WHAT IS DEI?
DEI is a common acronym for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
DEI is often promoted as a means of respecting one another, as a celebration of the many cultural backgrounds of one’s community and as a tool for distributing resources to those who need them the most. These are truly respectable goals, and no one has a problem when they are described in this manner. Unfortunately, this is not an accurate definition of formal DEI programs.
DEI Defined
Diversity refers to particular groups of people based around race, gender and sexual proclivity, who adhere to the principles of Intersectionality developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw.
Inclusion refers to a means by which those specific groups are given attention and celebrated.
Equity, which is the ultimate goal of DEI programs, promotes recognizing and addressing bias and privilege.
DEI in Palos Verdes Schools
PVPUSD has allowed the Palos Verdes Parent Teacher Association, also know as the PTA, to implement DEI programs across all the Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. Some of these programs have been very positive activities, developed to enjoy the many cultural backgrounds of the student body, but parents should be fully informed about the true goals of any DEI program before allowing their children to participate.
Let’s take a closer look.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Council of PTA’s, shares a link saying “Click here for a Month-by-Month Inclusion School-Year Plan. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Resources for Classrooms”.
Upon clicking on the link it explains that “Schools are perfect places to build these critical skills. In classrooms, students can discuss how to create a more inclusive world that values diversity, builds solidarity, practices empathy, and battles racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and more”.