Will anti-CRT resolution lead to dilution of efforts on race, equity? Some worry
Some members of a Peninsula School District committee on diversity and inclusion are worried that the recent school board resolution disavowing “critical race theory” will be used as an excuse to water down their efforts.
“The folks who are sort of anti-critical race theory are going to start utilizing that resolution to start rolling back the capacity to talk about race and racism in our schools,” said Mollie Monahan-Kreishman, a member of the committee. “I’m very concerned about it.”
The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee has about 50 volunteer members who meet to discuss issues like racial and gender equality, diversity in hiring and treatment of minority students. It has no formal powers, but serves as an advisory committee to district administration. Its facilitator is an assistant superintendent, John Hellwich.
Some members of the committee already consider it mostly window-dressing. They are worried now that it may be sidelined or disbanded altogether.
“The wording is so ambiguous that somebody can say, ‘Well, why do we have this group if we’re not teaching this? Why is this a part of our district?’” said Joy Stanford, a Black substitute teacher who is also a member of the committee. “I feel like that could happen because of this resolution.”
The resolution passed at a board meeting on July 22 reaffirmed that the theory known as “critical race theory,” is not being taught. The once-obscure academic theory has become a bogeyman in right-wing media, who contend that it paints whites as oppressors and America as irretrievably racist.
Some conservative parents even feared a recent senate bill mandating anti-racism training for teachers would be used to “indoctrinate” children.”
The school board unanimously adopted a resolution that stated, among things, that “there will be no additional or modified student curriculum, including Critical Race Theory, or instruction in response to Senate Bill 5044, as it does not mention or require additional instruction for students,” the resolution said. “The District will continue to teach a complete and accurate history that is inclusive and without bias.”
For some, the resolution is broad enough to potentially hinder the work of an equity committee. But a district spokesman, Aimee Gordon, said such fears are overblown.
“The EDI committee (has) an advisory role to district leaders about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The resolution will not impact the committee’s work,” she said in an email to The Gateway.
“The role of the school board is to set policy and direction for the district. Resolution Number 21-28 ... is acknowledging we are following state law,” Gordon said.
But Stanford and Monahan-Kreishman said they worry the resolution is too “broad” and didn’t offer a specific definition of CRT.
Monahan-Kreishman is a parent of former students in the district and has been on the committee for several years. She is the founder and CEO of Social Justice Kids, an educational consulting firm. Stanford is a substitute teacher and former Democratic candidate for the state Legislature.
Monahan-Kreishman said she fears the resolution could now mean whatever people want it to.
“They’re really leaving the doors open to anyone deciding what ‘critical race theory’ is,” Monahan-Kreishman said.
Critical race theory, as it’s usually defined, is an academic theory that seeks to explore the ways past racism continues to influence the law, economics and other aspects of American life, sometimes in unrecognized ways. It is usually taught in graduate or law schools.
Monahan-Kreishman said the committee has already faced challenges in getting district support and that she is concerned the CRT resolution could only make it worse.
“This committee is not empowered by the district to do anything,” Monahan-Kreishman said. “I think it can only hinder the work that the committee does. It’s only going to make it harder for the committee to do the work that it’s charged to do.”
The resolution emerged after David Olson, the school board president, met with a conservative group called Parents & Citizens for School Choice. Heckled when he defended the district’s efforts at equity and inclusion, he promised the group there would be a resolution addressing the issue of “critical race theory.”
Since then, he has been making the rounds of conservative talk radio shows to explain the resolution. The first was with Jason Rantz on July 23 and the second was with Dori Monson on July 30.
On Monson’s program, Olson defended the resolution vote and said his time in the military traveling the world ensured he didn’t see people’s race. He then said he believed that the word equity has been “hijacked” even as he defended it a few weeks prior.
“Unfortunately, some people have hijacked that term of equity to be not equal opportunity but equal outcome,” Olson said. “I just don’t agree with that.”
Stanford said she is disappointed Olson hasn’t reached out to her or other members of the committee.
“In the comments at the end of the board meeting where they were like, ‘We’re going to reach out to each person that came and spoke at our meeting,’” Stanford said. “No one’s reached out to me.”
“I work for the school district,” Stanford said. “They have my number. They could have reached out Friday morning.”
Hellwich, the committee facilitator, said it will meet next in the fall. It is open to anyone who wants to participate, and usually has 20 to 30 people at each meeting. About 50 people participate each year, he said.
“The EDI team meetings are a place where our community can discuss issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion in PSD in a safe and respectful environment and in an advisory capacity to the district — to have their voice heard,” Hellwich said.
This story was originally published August 2, 2021 at 5:30 AM.
