What the hell is SEED?

For the past several years at about this time, CA parents start to hear about SEED.  It's strange, though, because although I could maybe tell you where and when the meeting is, I could not even come close to describing what goes down at a SEED meeting and why there might be any need for me to attend.  

Not knowing if this was just my own personal cluelessness, I decided to take an informal poll and ask some other parents what they knew about SEED.  Answers varied from, "Something diversity related" to "I think it's a book club" to "No freakin' idea."  Right-o.  

Not wanting all of us to suffer in ignorance, the PACA bloggers thought it might be helpful for more of us to understand what this program is all about. So without further ado, here is a primer for SEED:

1. SEED stands for Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity and is a national curriculum that has been embraced by many institutions of learning as a path to inclusiveness for students, parents, administration and faculty.  That's a mouthful.  

2. If you would rather be home watching Honey Boo Boo, this might not be your cup of tea.  SEED goes deep to help us as parents learn how to first recognize and then work against stereotypes, prejudices and oppression. These meetings will not always be "comfortable"; SEED seminars are designed for introspection and listening, and hopefully, will provide a transformative experience that refocuses how we see others.  

3. What happens in SEED stays in SEED.  Because of the sensitive nature of these discussions, this isn't a drop-in type gathering.  SEED needs to be a safe place for everyone involved (no, I was not a 12-Step counselor in a past life).  If you are interested at all, come for the first meeting....which happens to be this week on 9/11.  A note: the morning group is already full but there is plenty o' room in the evening session from 6-830pm in the Huntington Room.  And you get dinner.  

An additional note:  I have just heard that due to the popularity of the morning session, an afternoon (1-3pm) SEED group will begin in October.  Check back in on the blog and we'll get you more specifics as they develop.  

4. It can involve some heavy reading, although no one is going to bust you if you don't get through all the chapters.  But, the reading helps to facilitate the discussion, so be forewarned.  

5.  This is not the activity for everyone, but it is a great opportunity to develop some real, meaningful relationships with other parents.  

6.  It was not that long ago that CA was a completely homogenous school community; in recent years, the school has made a strong commitment to diversity, which is a very good thing.  Today we exist in a world that is a rich pastiche of languages, cultures and orientations; quite simply, we need our children to be able to navigate this world with social responsibility and empathy.  And as parents, we need to help them do this by setting the example.  

So that's it in a nutshell.  Have more questions about SEED?  Feel free to be in touch on the blog or you can contact Joyce Simson,  facilitator and '08 CA parent, directly.