Our History of Diversity
Beginnings
From Westland School Charter, 1949
Westland School was started by a group of parents and educators because they knew that each child who starts in school brings a response to new experiences. He starts with freedom and courage in his early, creative efforts. It is our belief that too many schools, in the name of learning, destroy these qualities, and our aim is to see that they are kept alive and strengthened. It is an important period also for establishing an environment where children can comfortably, happily, and informally, live, grow and develop together in a democratic atmosphere.
“We believe that learning best occurs when there is a student population that is culturally, socially and economically diverse.”
60’s - 70’s
“Westland School is co-educational and inter-cultural. Our aim is to enrich the lives of the children by welcoming students from as many different backgrounds as possible. ”
From Westland viewbook, 1970s
Westland is dedicated to a student body that reflects a racial and economic balance. Its purpose would be greatly diminished unless it could include families of all kinds. A school which consciously looks for an inter racial and cultural staff and student body certainly shows clear intent that school is not an isolated spot for book learning alone. If the ideals of the country are democratic, the institutions must be alive with the ideals.
Today
The people who established Westland—and those who supported it—were committed to equity and inclusivity. Westland continues to honor this commitment with a loud voice.
In 2016, Westland’s Board of Trustees created our most recent Strategic Plan, which included two diversity initiatives:
GOAL: Westland provides an inclusive, socioeconomically diverse, multicultural learning environment for students, families, and faculty, so that all community members are welcomed, valued, and included.
GOAL: Westland identifies and implements initiatives and practices to recruit and retain racially and ethnically diverse students, families, and faculty.
In 2018, the Diversity Leadership Team, a Board of Trustees-level advisory committee comprised of trustees, faculty, administration, and parents, wrote a Diversity Mission Statement to state Westland’s intent and ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
In 2018, Westland rolled out affinity group programming for faculty and staff and for parents. Gene Batiste of National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) wrote that affinity groups, “provide a safe space for all participants to identify salient issues and common concerns through dialogue, using our individual voices to bring about affirmation, fellowship, connection (networking), and empowerment: to come together for sharing and listening and offering support in the service of greater understanding.” At Westland, affinity groups are a supplement to, not a replacement for multiracial dialogues.
In 2019 Westland hired Rasheda Carroll, as the first Assistant Head for Equity, Inclusivity, and Counseling, an individual who is deeply invested in the work of honoring the whole child, supporting families, and promoting diversity, equity, inclusivity, and social justice at the institutional, cultural, interpersonal, and personal levels of our school community.