A resolution supporting members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, community was unanimously passed by the Athens City School District Board of Education at its April 15 meeting.
The resolution was introduced and passed “in light of the recent events involving crimes directed against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community,” according to the resolution.
Dave Hayden, vice president of the Board, said the resolution was also meant to address concerns stemming from a recent email incident within the district, although he was unable to provide further details about the incident or how it was being dealt with.
Hayden was able to speak on the support the resolution has received from Board and community members alike.
“I think everyone on the board supports doing everything we can to make the district as inclusive as possible, and to make sure students feel safe and supported,” Hayden said in an email. “I’ve had dozens of messages (from the community) in the past few days thanking us for passing the resolution.”
The resolution and Hayden set the groundwork for future messages of inclusivity and actions of support moving forward.
“We fully condemn hate speech, racism, and all forms of discrimination,” the resolution reads. “As equity is a driving force of our district mission, we will continue to strive to build a positive school culture that is both inclusive and nurturing for all learners.”
As vice president, Hayden echoed the resolution’s language and provided insight on the path to making the Athens School District more inclusive.
“The district will continue to have conversations with the community about how we can be more inclusive,” Hayden said in an email. “As a community, and as a society, we have a lot of work to do.”
