Why schools need to focus on sustaining educators of color

“I loved my community, but didn’t trust it.” Esther Charlestin recently wrote to the Addison Independent sharing about her experience as a Black educator in a Vermont school district. She began with: “I share my story for those who feel invisible, who can’t speak because it could jeopardize their jobs, for those whose BIPOC children are struggling and they have no choice but to keep them in our public schools, and for those who have been silenced. You are not alone.”

As the Dean of Climate & Culture at Middlebury Union Middle School, Esther experienced extreme racism and had inadequate support from her school district in dealing with it. “There was no policy to rely on to give leaders the direction to support students or staff when racist incidents occurred.”

Many schools have been focused on hiring educators of color. That is not enough. Before school districts even consider hiring educators of color, they must consider how they will sustain and retain those educators by changing their system. The Educators of Color Association created a two-page document explaining how to sustain educators of color in Vermont. It includes having a public database to show retention data of educators of color, conflict resolution systems based in restorative justice, and time and space to address equity during faculty meetings. 

The VT Educators of Color Association formed in 2020 to help sustain educators of color by creating spaces for them to connect, heal, and organize for change. We recently established an Educator of Color Affiliate Program where schools can join and commit to supporting educators of color in their school/district and throughout the state. Affiliate program members attend yearly trainings held by the association and their educators of color are invited to attend bi-annual retreats and to connect with other educators of color monthly on Zoom. 

We urge schools to learn from Esther’s story. She was not in a sustainable environment and she is not alone. Esther’s  experience did not silence her and is not stopping her from doing important work. Instead, she has started a consulting company called Conversation Compass, LLC to help groups have critical conversations to address issues of equity and belonging. Esther will be speaking at the Educator of Color Symposium on Oct. 27th.