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What is PMAC?

The Principal's Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC) is a diverse group of student leaders making sure that all students and their social identities are respected and included at their school.

Every PMAC gets to decide their specific goals and how to achieve them based on what their school needs. Is there a need for positive cultural interactions as a starting point? PMAC might plan a cultural fair. Are teachers ill-prepared to address racism or homophobia in the classroom? PMAC might provide curricular resources and materials to teachers and administrators.

Want to learn more about the Principal's Multicultural Advisory Committee directly from the Pinellas County Schools website? Check out the link to their PMAC page below!

What does PMAC Do?

Act as an advisory group to the principal
If the principal doesn't seek PMAC's advice, advocate for your advisory role.

Engage in a facilitative dialogue about diversity centered concerns and make recommendations to the principal
Engage in dialogue with students from a variety of identities and experiences to get their insights and recommendations.

Promote multicultural activities and programs school-wide
Organize and lead leadership conferences, awareness campaigns, or student-led action for justice and equity.

Learn and implement conflict resolution and mediation skills
Leverage community-based resources to challenge punitive discipline and promote restorative practices.

Provide service to school and community
Critically assess the kind of service being done, considering the consent of people being served, while learning and building community.

Improve school climate
Conduct surveys and help the school critically reflect on the safety, engagement, and inclusion of all students.

History

PMAC was implemented in August 1990, initially as a biracial advisory committee which later changed to multicultural committees to be more inclusive.

Throughout the 90s, PMAC advocated ways to promote cross-cultural interactions and address systemic inequities. Examples of changes during this time:

  • School Improvement Plans (SIP) began including goals that recognized non-majority identities.
  • Curricula frameworks were created for Holocaust education and Black history.

In August 2004, based on 4,331 responses from a student inclusion survey distributed to 28 schools, the PCS school board mandated that every school would have an active PMAC. This means PMAC is not just a club or optional interest for a school. It is a formal structure that students can use to advocate for safety and inclusion for all students.

Check out the link to the Pinellas County Schools PMAC Powerpoint below to read a more detailed history.

Proof to help you advocate

Some teachers, administrators, and schools might not even know what PMAC is or that it actually is a school board mandate. You can educate them! Below is a link to the mandate from the Pinellas County Schools website.

You can also cite the school district's strategic plan that explicitly talks about an active and documented PMAC under Strategic Goal 3.

Strategic Goal 3: Develop and sustain a healthy, respectful, caring, safe learning environment for students, faculty, staff and community resulting in individual employee learning, student achievement and overall school improvement.

3.9 Ensure schools have an active and documented Principal’s Multicultural Advisory Committee (PMAC) program that addresses an environment reflective of the district’s core value of cultural competence.

You can also advocate for other measures in the strategic plan including mental health support and restorative practices.