A Courageous Call For Equity

Recently we learned the story of a Milwaukee-area family who had sincere concerns about the environment their children were being exposed to at their school. Their expectations for a supportive and inclusive learning environment were not being met. They raised those concerns and offered to engage the institution and help build and promote a better environment. However, that didn’t happen.

It did not matter that the parents intentionally sought out the very best for their children and came to the exclusive school because of a reputation for academic excellence in the region. It didn’t matter that the children’s father is a professional with a long track record in youth instruction, an Ivy League graduate, and a high school valedictorian. And it certainly didn’t seem to matter that the parents’ lived-experience as a bi-racial family provided a crucial depth on the topic.

Although the Robinson family’s story has garnered a significant amount of attention – this story is unfortunately far too common in our society, at schools, in the workplace, in the business world.

Organizations espouse an inclusive environment, until that environment is challenged to improve. Groups speak to promoting equity, despite never defining the metrics by which that will be achieved. They preach transparency, unless it means examining their own practices and policies.

As an organization that serves nearly 1,000,000 people, Milwaukee County has a vision to achieve racial equity. We know that if we do, we will become the healthiest county in all of Wisconsin. On the journey to accomplish that goal, we have spent the last two years implementing a strategic plan to address the structural factors that allow racial disparities to exist, and that plan has been applied to policies and practices that have historically prioritized who gets what resources.

Change, in our communities, in our schools, in government and in business, requires vision and action. I applaud the Robinson family for taking the action needed to make a change for the better, for their children and for millions more across America.

David Crowley is the Milwaukee County Executive