MA middle school offers ‘safe spaces’ for ‘students of color’ to process Rittenhouse, Arbery verdicts

Three safe spaces took place on December 2 during students' advisory period, at Bigelow Middle School in Newton, Massachusetts, according to Parents Defending Education.

In a letter from Bigelow Middle School principal Chassity Coston to parents and students, she outlined the necessity of these spaces for students. The letter was also read out loud by Coston in a video reportedly shown to students.

"On November 19th, the world learned that Kyle Rittenhouse, on trial for killing two people during a Black Lives Matters protest in Wisconsin last year, was found not guilty. Then we learned on Thanksgiving Eve that three men (Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan) were found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed Black man in Georgia last year. These are both sensitive topics with many layers of political, racial, and social concerns," her letter began.

"Regardless of those concerns, the Kyle Rittenhouse conclusion will likely be seen as yet another unfair reality for many Bigelow families, staff, and students—particularly our community members of color, while the Ahmaud Arbery conclusion may be seen as a glimpse of hope and justice," she added.

Outlined in the letter were three safe spaces for students to choose to attend during their morning advisory period. Students could choose not to attend, and remain in advisory. One of these safe spaces was exclusively for "students of color."

The three spaces were: "Reactions to Verdicts: Hearing and learning from peers," a place for students that know about the trial and want to talk about how it affects the community; "Rumor Control Room: Facts presented in cases, today's laws, and final verdicts," a place for students to learn more about the trial; and "Questions & Discussion for Students of Color," "Come together with other Bigelow students of color to process and get answers to any questions you have regarding these two cases."

"Bigelow has a responsibility to address the impact of both situations, and to make sure that you as students are educated on real-world topics to prepare you for life after Bigelow," said Coston.

In a statement to Fox News, a spokesperson for the Newton Public Schools defended the school's usage of "safe spaces."

"When these types of national events occur, we provide our staff with the support they need to navigate these challenging conversations, as well as the space they may need to process the event themselves. We fully support our schools' efforts to create space and support for all of our students and staff members and are grateful that we have school leaders who are committed to engaging in this important work," the spokesperson said.

"We know that students experience events differently, and it is our responsibility to not overlook the impact and harm on all community members, including those who are traditionally marginalized, such as people of color. In this particular case, we acknowledge the need for students to learn more about the context of the case and to provide space for them to process and discuss it."

Newton Superintendent David Fleischmann issued a statement to parents on December 8 defending the actions of Bigelow Middle School, stating that the school has been "targeted" by the media.

"As you may or may not be aware, Newton has recently been targeted in certain media for the work it has been doing to support staff and students in the wake of the Rittenhouse and Arbery verdicts," the letter began.

"Chastity's communication with Bigelow staff and families was consistent with the work we have taken on as a district and was reflective of her professional experience," the letter continued. "When these types of national events occur, we provide our staff with the support they need to navigate these challenging conversations, as well as the space they may need to process the event themselves."

"The reality is that these verdicts had a significant impact on many members of our Newton Public Schools community. It is because of this impact that all of our secondary schools, both high school and middle school, created age-appropriate opportunities for students to learn more about the facts of the case and to share their thoughts about the decision.

"As a district, and as stated in our Statement of Values and Commitment to Equity, 'we have a responsibility to ensure that our students, staff and families of color feel seen and heard.'"