A poetry play about diversity, white privilege, and racism in the Riverhead School community

No child is safe — not black children, not Latino children, not white children — from the consequences of the bullying, name calling, and conflict created as you press us down with your steady hands.
-A Chorus of Riverhead Families cries out in this poetry theater performance

The video above is a live performance of “My Privilege”, a Poets Theater piece performed on September 12, 2023 at the BOOG City 17 Arts Festival. A three member troupe traveled from Long Island to Brooklyn to perform this piece.

“My Privilege” was written by Riverhead community activist Kimberly Wilder. This premier performance stars local actors Jim Navarre as “Wallis” and Alan Stewart as “Wallis’s True Heart.”

Kimberly Wilder is the parent of a student who resides in the Riverhead Central School District. Ms. Wilder coordinates a family business called Riverhead Area School Info/RASi which includes a circle of families trying to heal Riverhead schools.

The core of the piece is a found poem. “My Privilege” quotes and explores a speech made by a school leader at a school board meeting after a board member was convinced to resign. “Wallis” is the character who gives the speech. The board member — named “Lottie” in this piece — had made disparaging comments about Latinos to the press. In addition, the piece includes many direct quotes from “Tia”, the character name for a real life community activist who spoke out and spoke up at the meeting.

Unfortunately, the message about a diverse community in conflict and pain rings too true with current events. The Riverhead Central School District is in the news again. This time, it is about some Riverhead students who said the n-word and bullied younger children at a Riverhead School football game.

Local News story about racial slur incident: https://riverheadlocal.com/2023/09/15/racial-slur-hurled-at-young-children-by-teens-at-riverhead-football-game-cannot-be-tolerated-great-grandfather-demands-action-by-district/

It is our hope that this poetry piece and the work of our Riverhead RASi families, might help to heal these wounds and make sure that more incidents like this one do not continue to happen.

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No person’s rights, privileges, or access to public services may be diminished, compressed or denied simply because they are experiencing homelessness .

Suffolk County and the Town of Riverhead need to adopt a Homeless Bill of Rights. Just like our community understands the need to protect the rights of other vulnerable groups — such as children and seniors — we also need to pay attention to how people are treated when they are experiencing homelessness.

A group of concerned neighbors who are community organizers, workers at service organizations for unhoused people, and others who have recently awakened to problems encountered by unhoused people, have gathered together to appeal to community members and leaders to be more fair and helpful.

One of our first projects as a group has been to work on a draft document for what a “Homeless Bill of Rights” might look like for Suffolk County and our local towns.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome at this blog. In addition, we would be so pleased if you would start a dialogue with any of your public officials. Another way to help would be to discuss this topic with friends and colleagues you know whose work relates to unhoused people: Many of them may already be aware of this project. Some of them may want to join our committee.

You can also direct comments and words of support to our new and developing group: Long Island Legislative Committee in Support of our Unhoused Neighbors. Our email address (with letters that don’t quite match up) is: lilcsun.forunhousedneighbors@gmail.com

Homeless Bill of Rights:
(A vision for Long Island governments. A proposal to Suffolk County and The Town of Riverhead)

No person’s rights, privileges, or access to public services may be diminished, compressed or denied simply because they are experiencing homelessness . For purposes of this section, “person experiencing homelessness” means any person who does not have a fixed or regular residence and who may live on the street or outdoors, in a homeless shelter or another temporary residence. Such a person has the same rights and privileges as any other resident of this state, and can expect these rights to be protected and respected. A person experiencing homelessness: 

(1) Has the right to use and move freely in public spaces, including, but not limited to, public sidewalks, public parks, public transportation and public buildings, in the same manner as any other person, and without discrimination on the basis of their housing status and without intimidation or harassment from anyone, including law enforcement officers, in the same manner as other persons. Non-hostile approach to architectural plans and design that promotes inclusivity and accessibility for all shall be promoted to this end;

(2) Has the right to equal treatment by all state and municipal agencies as related, but not limited, access to housing, healthcare, childcare, education, and social services, without discrimination on the basis of housing status, and shall not be made to believe they cannot apply for programs based on housing status or denied reasonable accommodations that they would otherwise be eligible for; 

(3) Has the right not to face discrimination while seeking or maintaining employment due to their lack of permanent mailing address, or their mailing address being that of a shelter or social service provider; 

(4) Has the right to emergency medical care free from discrimination based on their housing status; 

(5) Has the right to vote, register to vote, and receive documentation necessary to prove identity for voting without discrimination due to their housing status; 

(6) Has the right to receive equal treatment by state and municipal agencies, including the right to protection from disclosure of their records and information provided to homeless shelters and service providers to state, municipal and private entities without appropriate legal authority; and the right to confidentiality of personal records and information in accordance with all limitations on disclosure established by the Federal Homeless Management Information Systems, the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Federal Violence Against Women Act; 

(7) Has the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy in their personal property, including tents, encampments, and any other dwellings free from unwarranted surveillance or intrusion to the same extent as personal property in a permanent residence, as well as the right to protection against the seizure or destruction of personal property, especially government documents and medication;

(7a) Has the right, by extension of item 7, to protection against encampment sweeps or forced relocation from dwelling site if alternate shelter is unavailable, or if the person experiencing homelessness is ineligible for placement in shelter as determined by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Martin v. City of Boise, 2019; Johnson v. City of Grants Pass, 2022);

(8) Has the right to access housing free from discrimination based on current housing status, to report and appeal housing discrimination including decisions related to shelter access. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has clarified that discrimination against individuals with no permanent address or those whose address is that of a shelter or social service provider may constitute violations of the Fair Housing Act. 

-Draft proposal, updated and accurate as of July 4, 2023

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Riverhead certainly holds some surprises. Our family was playing with another family at Stotzky Park yesterday, May 29th. Then, all of the sudden, several police vehicles appeared in the corners of the back parking lot. And, then there was a fire truck and a lot of excitement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3-okkdigIs

What we found out was that a helicopter was about to land. I took my little one and headed to a safe viewing area by a field where she would be fenced in. (I did not trust that her curiosity might not make her run towards the action and the blades of the helicopter.) Ironically, the helicopter needed to turn itself around…only a few feet from us…in the field we were fleeing to. It was quite the adventure.

When the helicopter touched down, we went very purposefully to the field and stood behind a big sports fence to watch.

I have some photos and short videos.

Gathering info from the people gathered and our friends who spoke to the emergency officials, we think that a baby was involved in a car crash nearby. And, the helicopter was taking the baby and the mom to the correct hospital.

We will try to put any updates here, if they appear in other, local media.

Thanks!

Kimberly Wilder

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Two overlapping stories:

The Launch of a New Project: RASi
https://riverheadrasi.wordpress.com/

Wilderside Ltd., Kimberly Wilder, and some local parents have launched a new project called: Riverhead Area School Info or RASi. This project will draw attention to the strengths and weaknesses of local public and private schools; support families who have chosen alternative education; and try to make everything better and happier for students in the Town of Riverhead and its surrounds. The beginnings of our website is at riverheadrasi.wordpress.com . Or, contact us at: RiverheadRasi@gmail.com (Or, contact Kimberly Wilder).

We will post more in the next few days about ideas for improving some of the Riverhead Central School District schools, especially Roanoke Avenue and Pulaski.

Discussion about what it means that NY State has labeled
some Riverhead schools as needing help

Three public schools in the Riverhead Central School District have been given designations by the New York State Education Department which mean that the schools are not doing well. The consequences are that the school must develop plans to improve fast; the school district will receive grants from the state; and…if the designation continues…could mean that students in those schools can choose to go to better performing schools in the district. (More on that in upcoming stories and research here and at the RASi website.)

RASi is disappointed with newspaper coverage of this story.

The Riverhead Local wrote a story about this situation — ie: New York State labeling three schools as “Improvement” schools. Yet, the Riverhead Local focused on that fact that the designation gave state aid to our district, and did little to explain that the designations reveal big problems. Nor, did the Riverhead Local explain that it could mean families might have the right to choose alternative schools if they are in the low performing schools.

The Riverhead News-Review also covered the story. The News-Review story explained the situation a little more clearly. They quoted a district official as saying, “We’re hoping that we make strides and we escape the notation that is here.” Though, The News-Review also failed to let parents know that the failures of the school district and the local schools may give parents rights about choosing alternative school choices.

It should also be noted that, as many people may feel “trapped” in a poorly performing school, there is already a kind of choice through the district. Riverhead Central School District students may attend the Riverhead Charter School free of charge. riverheadcharterschool.org (Though, there is a specific application process, some deadlines, and a lottery. You could check in with the Riverhead Charter School and/or follow research and updates from RASi.)

At the elementary level, where Riverhead Central School District has four different schools, parents have another possible option. Roanoke Avenue is designated a “Comprehensive Improvement School” that needs help. If your child goes there, you could write to the school board and ask them if your child can switch to a higher performing school. Depending on the state process and status right now, Riverhead Central School District might decide to say yes or be forced to say yes. It is a strategy for parents can try now.

Of course, parents can always choose options such as: Private School, Homeschool, or diving in to your local public school politics and/or the district politics to make waves and/or volunteer!

Background:

Riverhead Central School District
School which have been labeled as needing help

Roanoke Avenue Elementary School
Comprehensive Support and Improvement school

Riverhead Middle School
Comprehensive Support and Improvement school

Pulaski Street School (an intermediary school)
Targeted Support and Improvement school

Elementary School Ratings:

According to various school rating organizations, the elementary schools in Riverhead Central School District have various levels of success. The ratings do not match up perfectly. Though, the nonprofit Great Schools https://www.greatschools.org/ put the ratings at:

Aquebogue Elementary: 7 out 10 (10 being highest)

Riley Elementary: 5 out 10

Phillips Elementary: 2 out of 10

Roanoke Elementary: 1 out of 10

______________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your concern for our local schools, our local children, and your child’s school success!
More information and suggestion to come.

Please contact RASi to join the discussion (and don’t forget to share your hopes and dreams with teachers and administrators!

RiverheadRasi@gmail.com

Riverhead Area School Info / RASi is a project of Wilderside, Ltd.

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Pandemic Blues. What happens when a married couple is stuck together in a house for way too long? This poem premiered at Boog City 15.5 Arts Festival, 2022. Poets: Ian Wilder and Kimberly Wilder.

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