Letter from Administration
December 10, 2024
Dear Belvedere Family:
We have recently found a racist slur written in a stall in the boys’ bathroom across from the library.
We want to be clear that FCPS does not tolerate this kind of behavior in our schools. It is unacceptable that any student at Belvedere feels that this is appropriate behavior. This is not the kind of school community we seek to cultivate. We have made a commitment in FCPS that any time these situations arise, we will share them with our school community to send a clear message that we denounce these actions.
Every student in FCPS has the right to feel safe and affirmed in our schools. Words matter, no matter the context, no matter the situation. In partnership with the Chief Equity Office, we will continue to work within our school community to have dialogues about dignity, humanization and belonging. I ask you to engage in these same conversations at home.
Below are two resources that can also help guide your conversations at home:
Our students can make a difference in this world by learning to embrace and value our differences instead of using them to divide us.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to a member of the Belvedere administrative team directly. We would like to hear your ideas about making Belvedere a more welcoming and culturally responsive environment for all.
Sincerely,
Cecilia Vanderhye, Principal
Kelly Cabezas, Assistant Principal
Tara Boone, Assistant Principal
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