Diverse Classroom Library

Recently, many of us have been thinking a lot more about racial equality, race education, systemic racism and what we can do about it. Often we talk about education as a key element to making change in our society-- both the inequality in our education system, and what is actually being taught in schools. 

The Ferndale School Board declared racism a public health crisis and vowed to make changes in its policies and curriculum. The Ferndale School District has a roughly 70% minority population and the district is committed to providing a culturally affirming climate to its students. 

The Ferndale Education Foundation wants to support that effort by helping to diversify our teachers' classroom libraries. We asked the teachers in our buildings -- from preschool to adult education -- to give us their requests for books that reflect diverse characters, are written by minority authors, discuss racism, tell stories of leaders from underrepresented populations, etc. We received requests for over 400 titles and over 2,500 individual books! 

In addition to supplying these books to our students and teachers, we want to do the right thing in the community, so have committed to purchasing as many of these books as possible from a Black-owned local bookseller.