By Guy Page
A Milton parents’ group has circulated a citizens’ petition asking the Milton School Board to reject a proposed District Equity Policy.
At issue is the crucial difference in meaning between ‘equality’ and ‘equity.’
“Equality provides an even opportunity for all participants to excel based on merit and regardless of background,” the Vermont Parents Against Critical Theory (VPACT) petition states. “Equity seeks to promote equal outcomes artificially by redistributing resources benefitting some at the cost of others.”
“The MTSD Equity Policy aims to eliminate all inequities that exist in its current school system by influencing ‘policies and procedures on Curriculum, Personnel, Discipline, Operations, Speech, Assessment, Athletics, Co-curriculars, Data, Budget, and others,’” the petition states.
The latest draft of the policy is now under review by the school board’s policy committee. VPACT wants the school board to reject the final version when presented to the school board early next year.
Explaining that “language, like identity, is not static,” the draft policy defines terms, including:
Affirmation: “To recognize social/ economic disparities and historical disadvantages based on individual and group identity such as their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, experiences, ideas, and beliefs.”
Equity: “Procuring access to human and constitutional rights and privileges for everyone, with the understanding that achieving so requires different approaches because our barriers are unique.”
Gender identity: “A person’s actual or perceived gender identity, or gender-related characteristics that are intrinsically related to a person’s gender or gender-identity, regardless of the person’s assigned sex at birth.”
White: “Race or ethnicity in the US) the cultural and observable characteristics of people of Caucasian descent as well as those from other origins but whose skin color and culture lead to a lack of racialization as ‘brown,’ ‘Indigenous,’ or ‘Black.’ The legal definition of ‘white’ in the United States has changed over the years.”
Once the members of the newly-created, standing Advisory Board are appointed, it would develop “procedures which incorporate equity-conscious processes and practices in all operations, purchasing, and partnerships, to include the consideration of partner organizations and businesses’ existing policies and procedures regarding their practices in relation to equity and whether these are in alignment with those of the MTSD.”
The Advisory Board would answer directly to the (appointed) superintendent, not the (elected) school board. The role of the elected board would be limited to “review advisory panel reports and recommendations as they are created and provide prioritized and extended space for committee-appointed representatives to bring matters directly to the board.”
Curriculum and instruction changes would include “ensuring that curricular and instructional plans are designed with the least barriers possible from the start” and “providing teachers and schools with enough resources so that instruction is characterized by a high level of purposeful choice and personalization rather than narrow standardization of instruction.”
Transgender students’ participation in sports also would be addressed: “In addition to existing ongoing trainings and agreements on hazing, harassment, and bullying, require that all athletes, co-curricular club members, coaches and department personnel engage in Athletic Virtue-building conversations that directly relate to matters of equity, including, but not limited to anti-racism, tolerance, allyship, gender identity in sports, inclusion, diversity, and athletic virtue each season.”
The policy takes a strong stand against “misinformation,” including what it calls “Election-related Conspiracy Theories:”
“All curricular materials and school-level instructional plans will incorporate superintendent-issued guidance of what constitutes misinformation, intolerance toward innate differences, hate speech, and stereotypical narratives or tropes. Examples of limitations include Holocaust Denial, Election-related Conspiracy Theories, or speech that targets protected classes or that is primarily intended to disrupt the education program. The superintendent or their designee shall reiterate expectations for the acquisition and utilization of evidence-based content, the advancement of critical thinking, and the exposure to difficult yet necessary historical truths across all content areas.”
The group’s organizers say they will be meeting with lawyers to discuss the equity policy and presentation of the petition.
Categories: Education
Could it be that the parents are in fact the one’s who received the education during COVID ? It’s about time. Education in this country has been politicized too much, and for too long . If the unions, and boards will not serve the communities they were hired or elected to serve in the manner which they are directed to do, they need to be voted out .
…voted out??? As when two wolves and a lamb vote on what to have for lunch?
All the above proposed requirements being imposed as “equity” are the indicators of a failing society. Meanwhile, the “ruling class” of these nameless, faceless minions hobnob with monied celebrities (Julia Louis Dreyfus) and fellow facilitators (Randi Weingarten) dine upon Maine lobster within the exclusive compound of what was originally known as the People’s House.
Growing up in what would today be considered a “poor and disadvantaged” neighborhood, I had the opportunity to meet all colors of kids and adults before I graduated high school. Black skin, brown skin, white, yellow, red, or olive skin… didn’t matter. It was a very mixed neighborhood racially and monetarily we were all in the same or similar boats. I learned that what we see superficially doesn’t matter at all. Later in life however, I learned what color does matter – green. All of those problems I never had with people of my same circumstances, I immediately noticed with people with money, no matter what color their skin was. It was a totally different world.
So yeah, there’s a color that matters… GREEN. Can you imagine poor people forcing or legislating how to live on rich people? No? Then there’s our trouble. So keep on fighting for what you believe. There are way more of us with common sense than there are with them.
And before anyone jumps me, yes, there are always exceptions to the rule. They are the exceptions that PROVE the rule.
Robin! I had to laugh out loud when you talked about the color GREEN. Yes , you’re right!! It’s always the elephant in the room.
It’s true, in that there are a lot more of us “ordinary folks”. It is imperative that we continue to push on and keeping standing for truth. Policies like this one are a huge threat to our freedoms and they need to be stopped immediately, whenever and wherever their ugly heads are reared.
They are the exceptions that PROVE the rule.
What rule?
It must really bother them on some deep level, knowing that their side won, but that they had to riot, cheat, threaten and scam their way to victory. I can see why they would also want to ban free speech. Much easier on the conscience.
They have a conscience?
Plus they used social media and the FBI to help win.
This policy is awesome stuff for the “woke” folks at the top of Chittenden County.
It brings them into line, just like the towns closer to the center of the People’s Republic of Burlington. Issues regarding Speech, Gender, Behavior and Faith shall now be determined by yet another unelected, unaccountable person. I missed the part where ‘social credits’ are to be enacted…
I am proud to say I signed this petition. I 100% believe in this group that’s trying to do the correct thing here using common sense.
People need to realize not everyone is equal and the world is a rough place. We can only help teach our younger kids how to handle the real world or the rest of the world will take over. In my opinion the whole CRT and “wokeism” is weakening our younger generation. They are lazier, they think everything is owed to them and other crap that they were taught in our governmental education system. We have stopped teaching kids how to think for themselves. They need to be able to see both sides of every situation and then choose a side with facts and beliefs. But they’ve been brainwashed by the leftist ideology that it’s only one way. There way. They’re so wrong. It’s so sad to see what has happened to our younger generations.
This is how marxism is installed. Communism arises through devision. In china it was the haves and have nots, it America, through crt, its via race, oppressors and oppressed. Public schools have become so far from public. This is being pushed by the vermont school board association, the agency of education, the department of education, the national school board association and the teacher’s unions. Our public schools need a grass roots movement away from the federal centralization of power. If we cant, we need to start some alternative community schools. God help us and our children.
The entire board and especially the superintendent need to be released of there duty’s
Sean, do you know there’s not varrying opinions on the board? I speak as a board member myself that is consistently the 1 in 4-1 votes
Would any of you be interested in stirring local school parent watch groups, or receiving news on things to be on the lookout about in your community schools. Even if you homeschool or send children to a private school the students in your community’s public schools are still going to be future public leaders in your town.
Write to amavt22@yahoo.com