fsadmlgnIncidents
Georgetown Day School (GDS), an elite independent PK-12 private school in Washington, D.C., communicated their Critical Race Theory-based “anti-racist journey” which began May 2020 to the school’s board of trustees, faculty, staff, parents and students via the school’s multiple media platforms including the school’s Georgetown Days magazine and its official Instagram account and website.
Georgetown Days
GDS profiled their “anti-racist journey” in the 2020-21 edition of the school’s magazine, Georgetown Days. The issue was entitled: “A year like no other.” Included in the magazine is a four page spread infographic documenting the school’s “anti-racist journey” over the course of the 2020-21 school year.
According to the school’s Instagram post dated July 27, 2021:
“Our 2020-21 School Year Georgetown Days Magazine is hitting mailboxes! 💚”
(Zoom in to see PDF below clearly by hitting the + sign.)
“Anti-racist journey”
According to the “anti-racist journey” piece featured in Georgetown Days, GDS “interrogated their founding ideals.” The school was founded in 1945 as the first integrated school in Washington D.C. and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2020. Tuition at the school ranges from $39,896 for Pre-K/K to $46,682 for grade 12.
GDS called its “journey,” a “disciplined approach” in “response to @BlackatGDS.” “The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team worked in partnership with the counselors and wellness staff to develop much of the 2020–21 anti-racist programming,” according to the issue. “Dozens more community members contributed in meaningful ways to the ongoing work.”
Black Lives Matter protests and @BlackatBSD Instagram page
During the summer of 2020, “students, staff, and families participated in Black Lives Matter protests in person and via social media.” The school’s @BlackatGDS Instagram was created on June 26, 2020.
“Anti-racism tracker”
On Oct. 1, 2020 the school “implemented” its “anti-racism tracker” to “chart progress” of its “action plan.”
“Race-based “affinity” groups
GDS boasts multiple affinity groups for faculty/staff, parents, middle school students and high school students.
On July 1, 2020, the “black parent resource group” resumed meetings and on Oct. 1, 2020, a new “black faculty/staff affinity group” and new race-based “affinity” groups for high schoolers were established.
The “parent white antiracism group (WAG)” launched on Dec. 17, 2020 and hosted a “meet and greet” on April 14, 2021. The next “WAG” meeting is scheduled for April 12, 2022 and will feature a “calling-in” to “White folks, as well as to Black, Brown, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) who want to participate in White identity antiracism work within and beyond the walls of GDS.”
Critical race theory speakers
Critical race theorists Dr. Bettina Love and Dr. Gholdy Muhammad gave multiple talks to the GDS community between Oct. 2020 and Feb. 2021 as part of the school’s 75th anniversary speaker series.
On Oct. 13, 2020, Love, an “abolitionist teaching” practitioner, presented on “combating anti-blackness in the educational environment.” Muhammad, creator of the “historically responsive literacy framework” presented on “culturally and historically responsive teaching for the middle school” on Nov. 30, 2020 and on “intersectionality and abolitionist teaching: centering queer voices” with Ki Gross from “Woke Kindergarten” on Jan. 19, 2021.
Love conducted a two day “social justice teach-in day” at the school on Feb. 9-10, 2021.
BLM at school week
Last month GDS used “Black Lives Matter at School’s Week of Action” curriculum from “Teaching for Change.”
Pride week
Last year GDS hosted “special guest” Yosimar Reyes for “pride week” who spoke to students about his experience being an “undocumented, queer person of color.”
“Curricular innovations”
The school’s “anti-racist journey’” included “curricular innovations” such as:
Middle School
“Each 6th grade English class” now starts with a “book talk highlighting BIPOC (and LGBTQ+) writers.”
High School
All AP classes will be eliminated by Fall 2022.
Summer reading
Finances
GDS Philanthropy
GDS IRS Form 990
Leadership team
On Juy 1, 2022, Yom Odamtten Fox, currently a history teacher at The Dalton School, will become GDS’ new high school principal. She attended the Klingenstein Center “teacher camp” at Columbia University’s teacher college in 2007.
Accreditation and Associations
GDS is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the The Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington.
GDS faculty and staff have presented at NAIS “People of Color Conferences” on topics such as “Teaching Toni Morrison to Dismantle White Supremacy” and “Diversity Leadership is School Leadership.”
Families and students
According to Wikipedia, “the school has educated the children of several high-ranking government officials, including Justice Thurgood Marshall, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, United States Attorney General Eric Holder, Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, Texas Senator Phil Gramm, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, Florida Congressman Kendrick Meek, Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, as well as Supreme Court nominee and federal judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.”
