Dear Minisink Valley school community:

Nelson Mandela once said no one is born hating another person because of the color of his/her skin, or his/her background, or his/her religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, he stressed, then they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

These are important words to be reminded of as we all continue to watch the civil unrest taking place throughout our country.  The protests and demonstrations taking place now remind us how important our words and actions can be when watching how these events are unfolding nationally, regionally and locally.

Mutual respect, inclusion and acceptance are among the many hallmarks of our school district. Understanding the experiences of others and treating everyone as equals is consistently reinforced in our classrooms. Hateful actions and speech have no place in our society and are never tolerated on our campus.

For students who may find these current events unsettling, please know Minisink Valley building administrators and counselors are prepared to offer support. Please reach out for assistance.

We all have a responsibility to stand up against racism, wherever and whenever we encounter it.   As always, the Minisink Valley school community stands together with the opportunity to be positive change agents and end social injustice for all.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Brian C. Monahan
Superintendent