No comment from governor on Burlington policy requiring diversity agreement for community gardeners
By Guy Page
IDEAL Vermont, a new state office highlighted by Governor Phil Scott at his weekly press conference today, has helped persuade 83 municipalities comprising 56% of Vermonters to sign a Declaration of Inclusion.
IDEAL stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Action, Leadership, according to its State of Vermont website. It is funded by $250,000 in the state budget (pg. 8), where its stated mission is “to support municipalities in promoting the named municipalities.” Its four partners are:
- Vermont Community Foundation, the state’s largest non-profit funding umbrella organization.
- Vermont League of Cities and Towns, an advocacy organization for municipalities.
- Abundant Sun, a consulting firm of “business strategists, data analysts, economists, bankers, psychotherapists, organizational developers and performing artists committed to justice on all levels.” Founded in England in 2003, it expanded to the U.S. in 2015 with a Vermont base 2015 Abundant Sun expands to the U.S. with a home base in Vermont, USA. In 2020 Abundant Sun partnered with Vermont Business for Social Responsibility (VBSR), to bring its inaugural Ethical Performance Improvement Campaign (E.P.I.C.) Education Series to Vermont businesses dedicated to improving their organizational justice performance.
- Vermont Declaration of Inclusion, a grassroots organization begun after the George Floyd murder by Bob Harnish of Pittsford and Al Wakefield, a retired black Rutland resident and restaurant owner. Its goal is to see every Vermont municipality sign a Declaration of Inclusion, and it’s well on its way. On October 25, the Vermont Declaration of Inclusion initiative reportedly reached the milestone of exceeding 50% of Vermont residents residing in municipalities that have adopted a Declaration of Inclusion.
Today, the VDI website boasts of 83 towns with 55.8% of all Vermonters. The Declaration reads in part: “The Town of ______________ condemns racism and welcomes all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or socioeconomic status, and wants everyone to feel safe and welcome in our community.” Municipalities supporting the Declaration are:
Athens
Bakersfield
Barre City
Bennington
Bethel
Brandon
Brattleboro
Bristol
Brookline
Burlington
Cambridge
Chittenden
Clarendon
Colchester
Dorset
Essex Junction Village
Fair Haven
Fairfax
Fayston
Franklin
Grand Isle
Guilford
Hardwick
Hartford
Hartland
Highgate
Hinesburg
Hyde Park
Isle La Motte
Johnson
Johnson Village
Londonderry
Ludlow
Manchester
Mendon
Middlebury
Middletown Springs
Milton
Moretown
Morristown
Mount Tabor
Newfane
Pawlet
Pittsfield
Pittsford
Plainfield
Plymouth
Poultney
Pownal
Proctor
Putney
Randolph
Richmond
Rutland Town
Rutland City
Shelburne
Shrewsbury
South Burlington
South Hero
Springfield
St. Albans City
St. Johnsbury
Stowe
Strafford
Sudbury
Swanton
Tinmouth
Underhill
Vergennes
Vernon
Waitsfield
Wallingford
Warren
Waterbury
West Rutland
West Windsor
Wilmington
Windsor
Wolcott
Winooski
Woodstock
Woodstock Village.
Governor Scott was asked by Vermont Daily Chronicle: “Burlington’s Racial Equity, Inclusion & Belonging office has developed an official policy of limiting access to the city-owned Burlington Area Community Gardens to people who will sign a document declaring personal support for diversity, equity and inclusion. What do you think of diversity programs and policies that deny access to public services for people who won’t sign statements of agreement?”
Gov. Scott responded: “We need inclusion on all levels. I don’t know about the policies you are speaking of.”
“I would want to know more about the policy before I comment on it,” state diversity official Xusanna Davis said.
Categories: Local government
Another redundant, feel-good measure…aren’t the stated special identity groups already covered under a myriad of state and federal anti-discrimination laws? Interesting that “religion” is mentioned, but not to protect the EXPRESSION of religious beliefs in allowing people (“members of the community”, if you are a leftist)
to refuse to participate in and express belief in cultural practices that are considered abhorrent to their established religious beliefs. And can we not admit that the State of Vermont actively discriminates against the “socioeconomic status” of it’s citizens by disproportionately taxing one end of that spectrum while freely doling out benefits to those at the other end? Also, a town may “want” everyone to “feel safe and welcome” but how an individual “feels” is pretty much up to them. Just more liberal foo foo.
Precisely !
More wasteful spending as usual.
“… aren’t the stated special identity groups already covered under a myriad of state and federal anti-discrimination laws?”
Yes!!! Like I said. SUE THEM.
No sense moaning about it. Tell them you will SUE THEM.
Our pretend GOP politicians know damned well that’s ALL THEY NEED TO DO.
Can aby of these Yahoos explain the point of all of this ? How does it help anything ?
Vermont has gone full moonbat marxist. Right out of Orwell’s novels. Next they will do everything they can to confiscate your guns, stand vigilant because its happening as we opine here now.
The Declaration of Inclusion:
“condemns racism and welcomes all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or socioeconomic status…
Having resided on planet Earth for more than 7 decades I have come to realize there are good people and bad people… and good and bad people can be found in different races, different genders, people with different skin color. … and so much more.
It is the height of foolishness to say communities welcome ALL persons. Does this include murders, rapists, child molesters, drug dealers, dishonest and/or narcissistic politicians?,… the list goes on and on.
What a strange State Vermont is.
Vermont isn’t inclusive os WASP gun owners..Thats a fact.
“… and performing artists” is all I needed to see. Srsly. WTFingF? You people retardashians?? Did you see the article about the lawsuit against the school regarding the transjerk? The school backed the eff off. Stop kissing these people’s butts, already. File lawsuits. FILE LAWSUITS PLEASE FOR EFF’S SAKE!!! They will quit it when you begin suing the sh@t outta them. How much more info do y’all need to quit this stuff? File a lawsuit. They will STFU. I promise you.
Diversity, equity and inclusion departments exist at uvm, Champlain, middleburry, castleton and every public school supervisory in the state. The state has one. Municipalities have them. Individual businesses have them. I’m sure I’m missing a BUNCH. Each employs many and cumulatively cost millions upon millions of dollars. Taxpayers are now funding this redundant initiative; expanding the state’s already bloated dei department. These school “departments” are paid large salaries, often six digits to each employee, to do what exactly? Literally, what do they do for forty hours each week? Based on my experience, a whole lot of nothing. Lots of coffee, absences, late arrivals and early departures. Zero accountability and no measurable outcomes are their bar. These black jobs (whites need not apply) only exist if shouts of “RACISM “ exist. These departments coerce, coach and create these false claims. Whites: feel guilty, keep quiet or be attacked. Or, champion their unfounded claims to be allowed in their club, but not really. You see, you’ll never be a member, just a pawn, as you can’t understand because you’ve never lived it. These inclusion attempts only create the opposite; divided communities and hate between ethnicities. Nice going libs.
Utilizing taxpayer money for this is abolute fraud. The tables in the Temple are now set to be overturned in grand fashion.
This is the government telling you what to think.
They can take their BS policy and shove it. I’m so sick of Democrats and yes that Includes Democrat Phil Scott. RINO no good mother.
Instead of suing a government entity (which has access to unlimited legal aid funded by taxypayers) throw some sand in the gears by making Public Record requests. Any good lawyer should be able to show how to phrase the request in order to cause the most pain. Asking for all logs and records of voice mail for the last year can be excruciating.
Try it, they do it all the time…