Panel says ‘now more than ever’

SOMA Coalition on Race recently hosted “Now More Than Ever: How All Students Benefit from Integrated Schools.”

The forum, held at Columbia High School, featured a panel with a moderator and focused on the district’s commitment to integrated schools, its many benefits, and “where” sustained intentional integration can take SOMA students and the community. The panel included Nancy Gagnier, executive director, Community Coalition on Race; Rhena Jasey-Goodman, assistant director of new teacher induction at the Center for Student Success and Educator Excellence, College for Education and Engaged Learning, Montclair State University; and Keynote speaker Amy Stuart Wells, chief research officer, Bank Street College of Education, professor emeritus of sociology and education, Teachers College, Columbia University.

The panel was moderated by Norman Francis, an educator, schools committee member and coalition trustee.

The purpose of the program was to provide historical context and educational justification for the SOMA School District’s Intentional Integration Initiative (III). The III is a long-term plan, launched in 2020, to address racial and socioeconomic segregation by balancing elementary and middle schools to better reflect the community’s demographics.

“Keep an open mind,” Francis said at the start of the event. “Clean and honest discussions to move forward in a true and honest way.” Gagnier, who moved to Maplewood in 1997, spoke about SOMA’s more than 40 year history of integration efforts, including key integration milestones. She spoke of the push for the district to hire more teachers of color and anti-racism training.

Jasey-Goodman grew up in South Orange and spoke on her reflections as a student, a teacher, and a parent. She began kindergarten in 1984 and said she had an excellent education and diverse teachers.

In the 1990s, Jasey-Goodman remembers it being all about multi-culturalism. Her class was instructed to create flags that represented their culture.
She chose an American flag but was told she had to choose an African American flag. Though she doesn’t feel her teacher’s intent was to cause drama.
Columbia High School was great, Jasey-Goodman said.

“It was an amazing experience,” she said. “Everybody had an opportunity to find their crew. The guidance counselor had high expectations for us to excel. We had gay students. Integrated couples. We had transgender students. It was just normal to me.”

When Jasey-Goodman taught at Seth Boyden from 2003 to 2009 she said they were able to have real conversations about race. Her grandmother, who is still alive at 101-years-old, came to the school to speak about the Jim Crow days.

Keynote speaker Amy Stuart Wells said, “Take a moment to thank Maplewood and South Orange for being on this journey. A lot of towns are not doing this work. Part of what we’re seeing in politics today is an effort to move us backwards. Integration work is difficult work. We’re seeing this backlash, not just in the Unitrope. White supremacy groups are on the rise. We have to be really thoughtful.”

Speaking of the educational benefits of integrated schools, Wells said, “When children are exposed to differences, it enhances their cognitive development. Diverse schools improve feelings of safety, reduce depression. Diverse schools foster social skills.”

In a video produced by Samori Etienne, CHS Class of 2017, SOMA School District graduates spoke about diversity and integration.

Alexa Damas, CHS Class of 2016, remembered a positive experience.

“We had a day (where) everyone brought a dish from their own culture,” Damas said.

However, Jeremiah LaCon CHS Class of 2017 remembers that more people of color were put in an afterschool program.

Maggie Kritzberg, CHS Class of 2015 agreed that Black students were disciplined more than white classmates.

“More animosity was developing between students and administrators because of that issue,” Kritzberg said.

Lyra Graff, Class of 2022 said, “Parents don’t understand there are still problems going on.”