SBUnified
By Santa Barbara Unified School District
Santa Barbara Unified is partnering with The Healing Space as part of its efforts to provide psychological services for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Communities.
The services provided to SB Unified students include being present in the schools between four to fifteen hours per week, with at least four hours of those hours carved out for individual and/or group counseling rooted in race-based stress and wellness. The assistance includes support with IEPs, counseling with GenEd students, and responding to referrals that involve racialized bullying.
The Healing Spaces is a therapy training clinic under the UCSB Counseling, Clinical & School Psychology Department supporting community-led efforts that center wellness for the Black Community.
“The type of support offered by The Healing Space is a much-needed service. It has become clear that we need to transform how we support students who have been historically marginalized. We are proud to partner with the UCSB Healing Space team, and we look forward to working with them,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent.
The organization’s efforts focus on combating anti-Black racism, colorism, and other experiences of social oppression.
“We are excited to begin a long-term collaborative relationship with SB Unified in the prevention and treatment of race-based stress among Black youth and their families. We thank our community partners at Healing Justice Santa Barbara for advocating to get our clinic more involved in SBUSD. Our team is well prepared to help with direct counseling as well as system-wide efforts that prevent anti-Black racism so that youth can be fully seen and affirmed in school,” said Dr. Alison Cerezo, director of UCSB’s Healing Space.
The organization aims to train from Afrocentered and racial trauma therapy approaches and host guest speakers and workshops for students and community members.
I’d much prefer we spend our limited resources on academic support. Or maybe let the parents of SED/HUR kids decide. I doubt they would choose this.
Roger that.
Maldonado puts more lipstick on the pig. This is so political. Even the Teachers Union has no confidence.
This is great for U C S B training program, these are not professionals not s win win. Focus on academics the rest wil follow! This promoted bias.
This comments section is another reminder that the GOP only pretends to care about minorities in an election year.
@Transparent – Parents and community members are fully capable of criticizing the district’s ability to improve testing scores without making discriminatory comments. These same people are not attacking music or sports programs, but they are attacking programs aimed at inclusivity and diversity. That’s not a coincidence, hence posters calling out racism.
TRANSPARENT – why do you disagree this will be efficient? Looks like a great program for kids who need it and is provided by a good group. What’s wrong with it? Curious to hear your take on it.
You’re essentially saying that anyone disagrees with the likely efficacy of this program is a racist. I think that’s poor logic, poor manners, and poor advocacy.
I’ve dedicated my life to helping kids in and around these schools… call me what you will though. Words are cheap, whether from online comment forums or district PR initiatives.
CHILLIN – also a grim reminder of just how many people are OK with racism. Saying it’s a “waste” or not a problem or in other ways dismissing the importance of addressing racial problems, are basically saying, “I know there’s racism, but I don’t think it’s a problem.”
It’s simply put a waste of money that’s diluting every single kids’ education in the District. No other way to say it.
I bet the kids who need this won’t be calling it a “waste.” Sorry your white kids aren’t getting even more privileges.
Plus… how much money do you do you think they’re “diluting” from education for all? Did you bother to research the group that is doing this?
https://www.independent.com/2022/02/23/santa-barbara-junior-high-student-allegedly-called-racial-slurs-assaulted-by-other-students/
https://www.independent.com/2021/12/16/black-santa-ynez-head-coach-plans-to-resign-after-harassment-from-parents/
Racists always have excuses.
Check back in a few years and ask parents of kids who haven’t learned to read, write, or do math well enough to manage in today’s society upon high school graduation and ask them what’s most important. All too easy for a couple people here to to call out ‘racist’ everyday when they aren’t agreed with.
BASIC – People call you racist because you are aware of racism and nevertheless think it’s a “waste” to try to combat it. I don’t consider you a klan member or anything that level, but you are definitely OK with the status quo and see no need to even consider the needs of those who are born differently. You’ve got a pretty solid track record of that.
Basic, you aren’t called “racist” because someone disagrees with you. You are called “racist” because you said something racist.
BASIC – will this program cause kids to not be able to “read, write, or do math well enough to manage in today’s society?”
There’s only so much time in the day for kids to learn, and the district is doing a poor job at teaching. Nothing I’ve ever said is racist – throw another lie out fool.
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/11/28/649537891/when-the-white-tears-just-keep-coming
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pov-racism-white-fragility-1.5619647
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/dear-fellow-white-people-heres-what-to-do-when-youre-called-racist/2019/08/20/6e31941a-beda-11e9-b873-63ace636af08_story.html
Basic, you need to get hip with the current lingo and definitions. Anything that contradicts ‘the narrative’ is racist you right wing extremist bigot.