatives, the faculty strives for our community to improve (and continue to) foster an inclusive environment, embrace diversity, and provide education through many perspectives.