HARRISBURG, Pa. — Members of the Central Dauphin School District (CDSD) community took the microphone and made their voices heard as the conversation continues about the environment within district.
Parents and other concerned community members joined the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the PennLive's Editorial Board, and the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg for an open forum Sunday night.
This follows a school board meeting earlier in the month, where families brought their concerns directly to the school board.
Parent Sally Zubairu-Cofield moved to Pennsylvania two years ago.
"The reality that racism still exists, for me personally, has been difficult," Zubairu-Cofield said.
She says her kids have experienced racism in Central Dauphin Schools, and that the issue is commonplace in the area.
“We don't recognize that it's even a problem," Zubairu-Cofield said. "It's been going on for so long and it's just been normalized here.”
During its May 6 meeting following the death of Central Dauphin Student Justin Johnson, more than a dozen parents and student went on the record with their concerns about racism and bullying in the district.
The events leading to Johnson’s death are still under investigation.
"Our civil rights division has been in the community," Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter said. "A lot of people are alarmed by what happened to Justin Johnson."
Lassiter says the issue seen in CDSD are seen throughout the commonwealth and are "deep rooted" inside many Pennsylvania schools.
"Some of the behaviors of racial and ethnic intimidation and factors of bullying have been historical, even to this point," he said.
The PHRC joined the conversation to provide resources and be a neutral third party in the discussion.
Lassiter says it’s a problem that was created, and won’t be solved, overnight.
"It's the students is to community, working in tandem with those who are decision makers to bring about the type of community they want," he said.
Those conversations within the community will continue, though Sally says it's just the start.
"We have to create safe spaces, we have to be willing to listen and respect others and their opinions," Zubairu-Cofield said. "But we have to most importantly be willing to teach. Use every opportunity as a teaching moment and a teaching opportunity.”