Hi Parents,
It’s come to our attention that some students in our class are being excluded because of their country of origin and misconceptions about the corona virus. Mr. Hagen and Ms. Kate, our counselor, had a class meeting this morning with students to separate misconceptions from facts. Our main messages were:
- Just because someone is Chinese does not mean he/she is sick or can make you sick
- Choosing not to play with someone because they are from a certain country is exclusion and not kind
- If you are worried or have questions, you should ask an adult
Understandably, our class had many many questions and comments. We kept the discussion brief and focused on the idea that visiting China or being from China does not mean someone is sick or can make someone else sick.
While media coverage of the corona virus is constant and intense, it’s important for us to foster an inclusive and emotionally safe environment for all of our students. Thanks so much for your help with this.
Mr. H and Ms. E
