Honesty in Education
FPS Philosophy: Fargo Public Schools stands steadfast in its commitment to foster an inclusive, culturally relevant and responsive educational environment where each person is treated with dignity and respect.
FPS Philosophy: Fargo Public Schools stands behind its curricular materials, which meet the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction standards. Therefore, Fargo Public Schools:
- Stands by the right of our students to learn – and our expert educators to teach – an inclusive curriculum that covers our country’s whole history and encourages students to think critically and develop their own views and voice about current events;
- Supports culturally relevant and responsive education that centers students’ diverse history, cultures, families, and communities, thereby allowing students to see themselves reflected in the classroom, have strong relationships with their educators, and understand the world in which they live;
- Supports the study of social, political, economic, and historical perspectives of our nation’s diverse racial and ethnic groups, which helps foster cross-cultural understanding among all students, and aids students in valuing their own cultural identity while appreciating the differences around them;
- In partnership with educators, students, and the community, reviews the District’s curriculum in order to ensure it reflects a true history of this nation and the world we live in, and works to dismantle systemic racism and racial inequality in our schools; and,
- Provides more opportunities to implement content in all schools that reflect minority groups or marginalized people.
FPS Philosophy: Fargo Public Schools teaches District curricula and North Dakota State academic standards in a historically accurate way that represents the full scope of this country’s history and present reality, and that the District further:
- Supports and defends educators’ use of teaching materials that incorporate diverse perspectives and that represent and acknowledge the experiences of all students;
- Ensures that individual educators who teach North Dakota academic standards are not punished for teaching accurate information;
- Honors the training, expertise and professional judgment of its educators and respects pedagogical approaches that engage students around difficult questions in an inclusive, critical, and age-appropriate way; and,
- Puts in place practices that will lead to a more diverse workforce, consistent with the District’s commitment to a diverse faculty and staff that reflects the demographics of the community, country, and world, and thereby provides significant value to students of color, White students, and all in our community.
FPS Philosophy: Fargo Public Schools commits to educational justice, and the District further:
- Rejects the idea that educational justice and educational equity are zero-sum propositions in which some students lose opportunities to help other students succeed, and instead, works to provide all students with an excellent education;
- Ensures safe, welcoming, and effective schools, in which each student — regardless of their race, gender, language, country of origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, dis/ability, or family’s income — has a chance at academic success;
- Ensures learning environments are free from discrimination, harassment, and identity-based bullying, consistent with Fargo Public Schools Administrative Policies AP 6061 and AP 6060.
- Supports, reviews, and revises the District’s policies, programs, educational materials, teaching approaches, and resources to ensure educational justice;
- Reviews and address the evidence of bias in the District’s discipline outcomes;
- Works to meet students where they are - academically, emotionally, and physically – and implements trauma-informed disciplinary practices in schools.
Supporting Statement: Fargo Public Schools supports and respects educators as trained professionals and is committed to ensuring that all students can succeed regardless of their ZIP Code, color, or background.
Supporting Statement: Fargo Public Schools supports education that values honesty about who we are; integrity in how we treat others; and courage to do what’s right by listening to, learning from, and respecting diverse viewpoints.
Supporting Statement: Fargo Public Schools values our educators, who through pedagogically sound and appropriate curricula and teaching standards help students understand our collective past, spark curiosity and critical thinking and prepare all students for our multicultural present and future.
Supporting Statement: The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction outlines curriculum and teaching standards that deliver high-quality curricula and teach the full sweep of U.S. History and equip teachers and students to develop their understanding of the world and their ability to make meaningful change in it.
Supporting Statement: Many communities across the country have faced misguided attacks on the instruction occurring in schools when they are simply teaching the full truth of our country’s history in accordance with district and state curriculum standards through research-tested pedagogical approaches.
Supporting Statement: Studies show that students enrolled in Black and ethnic studies courses that include the experiences and narratives of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQIA2S+ people, honor their cultural assets, and provide students with tools to critique inequality, develop strong relationships with teachers and gain benefits in terms of school engagement and persistence in academic attainment.
Supporting Statement: A diverse faculty and staff reflective of the demographics of the community, country, and world, provides significant value to BIPOC students, white students, educators, school staff, and administrators.
Supporting Statement: Continuing professional development and guidance for educators that is culturally responsive, anti-bias, anti-racist and includes historically excluded perspectives enables educators to foster safe school spaces and promotes academic attainment for students.
Supporting Statements: Fargo Public Schools will pursue educational justice, by building a shared understanding of U.S. history and actively engaging students, educators, and families thereby ensuring all students are educated and empowered to succeed.