LCSD1 Responds to ‘White Privilege Cards’ Incident

It was just three months ago that a Ku Klux Klan picture was removed from a Cheyenne English teacher's classroom, and now Laramie County School District 1 is working to repair the harm caused by another racist incident.

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According to a message (see below) sent out to all Carey Junior High School families Friday morning, a series of store-bought “white privilege cards” were handed out to students at the school earlier this week.

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"We just completed an investigation," Principal Derek Nissen said. "We are working with our Sources of Strength team to provide restorative opportunities to those students who were impacted by the distribution of these cards."

Nissen says LCSD1 has been working on programs that foster kindness and develop language and systems of support for students, staff, and the community since last spring, and this week's incident is a reminder that "there is still work to be done."

Dear Carey Junior High Community,

Last April Laramie County School District 1 issued a call-to-action letter in response to bullying and racism in the community. At that time, we promised consistent, transparent communications going forward. In that vein, we just completed an investigation of an incident that occurred earlier this week at Carey Junior High. On that day, a series of store-bought “white privilege cards” were handed out to students at the school.

As a school and a district, this type of behavior is not aligned to our focus on kindness and compassion. We are working with our Sources of Strength team to provide restorative opportunities to those students who were impacted by the distribution of these cards.

Since last spring, we have been working on programs that foster kindness and develop language and systems of support for students, staff and the community. Some of these programs include Sources of Strength, Olweus Bullying Prevention, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. However, an incident such as this reminds us there is still work to be done.

Please feel free to reach out to our Violence Prevention Facilitator Chris Zimny at 771-2204, chris.zimny@laramie1.org.

Sincerely,

Derek Nissen
Principal, Carey Junior High

READ MORE:

• 'We Can and Need to Do Better,' Cheyenne Mayor Says of Racism Problem
• Use of N-Word, Other Negative Acts at LCSD1 Prompt Call to Action