Addressing equity, taking positive steps

The growing public demand to address our society’s systematic history of racism is leading to a lot of talking and learning.

That’s healthy, and long overdue.

Officials for the Tamalpais Union High School District and the city of Mill Valley are taking it even further.

The high school district has adopted an anti-racism resolution that will set into motion the establishment of expanded curriculum and hiring goals to address this issue.

As Tam district trustee Karen Loebakka called it, the resolution “takes down the gate,” putting district campuses on a path of comprehensive change.

Important in developing goals and their implementation is the district’s plan to form a 100-person anti-racism committee.

Having 100 people involved may seem unwieldy, but the number underscores the issue’s importance, outreach and the district’s commitment to enact meaningful change.

Its size makes the promise that no one is going to be left out. Its breadth should reflect its commitment to success.

Breaking the committee into subcommittees should also help make sure that every facet gets the attention it deserves.

The district wants a committee process where change comes from a strong community consensus.

It is broader than the ongoing dustup over the district’s recent removal of the name of explorer Sir Francis Drake from its San Anselmo campus because of the 16th century navigator’s involvement in the slave trade.

Keeping the local panel’s work and progress in the public eye and encouraging community involvement and engagement will provide a strong foundation toward that goal.

At Mill Valley City Hall, officials have hired a special facilitator to help form a city “diversity equity and inclusion” committee.

That committee could include 20 members, composed with multi-ethnic representation, to recognize and address local issues regarding racism and diversity.

“The task force is a representation of all of you. All of your voices,” promised Patricia Patton, the city’s facilitator.

Taking recent discussions a big step further, where the city — and the community — walk their talk about addressing racism, is important.

The large committee plans to stage public forums to help it form recommendations to the City Council.

The council has been under public fire since Mayor Sashi McEntee’s brusque statement that Black Lives Matter is not a “local” issue.

She has since publicly apologized for that statement.

But some activists have refused to accept that apology, instead taking aim at her former Marin Republican leadership and membership as an example that she is illsuited to be on Mill Valley’s council.

Such divisive partisan politics is a reflection of our nation’s current political morass. We need to bridge divides, not dig them deeper, especially in furthering a united goal to keep our nation on a constructive course toward ending systemic racism.

McEntee and her council say they are committed to addressing and working on racism on a local level.

Their success will be reflected by their leadership and progress.

That same goes for the Tam board.

They are living up to the promise to take the community dialogue to build a path for the meaningful change that’s needed. Those steps deserve support and the public’s attention.

Important in developing goals and their implementation is the district’s plan to form a 100-person antiracism committee.