Cary, Dorothy. “Math, Race, and Evolving Ideas on Leadership.” Friends Council on Education Action Learning (April 2005): 1–2.
After starting a new position as dean of faculty at Germantown Friends School, Dorothy Cary was frequently asked her thoughts on teaching math. Cary began working with Lisa Darling, the head of Wilmington Friends School, in order to research success and failures in different ways of teaching the subject. Her research also led her to expand her project into issues of race and how the lower tracks of math have more children of color at her school than other levels.
“Embracing Diversity in Friends Schools.” Chronicles of Quaker Education (Winter 1999): 1–4.
Quaker schools must have a commitment to embracing diversity, whether racial, economic, or cultural. This article describes how Friends School of Atlanta provides tools for its faculty and students to work against racial prejudices; it also describes how Cambridge Friends School targets bias in race and sexual orientation.
James, Nic. “Developing Core Competencies for Learning about Race.” Friends Council on Education Leadership Expressions Action Research (April 2015): 16–17.
Nic James originally planned to develop an African American literature course in order to enhance conversations about race within Friends schools. However, after his initial research, he wrote four core competencies about how to engage students on the topic of race in the classroom, to be used as a type of rubric.
“Knowing and Valuing Each Other: Diversity Initiatives in Friends Schools.”Chronicles of Quaker Education (Winter 2003): 1.
This article calls attention to the importance of celebrating and accepting diversity in schools and in one’s own community, including examples from six Quaker schools that have created various projects to confront diversity issues.
McKee, Nathaniel A. “How Can Friends Schools Collectively Address the Absence and Critical Need for More Diversity Among Senior Level Administrators in Our Schools?” Institute for Engaging Leadership in Friends Schools 2005–2007 Action Research (April 2007): 24–25.
Nathaniel A. McKee noticed a lack of diversity among faculty and high-level administrators across Quaker schools and believes that having persons of color in senior-level positions in Quaker schools can help the success of students of color. McKee believes continuing to maintain a lack of diversity in senior-level positions is to go against Quaker teachings.
Miller, Jim. “Using Design Thinking to Find Ways to Support Students of Color.” Friends Council on Education Leadership Expressions Action Research (April 2015): 20–21.
By using “design thinking,” Jim Miller is creating long-term and effective practices, rather than a short-term approach, to support students of color, especially African American boys. His school has partnered with the Young Men’s Initiative at Philadelphia Futures to provide support and leadership opportunities for students of color.
Rogers, Alexandra L. “Closing the Gap: Supporting Urban Students and Families in Suburban Schools.” Voices of Leadership, Institute for Engaging Leadership in Friends Schools 2009–2011 Action Research (April 2011): 29–30.
Alexandra L. Rogers is researching ways to “close the gap” and spend time with students of diverse backgrounds in order to build relationships with students and families.
“Schooled in Diversity: History of Racial Diversity in Quaker Schools; An Interview with Pat Macpherson.” Chronicles of Quaker Education (Winter 2000): 3–5.
Pat Macpherson started a research project called Schooled in Diversity for Friends schools to understand how African American students have been affected throughout different eras by a lack of racial diversity in their schools or by a growing multicultural community and how such students been affected by white attitudes.
“‘Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?’ Study Circles on Racism and Race Relations.” Chronicles of Quaker Education (Spring 1999): 6–7.
George School in Pennsylvania provides a program called Study Circles on Racism and Race Relations for its entire school community, in order to provide a safe and understanding space for an open dialogue about differences.
Woods, Brandon. “How Do Low GPAs Affect College Matriculation and Retention Rates of African-American Male Students?” Institute for Engaging Leadership in Friends Schools 2011–2013 Action Research (April 2013): 27–28.
Following a screening of André Robert Lee’s film The Prep School Negro, Brandon Woods was approached by a few of his African American male students who had found similarities in the film with themselves, and who then commented on their fears of not getting accepted into “good” colleges. Woods realized that the GPAs of his African American male students were relatively lower than those of his other students and investigated why. He concluded that his African American male students felt lost in the mix of their culture at home and in their neighborhoods and that of their Friends school. Woods also concluded that such students had trouble connecting to the Friends community and a reluctance to ask for help when it was needed.
