June 24, 2021

MBS has received community requests to view anti-bias training materials conducted for Mountain Brook School employees. We have contacted the provider to request copies of these training materials and have been unsuccessful. While disappointed, we realize that it is common practice for organizations to not release proprietary materials even when services have been rendered. We then sought the materials with the help of legal counsel and were again unsuccessful. We are continuing efforts to provide this information.

While continuing to pursue these avenues, Mountain Brook Schools used an independent third party to interview employees on their recollections of the training and its impact. The following are quotes from the employee interviews: 

• “This training emphasized how we can ensure that every student who walks through our hallways feels safe, loved, and respected.”
• “This was helpful for a professional servant who stands in front of 100 students every day.”
• “They never told us how we should teach our students.”
• “It was not uncomfortable. It just brought light to who you are as an individual.”
• “I left thinking it was beneficial to challenge teachers to be more engaged with their students.”
• “It was a personal journey where we got to share our background and experiences and express how your experiences shape your lens.”
• “This was more about participant engagement and introspection and less about the facilitator talking.”
• “It did not change my approach to my job, but it did reinforce professionalism and reminded us to teach and love all children equally.”

The interviewees’ average time of recall of the virtual training’s length was roughly 90 minutes. In total, this training amounted to approximately 2.8 percent of the cumulative annual certified training for MBS employees.

Mountain Brook Schools intends to complete anti-bias training for any remaining untrained employees by choosing another provider that we believe meets the needs of our schools and community.