Stop 🛑 Racism in SBCSC
- Tiana Batiste-Waddell
- 24 hours ago
- 3 min read
I MATTER, YOU MATTER, WE MATTER
When will SBCSC REALIZE their responsibility as an institution in America to DO BETTER by ALL of its customers?
They fail to address past systemic issues, present systemic issues, and now have the potential to create new systemic issues...with their INACTION.
It was the night before the 1st day of school (8-19-25), I just so happened to be at a local establishment, where I 1st hand account heard, a SBCSC employee express her true feelings about the students and the families she serves, that were scheduled to return back to school the next morning.
Her judgement disregarded the children and families humanity and right to privacy.
Honestly, her judgement about the children and the family wasn’t new to me, because I constantly combated these types of racial and cultural narratives from educators in SBCSC during the years 2011 through 2022 as a school principal in the district.
My puzzlement was…”damn..it’s 2025 and it’s still happening, this creation of false narratives about Black, Brown, and Poor students.”
She simply couldn’t see herself and her responsibility, but instead felt pleasure in blaming others….Black and brown students and their families from Marquette Montessori School.
For some reason, many educators focus on the 10% they can’t control, instead of the 90% they can.
$10 v $90 which sounds better? But for some reason, they take $10. Gas money…
The paraprofessional, who repped SBCSC and Marquette Montessori, announced her plan to not be fully present on the 1st day of school because of her personal choice to go in slightly intoxicated from the night before.
She blamed parents, the pay rate in SBCSC, and the children…she said things like, “do you know how many resources these people have made to them?”… never pointing the fingers at herself for the choices SHE was making that could have a negative impact on children she serves.
She talked about a 20-year vet teacher, Huff? that decided to leave Marquette Montessori for better experience and pay because something is “wrong here.”
There were many dog whistles used by the SBCSC employee. Coded unconscious language used by the employee. She and many others NEED training now if they teach our children.
Shame on the biases and low expectations she holds for children that look like mine and others and that hadn't even walked through her doors yet.
When will the racial discrimination end in South Bend Schools?....
When will educators truly understand the systemic and institutionalized oppression that faces them and their students everyday?
Do you want this for another 100 years?
Racial Discrimination Timeline:
1980- Federal Consent Decree put in place to dismantle the oppression that black children were experiencing
2000- Thoughtbridge Report continues to report racism as an epidemic in the district (Copy upon request)
2011- 2nd Thoughtbridge Report conducted and confirms continued racial discriminatory practices taking place in the corporation https://drive.google.com/.../1hBiKqAVUXYhbvIuu.../view...
2021- U.S. Department of Justice writes a letter to SBCSC stating that racial discrimination persists in the district. https://drive.google.com/.../1bY1bbBT3.../view...
2021- Equity Statement drafted and envisioned but never followed by the employees in the corporation https://drive.google.com/.../1yefPM5wLLlMtNapiUXw.../view...
2024- Another Code of Conduct Training held that failed and did not impact the trajectory of racial discrimination in SBCSC
2025- Continued Complacency on Racist Issues in SBCSC with continued Dog Whistlers enabling the oppression.
8-19-2025- By happenstance, Tiana experiences SBCSC Employee rant about the 1st day of school at a local establishment
How will the Powers that Be address racial discrimination in the SBCSC?
Complacency will always be our demise
Major Challenges based on data from Thoughtbridge Report:
- the inability to educate all children well, specifically poor children and children of color (Black Children)
- a widening achievement gap between white middle class students, poor students and African American and Hispanic students, and
- a cultural proficiency gap between students and teachers, administrators and staff.
Whose going to get it right? Children are facing harmful institutional practices by adults within the system and externally.
No more RACIAL DISCRIMINATION!
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