Westland’s Diversity Work: How It Gets Done

Diversity work is challenging work. It requires collective community reflection as well as self-reflection, which also means a close examination of what has come before so that we may continually question the status quo. Through education, programming, practice, accountability, and support, we learn the language to talk about the once unspeakable. We grow from our inevitable mistakes. We are able to recognize the biases each of us carries. We see and celebrate our differences with a new sense of belonging and affect real, lasting change.

Westland’s Community Diversity Efforts 

• Diversity Leadership Team (DLT): a Board of Trustees-level advisory committee comprised of trustees, faculty, administration, and parents 

• Educational Advisory Committee

• Social Justice Anti-Bias Curriculum Task Force: a committee of teachers who work to develop Westland’s Social Justice and Anti-Bias Curriculum scope and sequence. Each group hones in on two focus areas connected to an aspect of identity, ranging from gender to race to socio-economic status. 

• Social Justice and Anti-Bias Curriculum 

• Parent Affinity Groups

• DLT-Parent Education Programs: Each year Westland parents have multiple opportunities to hear from nationally recognized speakers and authors. Guest speakers have included Jason David, who explored whiteness and white, anti-racist identity work, as well as Alison Park, who explored socio-economic status and class issues that arise in independent schools.