The Joliet Township High School Board of Education offers sincere condolences to the family of George Floyd and to all families who have suffered loss insensibly and tragically for being Black. 

In his Civil Rights Address in 1963, John F. Kennedy stated “The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated.”  While things have changed, the fact of the matter is that the state of violence against Black people and access to equitable resources, including education, are still incredibly rooted in systemic racism. As the Black Lives Matter movement highlights, we have made some advances in 57 years, but the core of the crisis remains the same.  

As Board of Education members, we are charged with the responsibility to ensure that policy is implemented that is free of prejudice, free of inequality, and free of injustice for ALL of students and staff. We pledge to the Joliet community that we will continue to fight for equity and fairness for all. 

We call on our local elected officials, religious leaders and community activists to join us in our commitment to the following:  

1. Engagement in becoming culturally proficient and racially literate through personal and professional education.  
2. Participation in conversations and forums that will allow us to listen to our communities of color about their experiences, their concerns, and their needs.  
3. Provide opportunities to partner with law enforcement to create better community policing policies and outcomes.  
4. Review and adjust the policies/practices of our organizations/institutions with an anti-racist lens.  

We pledge to maintain a focus on this work and continuously provide the community with information and opportunities to engage with us, in support of our students, families and staff of color, and on behalf of the entire JTHS community.  
 
Tracy Spesia, President 
Frank Edmon, Jr. Vice President 
Meg Cappel, Secretary 
Jim Allison 
Angel Contreras 
Matthew Kennedy 
Michelle Stiff