Editor,

We are deeply concerned about recent racist behavior witnessed at Los Alamos Public schools and addressed by Dr. Jose Delfin, LAPS superintendent, in an email on October 21. No matter how unintentional, there is no excuse for racist overtones or openly racist behavior, by students or adults alike. We, as citizens of this small town, must rally around anti-racism efforts – both in the schools and in the greater community. 

This is not about politics. This is about speaking up and having zero tolerance for bigotry toward others – be it due to race, ethnicity, religion, etc. Dr. Delfin shared resources with parents worth sharing with the rest of the community, below: 

Resources for parents:

• https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-talk-honestly-with-children-about-racism
• https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/talk-about-race.html
• https://www.unicef.org/parenting/talking-to-your-kids-about-racism

Resource for students/schools:  

• https://www.kqed.org/education/535060/how-can-students-fight-racism-in-schools
• https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-steps-toward-building-equitable-school-culture
• https://www.learningforjustice.org/sites/default/files/2019-04/TT-Speak-Up-Guide.pdf

We can all become more aware of the subtle and overt acts of prejudice and hate, as well as what we can do and how to create dialogue around it.  Even the most subtle behavior leads to more overt acts of hate. (See the  PYRAMID OF HATE.)  If you want to educate yourself on anti-hate information, the Southern Poverty Law Center provides excellent resources, Ten Ways to Fight Hate Community Response Guide.

Respectfully submitted,
Concerned LAPS parents and Los Alamos residents

Elisa and Alex Enriquez
Ryan Finn
Rebecca and Tim Foley
Becky Rutherford
Lisabeth Lueninghoener
Rose Gattis
Trish Masterson
Brad Westergren
Ali Semanision 
George Marsden
Margo and Steve Batha
Amanda Barry
Matthew Hoffman
Kelly She
Ashley Naughton 
Erin Cook 
Melissa Goldman and April Wheeler
Anna Llobet Megias
Ian and Lindsay Alexander
Heather McCulloch 
Theresa Cull
Krista Black
Meg and Michelangelo Lobato
Rev. John and Jess Cullinan