- Mailing Address
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1400 Lowell Road
Concord, Massachusetts 01742 - Phone
- (978) 369-2550
- Website
- https://www.mxschool.edu/
- School Information
- "Frederick Winsor wanted the school he founded in 1901 to be distinct from the boarding schools of the time, and from its beginnings, Middlesex School has occupied a unique place in the independent school landscape. It is a non-sectarian School with a positive sense of tradition and mission. It is a school with small-school intimacy and big-school opportunity, a school that early on sought students from every part of the country through a National Scholarship Program. As it has grown, Middlesex has broadened its national and international reach while always benefiting from its local surroundings—the human and cultural capital of the Boston/Cambridge area" (Source: https://www.mxschool.edu/about-mx/mission-and-history/). Middlesex has 410 students and a student to faculty ratio of 4 to 1.
- General Information
- Middlesex has infused anti-racism and DEI into its events and planning. Middlesex has incorporated DEI topics throughout its core curriculum, as well as through select required courses. Middlesex has instituted DEI training for all students, faculty, and staff. Middlesex also involves its alumni network in DEI issues through affinity groups. See developments below:
Actions Taken
- Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
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On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "enhance DEI opportunities for students, faculty, and staff so we are better equipped to manage difficult conversations and understand our own biases.”
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On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "support affinity groups that foster opportunities for connection and conversation with the School.”
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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."
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Middlesex hosts numerous events and programs for students on anti-racism and DEI.
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- Curriculum Changes and Requirements
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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.”
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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."
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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.
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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."
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Middlesex states that "all members of Class IV and new students in Class III" take GLOBAL 10 Dialogues.
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Middlesex states that ARM 30 Unraveling Racism
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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.
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- Faculty/Staff Requirements
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On October 15, 2021, Middlesex's Board of Trustees announced it will "receive consistent professional development in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”
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On October 15, 2021, Middlesex's Board of Trustees announced it will "incorporate DEI training for all new trustees as part of their Board orientation.”
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On October 15, 2021, Middlesex announced it will "invest in more professional development in DEI for both faculty and staff.”
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- Political Actions and Support for Anti-Racism
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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."
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- Resources
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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."
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- Symbolic Actions
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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, the school released a statement saying, "Our recent decision to cancel an invitation to Professor Nikole Hannah-Jones was profoundly wrong. We deeply regret it and have had many gut-wrenching conversations within our community regarding the decision, how it was made, and the disrespect we showed professor Hannah-Jones. These decisions and actions did not comport with the collective agreement, as a Board, regarding our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. There was insufficient consultation with fellow Trustees, faculty, staff, and the student body. As a result, we made a shameful mistake. We offer our most sincere apology to Professor Hannah-Jones. We are endeavoring to offer our apology to her in person. In the coming weeks, as the Head of School and the Chair of the Board, the authors of this decision, 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."
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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."
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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.”
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On August 24, 2020, Middlesex announced the formation of the Trustees DEI Committee.
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On August 24, 2020, Middlesex announced that it has appointed Erika Prahl as the new Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
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On August 24, 20, Middlesex announced that "the school is hiring an independent DEI consultant for the 2020-21 school year."
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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."
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On June 11, 2020, Middlesex announced, "Our administrative team is revising the school schedule to create space for enhanced community programming and academic work on social justice and citizenship topics."
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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."
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