Middlesex School

Every year the school features a "Racial Equity Project" performance during a September orientation for new faculty and staff. Under "guidance from professional theater artists and DEI practitioners, a group of selected student leaders collaborate with each other during the summer to devise their own scenes to address DEI issues that students commonly experience" at Middlesex.  

The school utilizes students to serve as "senior Equity and Inclusion Officers." Starting in the fall, "these leaders begin facilitating DEI programs during senior leadership training and new student orientation" and "throughout the year, they help with creating DEI programs" and other responsibilities.

The school commits to "[enhancing]" DEI opportunities for students, faculty, and staff so we are better equipped to manage difficult conversations and understand our own biases."

According to the 2024-2025 Handbook, New Student Orientation includes "a module focusing on diversity, inclusion and acceptance."

Anti-bias training with the Anti-Defamation League was offered for faculty and staff.

On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "continue our traditional and ongoing curriculum review and work with department heads and faculty to ensure that a broad range of voices and perspectives are represented in our academic program.”

In addition to conducting a school-wide curricular review for DEI, Middlesex announced on June 11, 2020 that the English Department will carry out professional development workshops for DEI and "continue to deepen our English curriculum by diminishing Eurocentrism and bringing forward stories and voices of persons of color."

The school's administrative team revised "the school schedule to create space for enhanced community programming and academic work on social justice and citizenship topics" according to a statement released June 11, 2020.

Similar to other departments, the English Department is working towards "decolonizing our curriculum and creating deliberate spaces in our classrooms to foster and encourage inclusive, anti-racist dialogue."

On June 8, 2020, Middlesex released a statement on Facebook saying, "Middlesex is united in stating that Black Lives Matter. Our faculty is committed to advancing our anti-racist pedagogy, and we are reading and discussing the above texts that have been ordered from OneKin.co, a website co-founded by alumna Jennifer Gomez ‘04." This post was also featured on its Instagram account.

According to the school's "Ongoing Work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion," it has "refined" the required "'Unraveling Racism' module for juniors in U.S History courses." It also states it has "diversified required texts" for freshman and sophomore English courses.

On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "continue our review of the discipline process at Middlesex to ensure that all students are treated equally.”

As of March 2025, the school's DEI commitments include the promise to "[c]ontinue our review of the discipline process at Middlesex to ensure that all students are treated equally."

The 2024-2025 Handbook has a policy on "Bias-Related Incidents," which includes an "Anti-Racism & Inclusivity Statement." The policy states, "Bias-related incidents are those involving language and/or behavior which demonstrate bias against persons because of their actual or perceived color, disability, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, and/or sexual orientation." The policy does not give an example of what qualifies as a bias incident.

On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "invest in more professional development in DEI for both faculty and staff.”

On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "enhance our faculty evaluation process to incorporate cultural competency as a measure for reflection, feedback, and improvement.”

Middlesex announced on June 11, 2020, "Members of our faculty and staff have organized a summer reading initiative centered on nine anti-racist texts." Students will be invited to join.

DEI training is required "for all new trustees as part of their Board orientation."

The Board of Trustees commits to "[receiving] consistent professional development in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion."

Regarding its ongoing DEI work, Middlesex states that it has "[held] regular required DEIJ training with Liza Talusan for faculty and staff."

Middlesex announced, "As Black History Month began, and Middlesex students and faculty continued exploring how racism pervades everyday practices and policies, the community turned its attention to the country’s political system, taking a closer look at democracy and race through a virtual visit with Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. on February 6, 2021."

DEI is integrated "Throughout the Middlesex Experience." The school states, "Throughout the course of the year, there is robust and meaningful curricular and co-curricular programming in DEI." It clarifies, that the "initiatives contained within the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are not add-ons to the Middlesex community, but instead they are integral aspects of the school community."

On October 15, 2021, Middlesex's Board of Trustees announced it will "provide the School with the resources required to establish additional positions that will work with our Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in support of students and employees in equity and inclusion."

On June 11, 2020, Middlesex announced, "The Middlesex Alumni Association is launching a Black Alumni Affinity Group and working to establish ties to current Middlesex affinity groups like MX Fam."

Middlesex hosts numerous events and programs for students on anti-racism and DEI.

The school had "an original theatre production" called the "Racial Equity Project" (or REP). The school said, "At the conclusion of every performance, audience members were asked to think about and then type in (using the 'chat' function) an action they intend to take to combat racism, completing the phrase, 'I will….' With the responses collected in Zoom, the community can revisit these plans and pledges in future discussions as Middlesex continues to work toward becoming a truly inclusive and equitable school for all students."

A member of the Middlesex leadership decided to cancel Nikole Hannah-Jones' invitation to speak at Middlesex for a talk on racism. Student protests ensued, and on October 21, 2021, which prompted a statement from the school stating "Our recent decision to cancel an invitation to Professor Nikole Hannah-Jones was profoundly wrong....These decisions and actions did not comport with the collective agreement, as a Board, regarding our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion." It concluded, "We will work to heal our community and endeavor to become an example of how communities can recover from such a difficult and painful incident."

On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "support affinity groups that foster opportunities for connection and conversation with the School.”

On August 24, 2020, Middlesex announced the formation of the Trustees DEI Committee.

On August 24, 2020, Middlesex announced that it has appointed Erika Prahl as the new Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

On August 24, 2020, Middlesex announced that "the school is hiring an independent DEI consultant for the 2020-21 school year."

On August 24, 2020, Middlesex announced that "the Middlesex Alumni Association has formed a new committee to address matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the alumni body."

On June 2, 2020, Middlesex participated in Blackout Tuesday on Instagram and released a statement saying, "We stand together in support of our Black students, families, and alumni as we condemn all forms of racism and violence, and we thank all those in the Middlesex community who continue to rise against social injustice with courage and determination."

Middlesex features an "Anti-Racism & Inclusivity Statement" on its website. It states, "We endeavor to work together in partnership to promote anti-racism and inclusion at Middlesex." It also affirms the school's commitment to "physical and emotional safety, equity, and belonging."