Adopted March 1978 – Reviewed and deemed relevant May 2020– Education Commission
California State PTA is committed to integrated public schools offering quality education† for all children and youth, and believes:
- Equal educational opportunities should be provided for all students;
- School districts have the responsibility for providing an integrated education for all students;
- Multicultural understanding should be an integral part of the education of all students;
- A desegregated/integrated school must provide opportunity for the development of attitudes and behavior based on the value of the individual;
- A desegregated/integrated school must encourage all students to be fully involved in school activities and to develop to their fullest potential;
- Teachers and other staff members should be trained to understand the needs of all children and youth, as well as the cultural, racial, ethnic, and economic diversity found in California’s society;
- The entire school staff must work consistently to create a school climate of respect for the differences as well as the similarities of all students;
- Support and direction for the development, implementation and evaluation of desegregation/integration programs require the combined efforts of parents, students, the school system, and the entire community;
- PTA must serve as a unifying force for integration by involving the parents of all students in its activities†† and encouraging parent participation in school-sponsored activities; special efforts should be made to include parents residing outside the immediate school community.
† See related position statement: Basic Education.
†† Refer to Outreach, Diversity and Inclusion.
