If we were able to have a conversation with those politicians and public servants that are actively working to dismantle DEI policies and practices, we would want to ask a simple question. Are you most against diversity, equity, or inclusion? There is intentionality behind using the acronym. It keeps them from having to answer this question. What we are seeing in our national conversation around “DEI” is similar to the conversation around critical race theory that took place a few years back. Conservative politicians and thought leaders have once again done a tremendous job of demonizing an idea by simply redefining it. In short, these people have taken aim at and are pulling the trigger in an effort to assassinate DEI, dismantling every part of it. They are doing so with the ultimate goal to shape education in the way that they see it.
Redefining Words:
Critical Race Theory: This was the first shot taken. The Right defined CRT as anything that did not present America and its history as pristine and inerrant. Apart from the fact that it was actually a legal theory only taught in law schools in its truest form, the accusations came that it was being taught in our teacher colleges and ultimately in our public schools.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: This is the current target. Conservatives are trying to convince Americans that these three words, under any circumstance, are actually coded language for leftist ideology. This words have been blamed for White children feeling bad about themselves when learning about American slavery. They have been set up as the opposite of meritocracy.
Parental Rights: This is the riot shield that has been used to cover the otherwise apparently racist efforts. Conservative leaders have argued that these ideas presented by diversity, equity, and inclusion inhibit parents from being in charge. Never mind the fact that the question is never asked ‘Which parents should have rights.’
Redefining Words Equals Policy Change
The end result of this linguistic attack is that policies impacting children and educators across our nation are being changed. With the signing of Executive Order 14190: Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, our federal government has initiated a wave of changes in state education departments and local schools.
DEI Training: Many states and districts across the US have implemented policies that prohibited DEI training. This training has historically included training on effective ways to reduce the disparities in academic outcomes amongst various student groups and the disproportionate use of exclusionary discipline for some student groups.
Curriculum Restrictions: There has been an open attack on the teaching of and celebration of the histories of people of color in America. Classes like AP African-American Studies have come under fire for being anti-American. Conservative states’ departments of education have partnered with organizations like PragerU, (see this NPR article about them), who center American exceptionalism in their curriculum, regardless of whether or not they are being historically accurate.
Defunding DEI Initiatives: Ultimately, the federal government has made threats that if their demands are not met, schools will lose funding. More than that, they are cutting funds that have directly impacted students at the higher education level and down. One example is the recent defundig of agricultural scholarships for students attending HBCUs.
How Are the Children?
I regularly come back to something I learned about the Masaii people. They greet one another with the question, “How are the children?” because they know that if the children are well the village is well. When I consider the impact of this assassination attempt of ideas that have served our students well, I am led to wonder what has been the impact on them.
Many of our students are struggling with the decisions being made supposedly on their behalf. As anecdotal evidence, the high school in the community where I serve had nearly half of its students stay home a few weeks ago as a collective protest of the actions being taken by our current presidential administration. Additionally, we know that the research has demonstrated an upward trend in mental health challenges among our youth. In an effort to get rid of DEI, we are pulling support for many of these students.
Students and their families from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles have fought for years to be visible in ann authentic way in our curriculum. Now, through executive actions, students’ identities are being erased all over again. In particular, the age old argument about ethnic studies is raging. Whether it is AP African-American Studies or the Chicano Studies programs like that featured in the 2011 documentary Precious Knowledge, students want to learn about themselves. They are being told that they cannot.
Our Response: ACTION!
Now is not the time for us as educators to stand quietly to the side, bemoaning that the world in which we live has yet to reach a place of justice and equity. It is time for action.
Use the words we are being told not to use:
Activism, anti-racism, diversity, equity, implicit bias, marginalized, prejudice, pronouns, social justice, etc.
Give space for your students to talk about and process what is happening in the world around them in ways that are age-appropriate.
Engage families and community in two-way conversations about what DEI looks like in your school district and in your classroom. Ensure that you give space for community members with concerns to ask questions, learn something new, and even express disagreement with ideas.
We will not be silenced. We will not allow lies about language to shut down the important work happening in our schools and our communities. To learn more about how you can ensure that your classroom remains a place for diversity, equity and inclusion through the intentional use of language, check out our new book, Your Words Are Fire: 10 Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies to Speak the Language of Belonging and Help Students Learn, Express Ideas, and Solve Problems which comes out in May of 2025.
Comments