Statement from our CEO

June 22, 2020

The past months of the COVID-19 public health crisis have laid bare for us all to see the serious racial disparities in our economic and our health care systems. To this, now add the murder of Ahmaud Aubrey and the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks–along with countless others. These events have forced a broader awareness of the reality of Black lives in America.

Awareness and empathy matter. But they do not replace action.

For us at Agile Mind, this is a propitious moment for action more than words. Over almost two decades, our organization has worked to achieve equity and high achievement in mathematics and science in our nation’s middle and high schools – particularly for students historically underserved, who are disproportionately Black and Latino. Systemic racism is a persistent obstacle to our vision and that of many educators: of an educational experience that ensures every child can access critical concepts, embrace challenging work, persist through difficulty, and succeed in school and beyond. The cost of failure in our schools is high, as it disproportionately impacts the hopes, aspirations, and future life choices of students of color.

We recognize that we are privileged to do this work and to do it at this time. Can we do more? Given the facts, we must, if our dream of education as a wellspring of democracy is to be real.

In the weeks, months, and years ahead, we will intensify our efforts, examine again and differently, with those we serve and with critical friends, what it means to effectively put equity at the center in education. We will be transparent about our progress, and we invite suggestions to help us better achieve our equity mission. Black Lives Matter, and we commit to the short-term and the long-term work, as individuals and as an organization to create a more equitable and just world.

Linda Chaput
CEO
Agile Mind