Schools
Diversity in Focus at Dearborn Leadership Event
Dearborn Public Schools will host its second annual Leadership Summit on May 13, where guest speakers will tackle sensitive topics like discrimination and hate.
Hate and discrimination are topics that some adults are hesitant to discuss publicly, but the members of the diversity clubs at Dearborn’s high schools are taking on some formidable “isms” at the second annual High School Leadership Summit.
The summit, which is organized and planned by members of the club along with the district's Safe Schools and Drug Free Schools Director Jacqui Rivait, will take place at the Administrative Service Center’s main meeting room, with several breakout sessions to learn about how to identify–and stop–behavior and actions that show prejudice against others.
“What’s great about this is that our event went so well last time that the students wanted to bring it back this year,” said Rivait. “It’s always best when the students decide that they want to learn more; it creates a common language for students who have different experiences and different points of view.”
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The event will kick off with some words from Superintendent Brian Whiston, who leads a school system in one of the state's most culturally diverse communities.
"The real strength in this event is not only students celebrating the diversity in our district, but the realization that they have much in common,” said Whiston. “Music, friends and school are just some of the topics that bring the students together and help them begin to build relationships that hopefully will carry on for a long time.”
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The theme of this year’s event is “Hate Hurts: How Children Learn and Unlearn Prejudice.” Topics like ageism, bias, bigotry, classism, racism and stereotyping will be discussed.
After the students participate in several activities, there will be breakout sessions on several topics, including cyber-bullying, mean girls and respecting other’s faith. Additionally, speakers from the Anti-Defamation League and the American Civil Liberties Union will have sessions, said Rivait.
The keynote speaker for this year’s event will be Debbie Dingell, wife of Congressman John Dingell and consultant to the American Automobile Policy Council.
Rivait said the event has become a force for good within the schools.
“The students are learning about people who are different from themselves,” she said.
The High School Leadership Summit will take place from 9:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. on May 13 at the Administrative Service Center, which is located at 18700 Audette.
