MANCHESTER, N.H. – The school board’s Teaching and Learning Committee on Tuesday unanimously recommended the addition of a new African Cultural Studies class at Manchester Central High School that has been requested by students for three years.
The class, currently in pilot form, will be available to Central students in the Spring of 2024. Although Central Principal Deb Roukey indicated that the class will likely fill quickly and be available primarily to seniors in the spring, she also believes it will continue to be offered in the future.
“My hope is that we can grow it and we can offer it more than once in a day and we can offer it to anybody, that would be ideal,” said Roukey.
Manchester School District Chief Equity Officer Tina Philibotte said that the class will also likely evolve in the future as its curriculum is not yet set in stone and it could become a year-long class. She also noted that this class came about in large part due to student advocacy asking for the class.
“I hope this encourages other students to advocate for their needs and what you want to see in the curriculum,” she said.
The pilot curriculum of the class was prepared by Philibotte along with representatives of the Manchester NAACP, Youth Organizers United, Manchester Community College and the New Hampshire Black Heritage Trail alongside the Manchester School District.
The class will be offered in the Manchester Community College catalog even though it is being held at Central. In its description, the class seeks to explore the Black history of New Hampshire with stories that connect learners to the broader national and global dialogue.
Ward 6 school board Member Ken Tassey applauded the concept of the class and asked if the concepts of racism inherent within African-American history could be contrasted with instances of racism in other cultures, with Philibotte replying that the class would focus on African-American topics. However, it was also noted that this class could become a template to explore the experiences of other cultures.
Overall, members of the committee said they were thrilled with information from the presentation on the class given by Philibotte. At-Large school committee member Peter Argeropoulos noted the long anticipation for this class and is enthusiastic at the real-world experiences of some students that may be mirrored in the lessons they learn, increasing student interest in the class itself.
Ward 1 school board member Julie Turner also echoed Philibotte’s comments regarding the power of students asking for this class over the past few years.
“I feel very proud as a member of this board to see this work come to fruition, so I want to sing the praises of the students as well to bring their voices to the tables and the microphones,” she said.
The proposal now goes to the full Board of School Committee for final approval.