DEI Deep Dive

The topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have always been prevalent issues that only Havergal has only recently begun to open its ears to. Conversations about students’ feelings around these topics have always occurred behind closed doors. However, now we have been given the opportunity and platform to express our thoughts and concerns to the school as an entirety, rather than just to our peers. Obviously, because it is a new initiative, it’s not going to be perfect; students have expressed how they think the DEI program can be polished and altered to be truly effective.

The first and second DEI sessions were the ones where students were more vocal about change occurring. DEI kicked off with the first session being about definitions of terms: students sat at their desks while cohort advisors explained the definition behind terms such as ableism, weightism, and discrimination. The intent behind this activity was so that people understand the meaning behind these words and so that they can connect words to events that occur. Students felt that while the purpose behind this was good, they felt that the formality of the session took away from the impact it could have had on people. Similarly, with the second session about names, people felt that the simplicity and lack of depth took away from the influence it could have had. During cohort discussions, the general consensus was that the idea of tackling issues and sharing experiences should not be with the intent to make people feel comfortable and included when the initial subject is uncomfortable so that should be reflected in the discussions. It was identified that most people felt the most beneficial way to maintain positive student engagement and reach more voices is to allow for a way to make the information be presented on a more personal level. Rather than having teachers read off their laptops from a pre-written script, it would be better to offer a more student-led discussion, using experiences to convey the message. Additionally, many POC students felt that having predominantly white teachers talk about what discrimination feels and looks like was uncomfortable as their experiences with racism are much different. For example, the name session brought up some concerns as people felt that comparing a preferred name of Ang instead of Angela is not the same as facing challenges with people pronouncing their names incorrectly and making fun of them. Therefore, students came to the conclusion that the overall program would be more effective if it was led by teachers or students that are passionate about the subject matter and could share personal experiences to make the message more clear and heartfelt. 

Luckily, thanks to Ms. Miller, students’ voices and concerns are being acknowledged and taken into consideration and the program is being altered with the intent to meet students’ visions and hopes. It is important to understand that with new initiatives, it takes time and many trial and errors to finally get it right. It is vital that students are not only patient but also attentive when other people are talking about their experiences as it is a very courageous thing to do. If students can showcase that they care and are open to listening to everyone, it will make the DEI Program run more smoothly and allow for more people to be comfortable sharing their thoughts and beliefs.