Meeting set to discuss racism allegations in Haverford
HAVERFORD >> Several incidents documented in a report released earlier this year by the HavertownArea Community Action Network (H-CAN) have led to an upcoming meeting to discuss racial issues and racial understanding in Haverford Township and the Haverford Township School District.
The Haverford Human Relations Commission plans a town hall meeting Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. at the township administrative building to discuss issues revealed in the report.
The H-CHAN report cites firstperson examples including a May
2017 incident in which an 11-yearold African-American child was riding his bike to the middle school when a white male man yelled out to him from a passing car, “Just because you have a new bike doesn’t mean you’re not a poor n——-.” Other examples include a swastika scrawled on the trash can of a Jewish resident and an immigrant family photographed at the Manoa Elementary playground then posted to social media with a false story accusing the family of being potential child abductors.
The report uses census figures and township reports including police reports documenting that 29 percent of police stops involve African Americans in a township where only 3.3 percent of the residents are African American. The African-American population is 21 percent in Delaware County as a whole.
The report states that animus in the community spills over into schools. In January, the network’s Racial Action Group held an event at the township library in which attendees shared experiences with racism in schools. One parent said “a substitute teacher announced to my African-born black child and to the class in general that he would call my child ‘cave man’ as he thought his the name sounded similar to that of a hominoid recently discovered in South Africa.”
Sarah McCafferty, a member of the H-CAN Racial Justice Action Group, said, “It was hard to hear a lot of what was said. I was surprised … It’s hard information to hear for a lot people.”
But she believes dialogue in the community is needed to address the issue.
“It’s really wonderful the HRC has taken this and is trying to have some type of action and community conversation about it,” said McCafferty. “Online discussions or on Facebook isn’t the same. We’re glad the township is responding.”
Haverford Schools Superintendent Maureen Reusche “reached out to me and she was very concerned.”
Her group has hosted talks with parents and families, she said. But she did not want school district officials there since people might be intimidated, she said. Instead, “we met Dr. Reusche and some principals and shared some of the broader finings and outlined some of the same broad concerns.”
Meanwhile, some families have left the school district, either for more diverse areas or private schools, McCafferty said.
The report includes “personal testimonies approved by the families that things happened to. We made the decision not to but any identifying information. We didn’t want to make them a target for any more harassment. Some people were willing speak on the record but we didn’t want anybody to take the heat for any potential backlash.”
Meanwhile, the HRSD is taking steps to address racial problems, said Anna Deacon, a spokeswoman. Reusche will be attending the Oct. 14 HRC meeting.
A group of students, teachers and administrators called Belonging and Sociocultural Identities in Schools originally formed to deal with transgender issues has broadened its responsibilities to examine identity and inclusivity, according to a May 17 presentation to the school board. Over the summer, the district sent staff and students to a training program on racial literacy at the University of Pennsylvania and a consultant has been hired.
“There’s a lot we’ve been trying to do. It’s ongoing work,” said Deacon. Parents have also been included
“It’s really wonderful the HRC has taken this and is trying to have some type of action and community conversation about it. Online discussions or on Facebook isn’t the same. We’re glad the township is responding.”
— Sarah McCafferty, a member of the H-CAN Racial Justice Action Group
in the process, she said. At both the middle school and high school, students have led activities.
Along with school personnel, police and township officials are expected to attend the HRC meeting to discuss how they are remedying racial bias and increasing diversity and inclusion in their systems, said McCafferty. The H-CAN report will be presented and members of the public will be allowed to speak, she said.
“I think it’s a really important conversation for our township to have,” said McCafferty. “I’m hoping some people who are really important change-makers will attend.”