“Madison was a person that benefited off of the exploitation of Black bodies, and those who embarked in such acts of racism should have no influence in today’s culture,” Berry wrote. “Expecting Black students to attend a school named after a slave owner is anti-Black.”
She cites the academic disparities for Black students compared to their white peers in her recent proposal and the 2017 petition.
“Being in an institution that perpetuates an anti-Black culture is not conducive for the success of Black students, and therefore hinders the school overall,” she wrote recently. “That is why actions such as ending contracts with the police in MMSD schools, and holding faculty accountable for their discrimination are small steps towards creating an environment where they can thrive.”
In 2017, the Cap Times reported that Berry’s effort was connected to the social justice class she was taking at the time.
2017: West High Reading Interventionist Teacher’s Remarks to the School Board on Madison’s Disastrous Reading Results
Madison’s taxpayer supported K-12 school district, despite spending far more than most, has long tolerated disastrous reading results.
My Question to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on Teacher Mulligans and our Disastrous Reading Results
“An emphasis on adult employment”
Wisconsin Public Policy Forum Madison School District Report[PDF]
Booked, but can’t read (Madison): functional literacy, National citizenship and the new face of Dred Scott in the age of mass incarceration.