WEST SPRINGFIELD – The West Springfield Public Schools have embarked on a three-year project to examine and root out bias in the district and address it when found. Superintendent Tim Connor has spoken about the Cultural Competence Initiative at two consecutive school committee meetings, as have others involved in the project.

At the July 28 meeting, Assistant Superintendent Vito Perrone explained that the initiative will look at “the behaviors and attitudes of our students, our teachers, and our staff and our community,” and “review our systems and to address the racist ideas or policies or outcomes where they exist.”

The initiative began last year under the direction of former Superintendent Michael Richard, before the current moment of Americans calling out racial inequity took hold in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in May.

The working group tackling this initiative includes members of the district administration, school committee members and Dr. Tamika La Salle, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut, who specializes in school climate, measurement, school improvement and culturally responsive educational practices. Connor called La Salle “one of the rockstars in this arena.”

So far, the working group has examined data and used it to create an outline of what they want to accomplish. These goals are:

• Creating a safe, supportive culture

• Raising the voices of those in the community who have been marginalized

• Challenging imbalances of power and privilege in the system

• Measuring progress, adjusting and ensuring outcomes

La Salle said that the group has worked on guiding principles and will begin presenting a plan to the community in mid-August. At the Aug. 13 school committee meeting, Connor explained that they will be seeking feedback on the “equity audit” from students and parents or caregivers. He said that the initiative is meant to be a community effort, rather than a directive from the district.

School Committee member Bill Garvey said that he was impressed with the work that has been done so far and was excited to see what direction the project will go in over the next three years. Student Tacia Mazimpaka said that she was excited that the issue of racial equity was being “taken seriously” and Perrone called it “an imperative need.”