School boards around the state are reviewing and revising their diversity and equity policies to comply with a new law that bans teaching some topics such as people of a particular race are inherently racist.
The Waukee school board approved a revised set of equity standards at its Monday meeting. Some Waukee parents like Courtney Collier opposed the district standards. She says teachers should focus on academics and leave equity to parents.
“We do not send our children to Waukee Schools to be taught a world view, or a political ideology or a moral compass. That is our job as parents and families,” Collier says. But other parents like Michelle Townsend says the reason for the equity standards is to learn about others.
“They do pave the way for students to the safety to share their experiences and values, to learn about those of others, and grow in their ability to process both the world around them and their place in it,” Townsend says.
The school board passed the revised standards were passed on a 5-2 vote.
(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)