The Whitman Racial Equity Team (RET) is made up of a small group of SEA and non-SEA school staff to
focus on implementing the district’s Racial Equity Policy #0030. Whitman’s RET participates in racial
equity literacy trainings twice per month to support the analysis of individual, institutional, and
structural racism that is contributing to school wide disproportionality. In addition to our Racial Equity
Team’s work, Whitman’s administration team works closely with other school teams to center racial
equity in school wide initiatives including ASB student events and activities, family and community
gatherings, and whole staff professional development sessions.
Whitman also has a “Whitman Equity Team,” a group started by Whitman families. The Whitman
Equity Team supports and partners with the Staff RET, as outlined in the draft mission-vision statement posted here.
Seattle Public Schools’ Strategic Plan "Seattle Excellence" is described on the SPS website here and states the plan is
"focused on supporting students of color who are furthest away from educational justice, beginning
with African American boys and teens. Our work is not about changing students. This work is about
changing broken systems and undoing legacies of racism in public education. By actively addressing
racism in our educational system - and ensuring students furthest from educational justice thrive -
conditions in Seattle Public Schools will improve for all."
The following is a partial list of activities of our equity teams at Whitman. Please check the Whitman Calendar for opportunities to participate and support our efforts.
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Black Lives Matter at Whitman
This year, Whitman PTSA is partnering with The Tshirt Men Company to offer Whitman BLM shirts,
hoodies, and masks. The TSM Shop is a small, Black-owned print shop located in Tacoma that does great
work for their local community:
http://thetsmshop.com/about.
Please visit the shop link here" Whitman Middle School (printavo.com) to purchase Whitman BLM items. Deadline to order is
January 22. Swag will be available for pick up from Whitman
during the week of February 1-6. Scholarships, which help
lower the cost, are available for students who are interested
in a shirt - please email Kevin Hernandez or Cheryl Fraley.
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Library Support
At Whitman, we recognize that antiracism takes ongoing work and conversation. In partnership with
librarian, Shelly Macer, the Whitman Equity Team has started a book club to encourage ongoing
reflection and conversation around issues of race and equity.
Join in our first book club conversation on January 20 at 7:00pm where we will be discussing the young
adult version of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds. Find more info here.