MBUSD forms new committee on equity, diversity and social justice

By Ella Davis

Staff Writer

On Oct. 7, Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) formed a new committee to focus on maintaining equity, social justice, diversity and inclusion within the district. 

The murders of George Floyd, Ahmed Aubrey and Breonna Taylor prompted MBUSD to create this new committee, focusing on diversity and inclusion. Through this committee, MBUSD hopes to promote awareness about social injustice, support a diverse and equitable education system and ensure that the Manhattan Beach community acknowledges the widespread issues of systemic racism.

“We met with alumni, current students, parents and staff over the summer and heard stories about bias and harassment occurring in our district,” MBUSD Board Member Jen Fenton said. “We recognized that we needed to do more, and in August, we rewrote our board goals to create a learning environment focusing on equity, diversity, social justice and inclusion.” 

Thus far, MBUSD met with students, teachers and leaders from various groups to reaffirm the STAND-UP inclusion pledge, which condemns hate, bias and prejudice within the district. This pledge also encourages students to speak out against discrimination and spread ideas of inclusion and diversity. 

“We are looking to strengthen diverse voices in our classroom and create more opportunities for students and staff to be reflective and feel comfortable sharing their narrative,” Fenton said. “As a learning community, it’s important to recognize that there are differences in the world around us, and through teaching, reading, conversations and curriculum, we can empower our students to become global citizens.” 

Through this committee, MBUSD schools are encouraged to incorporate materials and resources that reflect diverse backgrounds. For example, Costa’s English Department is adjusting its curriculum by incorporating at least one piece of literature written by an author of color for grades 9-11.

“[Curriculum changes include] the incorporation of local history like Bruce’s Beach and more core text by authors of color,” Fenton said. “The board is already working on updates to our harassment and discrimination policies, and we are currently clarifying our complaint procedures so they are more accessible to students.”