I have to take issue with the Op-Ed “Why Bullis Matters” (Dec. 4, 2024) which demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of systemic exclusion shared by BCS leadership. The author’s claim is tone-deaf and implies that it is not BCS’s fault if students from historically marginalized groups do not apply for the lottery. I disagree. This philosophy perpetuates systemic racism/exclusion.
A simple search in ChatGPT with the phrase: “find examples of racial exclusion in which people argue that anyone can join” results in at least seven examples of systemic racism and how people have been marginalized and excluded in our society based on race and social standing. The summative statement in my ChatGPT search after detailing the seven examples is: “These examples show how the rhetoric of inclusivity often obscures deep-seated inequalities that limit true access for marginalized racial groups.
Recognizing and addressing these barriers is critical to creating genuinely inclusive spaces.
BCS needs to recognize and address these barriers.
It is not enough to say that any family can apply for the lottery. Are there conditions that prevent families from specific backgrounds from applying? How does the school culture welcome and embrace diversity of thought, life experience, family structure, as well as culture and race? What types of differentiation and flexibility are being implemented in every classroom, by every teacher to support students with different learning needs?
What after-school programs are provided for low and lower-income families other than those willing to self-identify as meeting the requirement for state ELOP funds?
In addition, an overarching question is: how do historically marginalized groups persist at BCS; persistence is a factor in measuring inclusion.
I am not advocating against BCS or its existence or that its charter not be renewed. I was compelled to write this response to the recent OpEd because it is troubling that there is STILL an unrelenting lack of understanding and competence relating to equity and combating systemic racism and this is being demonstrated by BCS leadership (Town Crier, Sept. 4, 2024: “At one point, an angered Bullis official accused the board of trying to bring in more Hispanic students at the expense of Asian students.”).
Organizations that are truly committed to equity and serving ALL children understand “deep-seated inequalities that limit true access,” make overt efforts to recruit all forms of diversity, create a culture of inclusion that is not dominated by the majority group(s), and support the persistence of students from various backgrounds in the culture of the organization.
The first step for BCS is just getting families from historically marginalized groups in the lottery and families will not enter the lottery if the school’s culture does not embrace their language, family values, identity, diverse learning needs, and way of seeing the world.
There is an access issue that begins with BCS’s lack of understanding of systemic oppression and how it impacts their “open” lottery system.
Jocelyn Lee is a Los Altos resident.
