By Molly and Richard Jesse 

Are our children receiving a top-notch education in our Essex Westford (EWSD) schools? We think not. Academic preparation is not the focus, but rather Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Consider the following description on the EWSD website: 

“Equity [which is at the core of DEI and different from equality] touches all of our educational  offerings, operations, and facilities. Equity is the foundation of our vision. Equity is an  outcome. … [E]quity is the foundation of our educational policy, procedures, and practices in the EWSD”. 

Our conclusion? DEI is inculcated into the lives of our EWSD students day in and day out. However, with what benefit? While EWSD’s DEI initiatives may be motivated by a noble intent to address historical wrongs and promote social progress, it should be asked if the focus on DEI is helping to prepare our children academically for success now and in the future. Vermont Agency of Education data for the 2019 versus 2024 school years suggest that student academic proficiencies have remained level. 

State Assessment: Students At and Above Proficient 

School Year 2019 2024 

In fact, student academic proficiencies declined from 2019 to 2024. From a personal communication, “The numbers you cited are skewed. The numbers from 2024 are scaled by 7-10 points. … [T]hat was brought out in a school board meeting in Nov. or Dec. So actually, the 2024 numbers without scaling are worse than the 2019 numbers.” 

In addition, with school spending rising year after year even with student enrollment declining, the school board is not willing to answer how much of the budget is DEI spending. As representatives of the community, the board has an obligation to be transparent and provide at least an estimate of the cost in dollars, as well as the cost in lost instructional time that could, and should, be redirected to much needed academic instruction. 

Just what do we know about DEI? Here are some facts: 

∙ DEI initiatives promote mediocrity by undermining the principle of meritocracy.  Meritocracy holds that individuals should be judged on their abilities and achievements rather than by unchangeable characteristics such as race or sex. 

∙ DEI initiatives can lead to a sense of entitlement among those who benefit from them, again promoting mediocrity. 

∙ DEI promotes divisiveness at the visceral level – e.g., “oppressor” versus “oppressed” – rather than promoting inclusiveness and unity. DEI initiatives perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce divisions by treating individuals as members of monolithic groups rather than as unique individuals deserving of dignity and respect. 

∙ DEI not only discriminates against individuals based on their race, gender, or other unchangeable characteristics, but also ignores the complex interplay of factors that contribute to the success of the individual. 

∙ The DEI enterprise is contrary to the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to live in a society where each person is judged on merit and where opportunities are available to all, regardless of background or identity. 

With the intense focus on DEI, our EWSD schools are undermining the values of individual responsibility and achievement to the detriment of our students as they prepare for their living meaningful and successful lives. Equity in particular, where all individuals should ideally have equal outcomes regardless of their individual circumstances or efforts, is a fanciful illusion or fabrication. It is impossible to achieve in schools, or elsewhere, without actively harming some individuals in order to benefit others. 

EWSD needs to scrap all aspects of DEI as the foundation of educational policy, procedures, and practices! 

Further Reading 

Aaron Fenton-Hewitt, “DEI: The Arrogance of Social Engineering,” Journal of Free Black Thought, July 8, 2024 (https://freeblackthought.substack.com/p/dei-the-arrogance-of-social engineering?utm_source=publication-search). 

“ABRIDGED: Six Unsettling Features of DEI in K-12,” Journal of Free Black Thought, September 28, 2022 (https://freeblackthought.substack.com/p/abridged-six-unsettling-features). 

The authors are long-time residents of the Town of Essex. They are founders and directors of a non-profit Make Water Safe for the World, and members of SPEAKVT.