School Psychology Unified Antiracism Statement and Call to Action

Abstract

"Psychologists aspire to recognize and understand historical and contemporary experiences with power, privilege, and oppression. As such, they seek to address institutional barriers and related inequities, disproportionalities, and disparities of law enforcement, administration of criminal justice, educational, mental health, and other systems as they seek to promote justice, human rights, and access to quality and equitable mental and behavioral health services" (APA Multicultural Guidelines) We recognize, are outraged by, and mourn the deaths of, and countless other victims of police brutality and racist violence. We recognize that current protests are a response to long-standing systemic injustices that target and disproportionately impact the Black community. These injustices include mass incarceration, inadequate access to quality health care and educational resources, and inequitable access to stable sources of food, safe and affordable housing, and gainful employment. As school psychologists, we have an ethical responsibility to engage in social justice and anti-racist action. School psychology organizations and graduate education programs play an important role in shaping future generations of school psychologists to lead the mental health, educational and research, and advocacy initiatives that promote equity for school personnel, students, families and communities they serve. This is only possible if our field acknowledges, evaluates, and works to reconstruct existing systems, structures, and policies that lead to inequitable outcomes for some groups and not others. "How can the school psychology community serve the diverse society in which we live without explicit and intentional education and growth in this area?" To help answer this question, APA Division 16, Trainers of School Psychologists, Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs, Society for the Study of School Psychology, the American Board of School Psychology, and the National Association of School Psychologists have come together to reaffirm our commitment to ensure current and future school psychologists are empowered to be anti-racist agents of change. A DECLARATION OF UNDERSTANDING How can we, as school psychologists, respond to the horrific displays of racism in recent days and weeks, specifically the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd? • Acknowledge the need for action and healing. …. we are disheartened by the loss of more Black lives at the hands of the police. • Acknowledge that these murders are grounded in our country's 400+ year history of systemic racism, oppression, and over policing of Black individuals and persons of color. • Recognize that colleagues of color have been put in the unfair position of having to shoulder and take on the undue burden of work related to racism, inequities, bias, and bigotry and this can no longer continue. • Recognize direct traumatic stress that many of us experience daily and in response to the death of George Floyd and others.