Racial Disparities in Education and Policing Discussed at Christiansburg Winter Summit, US

More than 100 people gathered at Christiansburg Middle School for the Dialogue on Race Winter Summit, where the focus was on the racial gaps in Montgomery County’s education and policing. The program comprised data presentations as well as discussions aimed at finding solutions to the persisting problems. One participant raised concern about the upward trend of racial gaps and questioned why it was happening. Martha Ann Stallings and Wornie Reed, retired educators and members of the Dialogue on Race Steering Committee, presented data on schools and policing. Reed highlighted the disparities in traffic stops where Black drivers were more likely to be pulled over compared to white drivers. While the numbers did not show the same disparity in terms of tickets and charges issued, Reed emphasized the need to address the underlying issue. The summit also examined racial disparities in education, including higher absenteeism rates and short-term suspensions among Black students. The discussions led to calls for anti-bias training for both law enforcement officers and teachers. The summit’s opening and closing statements were delivered by Penny Franklin, co-founder of the Dialogue on Race and the first Black elected public official in Montgomery County. Franklin emphasized the importance of collective efforts in bridging racial gaps.