Riverdale Country School

The school wants to "Organize Anti-racist + Anti-bias training for faculty/staff/students."

The “theme” for the 2020-2021 year would be “allyship.” The school mascot allegedly told elementary students to “check each other’s words and actions.”

Following the Pollyanna curriculum, fourth graders were allegedly given “The Third Chimpanzee for Young People,” a book “that covers mature topics such as adultery, self-mutilation and suicide.”

As part of "Modern Drama(s)," high schoolers "will grapple with the way that artists from the United States and Europe have grappled with everything from racial, cultural, and gender differences to the limits of language and free will." As part of French VI: Immigration, Education, and Race (Honors), students will "explore current issues such as education (fall semester), and immigration and racism (spring semester), pertinent in our ever-changing world."

The school stated, "Accordingly, it is good that our students consider their identity in reference to their origins and understand how the different elements of their identity form…To ignore this is to create more misunderstanding, more harm, and more division. This sense of identity is not supported and developed in one way or with one method, but in many different ways, both required and optional. If you look at this work across the divisions, you see this work being done in very gentle and thoughtful ways. It is not acceptable to demonize one race versus another. No one is propagandizing. We seek to raise everyone and raise every voice in our community through work in small groups, affinity spaces, and together as divisions or in grades."

According to reporting, "Kindergarten students at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx are taught to identify their skin color by mixing paint colors. The lower school chief in an email last year instructed parents to avoid talk of colorblindness and 'acknowledge racial differences.'"

The school released a new "Riverdale Statement On Campus Discourse," which reads in part, "At Riverdale, community members and invited guests may not engage in abusive or hateful speech that undermines our efforts to foster an equitable, diverse, and inclusive learning environment... Riverdale students learn that arguments that challenge or threaten their interests or values are not necessarily hateful arguments. The school welcomes legitimate political speech that might affirm or critique specific beliefs or actions and the activists, voters, and politicians who support those beliefs or actions."

The school also wants to expand Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) programs and training for families, as well as expanding affinity program offerings.

Students conducted "independent projects that explore identity, gender, ethnicity, and race."

A school official told the Middle School assembly, "But skin color IS used in this way by some to say that a group is suspicious, that they must be questioned in a way that others never are. And when you can add even more power to racism by the use of guns, badges, and police lights to enforce this, it cuts deeply to your core and can leave lasting scars." Another official wrote, "Beyond this, though, we return to school to ensure that we are caring for each other. These moments impact our school. They impact us as individuals committed to equity and justice, and they impact us as a community striving to carry the work of anti-racism forward."

An opening for a lower school teacher emphasized that applicants be "committed to work in the areas of equity, justice, and inclusion.”

On August 31, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post. This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On August 27, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post.

On August 27, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post.

On August 26, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post. This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On August 25, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post. This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On August 25, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post.

On August 24, 2020, Riverdale used the hashtag “#diversityequityinclusionbelonging” on its Instagram post. This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On August 19, 2020, Riverdale spotlighted a gallery exhibit exploring topics of “recurrent racist violence” among others on Facebook. This post was also featured on its Twitter and Instagram accounts.

On July 17, 2020, Riverdale highlighted an event on Facebook where Ibram X. Kendi discusses his book, “How to Be an Anti-Racist.” This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On July 13, 2020, Riverdale highlighted an exhibition on “horrific and systemic racism” and “the pattern of systemic racism that continues today.”

On June 29, 2020, Riverdale invited speakers who “encouraged students to think about ‘the work that has already been done’ as they continue the fight against voter suppression and police brutality.” This post was also featured on its Instagram and Twitter accounts.

On June 24, 2020, Riverdale retweeted a statement saying, “As we protest for racial and educational justice, we are also focused on Economic Justice.”

On June 23, 2020, Riverdale highlighted Rep. Anthony Daniels who spoke about “how Black Alabamians have been disproportionately impacted because of systemic racism in the areas of education, healthcare, employment, and criminal justice” on Instagram. This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On June 21, 2020, Riverdale highlighted a children’s BLM protest on Instagram. This post was also featured on its Twitter account.

On June 12, 2020, Riverdale posted on Instagram, saying, “Assistant Head of School and Head of the Middle School Milton Sipp spoke at the Grade 8 End of Year Celebration on June 5th about how students can combat racism and other inequities in our society.”

On June 11, 2020, Riverdale posted an article on Facebook as the Head of School “speaks out against racism.” This post was also featured on its Twitter account.