When anti-DEI sentiment and book-banning are prevalent in other parts of the country, it is time for Berkeley to take the lead again in progressive policymaking — this time by pursuing educational reparations in the Berkeley Unified School District.
The concept of reparations is not new; it’s a recognized means to address past injustices, as with Japanese American incarceration camp survivors, Holocaust survivors and others. Moreover, the need for educational reparations in BUSD is clear. Despite its storied history of progressive action — being the first sizable district in the country to desegregate voluntarily — the legacy of slavery in America continues to influence educational outcomes today in BUSD, as seen in disparities affecting African American students (most likely the descendants of enslaved people in the U.S.). These disparities include differences in discipline, special education placement, graduation and dropout rates, enrichment program participation and college or career readiness.
In March 2023, BUSD established the Reparations Task Force to provide recommendations to the school board on what types of reparations the district should consider and how to fund and implement them. The task force is composed of a racially diverse group of BUSD students, caregivers, staff and community members, with a majority of the members being descendants of individuals enslaved in the U.S.
Since its inception, the task force has been hard at work: meeting monthly, researching other examples of reparations, consulting with experts and engaging with the community. In the fall, the task force held several community engagement and education events, including one led by Kamilah Moore, chair of the California Reparations Task Force.
In January, the task force distributed a community engagement survey in English and Spanish to solicit input on the types of reparations it should recommend. The community’s engagement was exceptionally high, with more than 2,200 responses — significantly in excess of the average response rate for other BUSD surveys.
Almost all survey respondents were familiar with the concept of reparations (92% were “very familiar” or “somewhat familiar” with the concept of reparations) and respondents overwhelmingly supported reparations (78% “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” with the statement “American society owes a debt to the descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. for the impacts of chattel slavery and its legacy, including segregation and discrimination”). There was also substantial support for the following specific types of reparations:
- 85% in support of financial payments to students for educational purposes,
- 69% in support of adopting additional curricula about the history and legacy of chattel slavery in the U.S., and
- 63% in support of creating a harm report documenting the harms that BUSD has caused from segregation, discriminatory policies and other legacies of chattel slavery
The survey also showed robust support for many of the program improvements that BUSD has undertaken in support of students who are descendant students: improving college readiness or career preparation; improving access to enrichment programs; helping students and their families feel more welcome and connected at school; and promoting fair and equitable discipline practices.
Fundamentally, these findings reflect a community poised to support educational reparations as one means to respond to the enduring effects of American chattel slavery in BUSD.
The task force will present the survey results at a community engagement event at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 25, in the BUSD board room, 1231 Addison Street. All are invited and welcome to participate in this historic step forward. No registration is required, and we will provide Spanish translation and light refreshments.
John Moore III, “Chip,” is co-chair of the BUSD Reparations Task Force and the parent of two BUSD students. Erika Weissinger, Ph.D., is a UC Berkeley assistant professor of practice, a BUSD Reparations Task Force member and a BUSD parent and caregiver.
