WeROC Letter to YCS Supt. Edmondson and Board of Education

February 19, 2018

Dear Ypsilanti Community Schools Superintendent Edmondson and Board of Education Members:

We as clergy, leaders, and members of WeROC congregations and organizations and our WeROC Education Action Team are, as we expect each of you are, deeply disturbed by the vile racist and violent email that someone recently sent to YCS students.  We know that a community that stands together in unity against the perceived divisions that others seek to create and widen among us becomes less hospitable to the actions people like the perpetrator(s) of this distressing incident.

We continue to be committed to building that unity and solidarity in the school community and more broadly, including ongoing work with you on interrelated issues like reducing the damage of unnecessary suspensions and expulsions and expanding our students’ access to early and quality mental health resources.  We will monitor actions taken by the YCS administration and Board as you work with law enforcement agencies and others toward appropriate, effective, and permanent responses to this and other incidents.

Signed, to date, by the following (affiliations for identification only):

Pastor Jeff Harrold, New Beginnings Community Church of Washtenaw County and Chair, WeROC Education Action Team
Anne Brown, WeROC Ed Action Team
Rita Paye,  WeROC Ed Action Team
Peri Stone-Palmquist, Student Advocacy Center
Lois Richardson, WeROC
Carissa Collins Watson, WeROC
Jim Anderson, Strong Tower Ministries
Rev. Christine Thompson, Interim pastor, Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Ypsilanti)
Sheryl Kelly, Reach Church
Charlotte Tillerson, President YCEA
Pastor Keith Geiselman, Ypsilanti First Presbyterian Church
Nancy Heine, AFSCME/Washtenaw County
Martha Kransdorf, Beth Israel Congregation
Cindy Bodewes, Church of the Good Shepherd UCC
Valerie Przywara, WeROC
Erica Mooney, REDY
Tad Wysor, WeROC, First Congregational UCC Ypsilant