On Sunday, December 6, 2009, Unitarian Universalist Society: East will offer two stimulating opportunities to examine our commitment to building educational equity for all children while dismantling institutional racism. At 12:30PM* we will welcome to our pulpit Elizabeth Horton Sheff, whose son Milo was the lead plaintiff in the Sheff v O'Neil lawsuit to address racial isolation in the Hartford public schools. Elizabeth’s passion has not been dimmed by the two decades of struggle and litigation that she and the rest of the Sheff team have undertaken on behalf of the region's children.

Immediately following the service (1:45-3:00PM), we will have a forum* on the issue of Reducing Racial Isolation in the Public Schools. Ms. Sheff and others will share the good news: The Hartford area has been developing a robust system of magnet school and school choice programs, the envy of many other regions in the nation. There is evidence that this voluntary two-way system of school desegregation has a very positive effect on children and families. Then there's the bad news: Schools in America overall are MORE segregated than before Brown v Board of Education; 40% of our region's students of color attend high-poverty, low-achieving, racially segregated schools; Connecticut has the nation's largest achievement gap (the spread between achievement test scores of white and minority students.)

Sponsored by the Social Justice Committee, the forum will include a light lunch and childcare. Please call Annie Gentile in the UUS:East office at 860-646-5151 by December 1, 2009 to reserve childcare. Older children with an interest in the program are welcome and encouraged to attend the forum.

*Please note: The 12:30PM service and forum immediately following (1:45PM) will be held at Center Congregational Church, 11 Center Street, Manchester, CT while building expansion continues at the Unitarian Universalist Society: East Meetinghouse.

Updated: December 3, 2009