Bigelow Middle School Announces Racially Segregated ‘Safe Spaces’ for Students to ‘Process’ the Rittenhouse and Arbery Verdicts

COSTON Dear Bigelow students ░░░░░░░░ community Ms Coston here ░░░░░░░░ principal of Bigelow Middle ░░░░░░░░ When I decided to ░░░░░░░░ a school leader I ░░░░░░░░ two primary goals in ░░░░░░░░ to support teachers in ░░░░░░░░ way that I did ░░░░░░░░ always feel supported when ░░░░░░░░ was a teacher and ░░░░░░░░ make sure that you ░░░░░░░░ students I serve and ░░░░░░░░ are prepared for life ░░░░░░░░ middle school and in ░░░░░░░░ real world Every day ░░░░░░░░ are real world happenings ░░░░░░░░ shape and mold your ░░░░░░░░ or views of the ░░░░░░░░ I feel it is ░░░░░░░░ s responsibility as a ░░░░░░░░ of learning to teach ░░░░░░░░ about these happenings in ░░░░░░░░ fair correct and safe ░░░░░░░░ As explained in the ░░░░░░░░ that I sent you ░░░░░░░░ were two real world ░░░░░░░░ that took place within ░░░░░░░░ last two weeks that ░░░░░░░░ likely impacted Bigelow families ░░░░░░░░ and students particularly our ░░░░░░░░ members of color On ░░░░░░░░ 19th the world learned ░░░░░░░░ Kyle Rittenhouse on trial ░░░░░░░░ killing two people during ░░░░░░░░ Black Lives Matter protest ░░░░░░░░ Wisconsin last year was ░░░░░░░░ not guilty Then we ░░░░░░░░ on Thanksgiving eve that ░░░░░░░░ men Travis McMichael Gregory ░░░░░░░░ and William Bryan were ░░░░░░░░ guilty of murdering Ahmaud ░░░░░░░░ a 25 year old ░░░░░░░░ black man in Georgia ░░░░░░░░ year These are both ░░░░░░░░ sensitive topics with many ░░░░░░░░ of political racial and ░░░░░░░░ concerns Regardless of those ░░░░░░░░ the Kyle Rittenhouse conclusion ░░░░░░░░ likely be seen as ░░░░░░░░ another unfair reality for ░░░░░░░░ Bigelow families students and ░░░░░░░░ particularly our community members ░░░░░░░░ color while the Ahmaud ░░░░░░░░ conclusion may be seen ░░░░░░░░ a glimpse of hope ░░░░░░░░ justice Bigelow has a ░░░░░░░░ to address the impact ░░░░░░░░ both situations and to ░░░░░░░░ sure that you as ░░░░░░░░ are educated on real ░░░░░░░░ topics to prepare you ░░░░░░░░ life after Bigelow Some ░░░░░░░░ you may have already ░░░░░░░░ about these cases their ░░░░░░░░ and how they affect ░░░░░░░░ society while others of ░░░░░░░░ may not be aware ░░░░░░░░ them at all As ░░░░░░░░ learning community and a ░░░░░░░░ where you all should ░░░░░░░░ safe and heard Bigelow ░░░░░░░░ prepared to answer questions ░░░░░░░░ have created safe spaces ░░░░░░░░ those who need to ░░░░░░░░ and express their feelings ░░░░░░░░ this video you all ░░░░░░░░ be able to choose ░░░░░░░░ safe space to join ░░░░░░░░ the remainder of advisory ░░░░░░░░ Your options are One ░░░░░░░░ remain in advisory and ░░░░░░░░ with the regularly scheduled ░░░░░░░░ for advisory today which ░░░░░░░░ not related to either ░░░░░░░░ these cases Two a ░░░░░░░░ titled Reactions to verdicts ░░░░░░░░ and learning from your ░░░░░░░░ You will go to ░░░░░░░░ space if you know ░░░░░░░░ good amount of what ░░░░░░░░ happened and you are ░░░░░░░░ to talk about how ░░░░░░░░ affects you and our ░░░░░░░░ This space will meet ░░░░░░░░ the library Space 3 ░░░░░░░░ Rumor control room facts ░░░░░░░░ in today s cases ░░░░░░░░ s laws and final ░░░░░░░░ You will go to ░░░░░░░░ space if you want ░░░░░░░░ learn more about the ░░░░░░░░ This space will meet ░░░░░░░░ the gym And finally ░░░░░░░░ 4 titled Questions and ░░░░░░░░ for students of color ░░░░░░░░ will go to this ░░░░░░░░ to come together with ░░░░░░░░ Bigelow students of color ░░░░░░░░ process and get answers ░░░░░░░░ any questions that you ░░░░░░░░ have regarding these two ░░░░░░░░ This space will meet ░░░░░░░░ the auditorium Please be ░░░░░░░░ to arrive at your ░░░░░░░░ space and location by ░░░░░░░░ 15 am Please hold ░░░░░░░░ bathroom and locker breaks ░░░░░░░░ after advisory We want ░░░░░░░░ make sure there is ░░░░░░░░ time for you all ░░░░░░░░ process and discuss as ░░░░░░░░ Your advisory teacher will ░░░░░░░░ you of the spaces ░░░░░░░░ their locations again after ░░░░░░░░ video Bigelow leadership the ░░░░░░░░ department and many of ░░░░░░░░ teachers are here to ░░░░░░░░ any questions you may ░░░░░░░░ We understand that real ░░░░░░░░ situations like these are ░░░░░░░░ opportunities for you and ░░░░░░░░ want to make sure ░░░░░░░░ we support you as ░░░░░░░░ as possible These are ░░░░░░░░ when our shared learning ░░░░░░░░ and advocacy will make ░░░░░░░░ difference in our community ░░░░░░░░ these are opportunities for ░░░░░░░░ and knowledge for you ░░░░░░░░ be informed and proactive ░░░░░░░░ as you enter into ░░░░░░░░ real world after Bigelow ░░░░░░░░ high school. Thank you.”