Below is my August 23 letter to the editor of the Capital expressing my disappointment in the Queen Anne's County Board of Education lack of support for superintendent Andrea Kane as she stands against racism .
As a parent, educator and candidate for the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, I find it deeply disturbing that the Queen Anne’s County Board of Education has not shown sincere support for their Superintendent of schools, Dr. Andrea Kane, as she exhibits courageous leadership in the fight for equity.
Kane is embroiled in a controversy that began with her letter to QACPS parents about confronting racism. She asked for their commitment to reduce the impact of racism on students.
Critics of Kane’s position, the Kent Island Patriots, have petitioned the Queen Anne’s County school board to have Kane fired for being “divisive.” A group of white residents, they insist there is no racism in their community. But Kane’s community supporters say otherwise.
Michelle Corkadel, president of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, recently pledged to bring a resolution forward to the county school board in support of Kane. I urge the Anne Arundel board members to vote in favor of this resolution for two reasons.
First, it is the right thing to do as we work to teach our children to recognize the humanity in every human being. Second, racism shapes and involves all of us, whether we are aware of it or not.
We are all products of a system built upon deliberate decisions to implement and support racial discrimination and inequality. The way out of systemic racism is for all to recognize it and engage in deliberate and thoughtful anti-racist actions that can lead to institutional equity.
Young people are watching the adults who may speak about the need to treat everyone equally but do not exhibit the courage to call out inequality. In my experience children are quick to notice when adults do not mean what they say.