Students walk out of Brashear High School advocating for more diverse teachers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Dozens of Brashear High School students walked out of class Thursday morning.
They were protesting a lack of diversity and resources to help students, especially in light of the mass shooting at a North Side house party many Pittsburgh Public students attended. The students called for an updated curriculum, a more diverse staff and better access to mental health resources.
The students walked out before 10 a.m. and headed to the Beechview Spray Park.
"Everybody needs someone to talk to. Not everybody has someone at home they can go back and talk to. Some people don't have parents," said tenth grader Dashaun Bane.
For a school that has high populations of students of color, students feel it's not reflected in the staff, and at least one teacher of color is set to retire.
"Students need to see leaders that look like them. We are one of the most diverse schools in Pennsylvania, we're actually number 30, and we have a majority of Black students, and we do not have diverse teachers at all," said junior Monica Bynum.
For the change in curriculum, students want to see Pittsburgh Public find creative ways to reach students, and bring more real-world education as opposed to teaching to a test.
"We want to see lessons that will engage students. We want lessons that we can apply to our everyday lives," Bynum said.
In a statement the district said, "The leadership in our district shares these same concerns and is committed to elevating student voice. We welcome student organizers to work with school leadership to coordinate an event where students can share their concerns with leadership in a safe space."
They add the district will have a summit for students to tackle issues across the district next month.
"The people who are making the decisions at the table should be present to hear the issues and listen," said school board member Devon Taliaferro.
She promised to listen to the students' requests and advocate for them.
"If they hear that us students don't like how we're being taught or how our environment is in the school, then they should listen," Bynum said.
The district hopes these students will help to be part of the solutions.
