[Karen Downer is president of the NAACP Bucks County Branch.]
The school board elections are over* and new directors are taking their oaths. We at the NAACP Bucks County are hoping for a fresh start when it comes to talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our local schools.
In campaign literature and public comments at school board meetings, we have heard many people push to derail or repeal DEI efforts in our schools for fear they would make white students feel guilty or ashamed. Lost in those conversations of what might happen to white students if DEI programs move forward are the actual experiences that students of color in Bucks County are having right now.
Well-designed DEI plans never set out to make students feel shame, but somehow those allegations and fears are getting more attention and concern than the actual experiences of our students today in districts without DEI plans. These plans are not solely for the benefit of students of color. All our children are growing up in an increasingly diverse country (read“2020 Census Population Data Reveals A More Diverse Newtown Township”; https://sco.lt/5FUu2K). In the U.S. since 2000, the Asian American/Pacific Islander population grew 29.3%, the Hispanic and Latino/a population 20%, and the Black/African American population 11.6%. America’s future depends on the ability of all children to work together productively, to respect each other, and to thrive as one America.
As school boards start their terms, the NAACP Bucks County stands ready to help.
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*Democrat Nicole Kahn was 1 vote behind her opponent and she has filed for a recount, which as of December 8, 2021, has not yet been done.
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