Social Justice Committee

Now in its seventh year, the Golden Bridges Social Justice Committee is an advisory and inquiry body made up of parents, faculty, and administrators committed to supporting Golden Bridges in becoming a truly beloved community. The essential question that guides all of our work is: What do we need to know, do and be to bring an anti-racist, intersectional social justice lens to every aspect of our school community?

Committee & Governance

It is a priority to the Golden Bridges Social Justice Committee that our decision-making reflects our values, norms, and goals. We strive not to replicate systemic oppressive patterns that give white, cisgendered, heteronormative, and/or Judeo-Christian people more authority and power than people of color or other marginalized peoples.

We practice full transparency about decision-making and hold accountable the people who make decisions that impact the committee or the school community at large, as it relates to issues of social justice. Committee members or school community members who believe a decision made by the Social Justice Committee is harmful should bring their concern to one of the two group facilitators/moderators, as listed in the subcommittee and roles spreadsheet.

​Read our Governance Document.

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Committee Meetings

​Any member of our community (a parent of a child currently enrolled at Golden Bridges School or faculty or staff member) is welcome to attend a Social Justice meeting at any time, without any expectation that they will continue to attend meetings. If you plan to attend, we ask that you first read this article, "Changing the Discourse in Schools," so that you will understand our approach to communication. Thank you!

Meetings are typically held monthly on Tuesdays from 7:00pm-9:00pm.
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2021-2022 Meetings: 8/24, 9/21, 10/19, 11/16, 12/14, 1/19, 2/15, 3/15, 4/26, 5/17, 6/14

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Committee Norms

For the Individual

• Stay Engaged
• Speak Your Truth
• Experience Discomfort
• Expect and Accept Non-Closure

​For the Collective

• Pay Attention to Patterns of Participation
• Contextual Confidentiality
• Go to the Source (at and within a reasonable amount of time or let it go)
• Recognize that we are all on our own path of inner and outer work* (*GBS norm)

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Resources

Articles for Adults

• Liz Kleinrock's TED talk on How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics
• What White Children Need to Know about Race by Ali Michaels
• ​Why White People Freak Out When They're Called Out About Race  by Sam Alder-Bell​
• Understanding White Privilege by Francis E. Kendall, Ph.D.
• White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
• Why "Human" is not an appropriate answer to the question, “What is your race?” by Dr. Gregory Peters
• Racial Micro-aggressions in Everyday Life (from Columbia University Teachers College)
• Teaching White Students about Racism: The Search for White Allies and the Restoration of Hope by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• Detour-Spotting for White Anti-Racists by Jona Olsson​
• Combatting Stereotypes: How to talk to your children
• Can Racism be Stopped in the Third Grade? by Lisa Miller
• White Guilt is Actually White Narcissism by Emma Lindsay
• White Supremacy Culture from "Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups", by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun, ChangeWork
• How Well Intentioned White Families Can Perpetuate Racism (The Atlantic) 
• White Progressive Parents and the Conundrum of Privilege, LA Times 

Children's Literature

• Sujei Lugo Vazquez and Alia Jones' updated booklist on Black Culture and solidarity for ages birth to 12
• The Conscious Kid
• Do I need to buy different books for boys and girls?
• How Do I Include Diversity In The Literature My Child Is Exposed To?
• Raising Race Conscious Children 

​"One of the reasons I feel so passionate about our school is not just the amazing teachers, staff and children, but the parents. As I have seen over the four years I have been a part of this community, our parents are capable of almost anything."
—GBS Parent
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GBS Social Justice Priorities

In September 2021 we reaffirmed priorities for the Golden Bridges School community in our ongoing quest to become more inclusive and socially just. These priorities inform the work and planning of the Social Justice Committee.

​Read our Priorities Memo

Contact

Please contact Allyson Ritger for questions related to the Social Justice Committee.

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Past Events

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Watch Liz Kleinrock's TED Salon, "How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics"

Saturday March 23rd, 2019 Q& A workshop on Social Inclusion in Schools with award winning educator LIZ KLEINROCK  

Concerned about bullying in your child's school? Want to help foster social harmony for your children but not sure where to start? Join esteemed social justice educator Liz Kleinrock for a workshop on "Fostering Social Inclusion."

90 minute Q&A talk on how to address bullying and foster social inclusion in the classroom and other community settings. Parents and educators will have a chance to ask questions and bring up real-life problems with Ms. Kleinrock.

Partnerships

Golden Bridges School has partnered with SF-CESS for the past three years in order to train and facilitate faculty and parent conversations, and guide us in creating an equitable, inclusive and culturally competent school that challenges the hegemony and discourse found in schools. We are grateful to the Small Change Foundation grant for awarding GBS the funds for this vital training of two faculty and two parents every year. 

 People of Color in Independent Schools

"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences." 
-Audre Lorde