Concerned Sewickley Parents outraged over recent siege of power at the school; dismissal of key administrators and faculty, and the diminution of the equity and Inclusion plan.
Members plan to meet with the administration Friday at 1:00 pm to address the unexpected and numerous changes immediately before the start of the school year.
"We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other; if we are to succeed"
Frederick Douglass, North Star, December 3, 1847
We are a multi-racial group of families and allies who are highly concerned about the recent events at Sewickley Academy.
We find the abrupt changes in leadership and the recent purging of multiple administrators, and one faculty member to be troubling. These individuals, each highly credentialed and well respected in their respective disciplines, worked tirelessly to serve the entire school and student body, for the greater good of the institution. Their dismissal is a detriment to the school, and the loss of talent will be greatly felt for years to come.
We are seeking:
Immediate measures to ensure the physical and psychological safety of all of our students. The dissemination of an unsolicited, anonymous, and intrinsically xenophobic letter by the Sewickley Parents organization to families in the Sewickley Academy community, has caused many members to feel vulnerable and unsafe. The group poached demographics that were provided exclusively for school use to create a distribution list, which they now own.
The administration has yet to comment on the honor code violation and the threatening tone of the Sewickley Parents letter. In addition, it appears that the Board has given exclusive access for a small group of individuals to determine the future of many.
Implementation of the ratified EnVision SA 2024 Strategic Plan which encompasses the DEI-SJ plan, and not a "refined" diluted and diminished version.
Commitment to a curriculum reflective of the student body.
The value of a Sewickley Academy education will no longer be based on evidence-based pedagogy intended to produce critical and introspective thinkers, doers, and global citizens of the world. Instead, the institution will graduate students who are culturally incompetent, and unprepared to function on the global stage. The Board's actions will continue to rip at the fabric of who we are as a community, and bring immense r damage to the reputation of the Academy, and the community at large. We must come together to ensure that the Academy continues to be an academic institution of excellence devoid of any political agendas meant to dissuade critical thinking.
Many families have been caught off guard when they received an ominous and threatening letter in the mail by a group calling themselves concerned Sewickley parents. However, they are operating anonymously in the shadows, and continue to do so.
This is a major coup, Timeline of Events:
1. The letter was received June 1, 2021. The language was against diversity.
2. A rudimentary website was crafted. It's been branded and redesigned with a 501 3.C. Refer to photo with the black hand on the bottom.
Other than this, the original language was scrubbed.
3. The head of school was terminated for supporting diversity related issues and social justice initiatives due to the Strategic Plan Initiatives titled Envision 2024.
4. The group has been controlling the narrative through ads in the Sewickley Herald, and unsolicited hate mail, using the school directory for their mailing list without parental consent. This was received as a scare tactic by many parents.
5. A meeting is scheduled Friday with parents who are concerned that the key initiatives may be abolished. July 30, @ 1 pm at the school.
6. The concern is the group has deep pockets, and is now controlling the institution without any parameters for real transparency. The board is now involved in the day to day operations of the school, controlling the school, which goes against the by-laws of the National Association of Independent Schools.
7. The interim president was appointed by the board. The board has reneged on the original plan to conduct a national search for a new school president. These initiatives call for recruitment of minority administrators and faculty, and retention of students. There were 3 previously listed on the school website.
8. Administration and faculty supporting diversity initiatives have been fired, including 3 African Americans.
9. Families of color are weighing options to leave the school. They are concerned about the physical and socio-emotional safety of their children. It is also no longer a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ students.
10. Deceptive ads have been taken out in the Sewickley Herald. See Screenshots.
11. Parents feel the goal is to make Sewickley Academy white again.
12. Children are enrolled at the moment, so please consider their safety.
The call to action is now! Provide your feedback to the Sewickley Academy Administration and Board:
Sewickley Academy; 315 Academy Avenue. Sewickley, PA 15143
