School district addresses racism
By Diane Van Dyke

In response to recent assertions of racial discrimination in the Boyertown Area School District, school board members approved forming a diversity advisory committee at the meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

The board’s decision followed on the heels of a vandalism incident at Boyertown Junior High West on Feb. 8 in which racial slurs, swastikas, religious notations and references to the KKK were written on the walls of a boys’ bathroom. The police are investigating the incident.

The school district has never had this type of vandalism with the intent of racial intimidation, said Dr. Charles D. Amuso on his last day as superintendent before starting at Souderton Area School District.

“The Boyertown Area School District does not tolerate racism,” said Amuso.

However, a similar incident occurred the following day at Boyertown Junior High East when references to the KKK were painted on the walls of a boys’ bathroom. Police are also investigating that incident.

The diversity committee is being formed because of the perception that racism is tolerated, said Amuso.

“Diversity training has been done with the teachers, staff and administration,” he said. “We investigate each and every incident that occurs.”

Retired D.A.R.E. instructor William Jackson, who worked for the district for 20 years, said during the public comment session that there is “no racism” in the district.

However, the experiences of parents Ruth Borowy and Jocelyn Defoe paint a different picture.

“My children have been told to go back to the plantation where you came from,” said Borowy.

“My daughter didn’t know she was different until we moved to this district,” said Defoe, whose family was the victim of an attempted cross-burning in Oct. 30. “Another child said she couldn’t play with her because she is black.”

Gwendolyn W. Semmens, school board president, invited Pottstown NAACP President Newstell Marable Sr. to be a member of the diversity committee.

“I certainly will accept,” he said.

Rev. Everett Debnam of the Invictus Ministries in Pottstown said he would also serve if asked.

“I was here 13 years ago when Boyertown was faced with the dilemma of closing school on Martin Luther King Day,” said Debnam, remarking that Boyertown has made progress.

“Ninety-nine percent of the people are good and only 1 percent is bad,” he continued. “We just have to get the 99 percent together to push out the bad.”

Since the claims of racial discrimination were made in January, the school district has been working with the Anti-Defamation League in Philadelphia, said acting Assistant Superintendent John D. Stoudt.

The committee will focus on diversity and tolerating the differences of all people, he said. The committee will be comprised of 15 to 20 persons, including representatives from the Anti-Defamation League, the Pottstown NAACP, the Boyertown Area Ministerial Association, administrators, teachers and parents.

“We have decided who will be selected, but there will also be a community forum to gather everyone’s input,” said Stoudt.

According to a press release issued by the school district on Feb. 10, the district has been addressing racism with programs for students, such as diversity awareness, anti-bullying, peer and adult mentoring, counseling and parent communications.

The district has also worked with Fellowship Farm, Peace Works and Pine Forge Academy and is represented on the Reading-Berks Conflict Resolution Task Force.

Please send any comments to dvandyke@berksmontnews.com.