FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Foothill High School and
East Career & Technical Academy Faculty and
Administrators Participate in
Building School Culture that is No Place for Hate®,
Grant Funded by The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (April 29, 2021) – In response to hate-motivated behavior at Foothill High School in Henderson and East Career & Technical Academy in Las Vegas, the Anti-Defamation League has four professional learning sessions at each school to address and educate the school’s communities on school culture and No Place for Hate.
The customized program was modeled on the “Building School Culture that is No Place for Hate®” framework, which, since 1985, has helped schools confront racism and ultimately build understanding of the value and benefit of diversity. Last year, over 1.4 million students supported by 100,000+ educators learned how to take action against bias and bullying across more than 1,600 schools. Locally, funding for the program is made possible by a grant from The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
“There must be a multipronged approached in combatting hate-motivated behavior,” said Jolie Brislin, Regional Director of ADL. “It was vital for Clark County School District (CCSD) to step up to the plate to try to create positive change at these schools. And from here, change will not happen overnight. There must be an ongoing conversation, encompassing the entire school community and beyond, to ultimately shape a positive culture. From staff to parents to students, we want to go from having bystanders to allies.”
“We are pleased that CCSD reached out to us to facilitate training for Foothill and ECTA, and continually finds value and responds positively to ADL programming,” said Brislin. “For more than 30 years, we’ve responded to situations just like this throughout the United States. We always look forward to working with the District to expand the programming to additional schools within CCSD.”
“I am thankful to the ADL staff for our continued partnership and commitment to our students,” said Clark County School District Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara. “There is no place for hate in our schools and the ADL is recognized as national leaders in working to create inclusive and safe environments as we continue to work to ensure our campuses are safe spaces.”
ADL’s four-part program begins with professional learning for school administration, teachers and support staff, designed to help them recognize biases. As part of the professional learning sessions, the full staff participates in several group and individual activities to explore why hate-motivated behavior events happen and what may be done to mitigate these instances in the future. By the end of the professional learning sessions, attendees are equipped with proactive tools and knowledge needed to know what to look out for and how to engage with students in conversations around hate-motivated behavior.
“We are certainly pleased that CCSD reached out to us to facilitate training for Foothill and ECTA, and continually finds value and responds positively to ADL programming,” said Brislin. “For more than 30 years, we’ve responded to situations just like this throughout the United States. We always look forward to working with the District to expand the programming to additional schools within its system.”
About ADL
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization that was founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry. Today, ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur and continues to fight all forms of hate. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. For more information, visit www.adl.org.
Media Contacts
For ADL –
Jolie Brislin / 702.862.8600 / jbrislin@adl.org