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On November 13th,  RU's Racial Justice PBL traveled to Lamoille North Supervisory Union in Hyde Park, to provide training on addressing microaggressions to the Middle School and Technical Career Center staff and administration.

Over the past two years, RJ students developed the training in response to a student climate survey indicating that the issue of unaddressed microaggressions was negatively impacting student learning and safety.

Microaggressions refer to the common everyday statements, behaviors, or actions that are discriminatory toward stigmatized or marginalized groups. They can be intentional or unintentional and are often subtle or can be disguised as jokes. 

According to senior class member Sierra Bond, “Microaggressions are the most common form of oppression I see in the school. These small things are really harmful, and I tend to see them a lot more as a student.” 

RU junior Connor Deyette noted that the subject of microaggressions isn’t usually addressed during staff training, and teachers sometimes don’t know the right way to intervene. The class agreed that offering professional development on the topic would be a good step in addressing larger systemic issues of discrimination. 

Impressed by RU's RJ students' presentation at last year's student-led equity conference in South Royalton, Maria Davies, the DEI coordinator for LNSU, reached out to RU's RJ students to ask if they would be willing to present their powerful training to her staff. 

 The hour-and-a-half-long training led entirely by the students consisted of an overview of microaggressions in school settings, strategies for responding, and breakout groups with staff tackling a variety of real-world scenarios. 

Adrian Clement, an RU senior, felt the training was useful to staff.  “Microaggressions can go under the radar. Not everyone can pick up on it and not everyone knows where the line is.” 

Tevye Kelman, the lead teacher for the Racial Justice PBL class, affirmed the students’ success. “I’m really proud of the ownership they took over. Students did a good job explaining impact versus intent,” he said. “I heard [them] sending the message that, yes, you do need to consider and be curious about a student doing a microaggression.”

By Beverly Taft and Michelle Holder