Isla County Board of Health Expresses “Dismay” at School Board Comments | HeraldNet.com

STANWOOD — A Stanwood-Camano School Board member is facing criticism after pushing to change anti-discrimination language in a policy proposal last month.

At a March 19 meeting, board member Betsy Foster proposed amendments to the Washington State School Principals Association policy.

“Equity is central to WSSDA’s work,” the policy says. “Educational equity can only exist when a student’s level of opportunity and achievement cannot be predicted based on race, characteristics, or circumstances. Therefore, we must identify and eliminate any discrimination, practice and prejudice within the public education system of our State”.

Foster wanted to cut that final sentence.

Foster’s reasoning read: “The original position suggests that we have discriminatory practices and biases in our education system, so we removed some language and replaced it with personal characteristics.”

The school board meeting prompted the Island County Board of Health to send a letter on April 16, expressing “dismay” at the statements made at the meeting.

The letter also asks the district to “maintain diversity, equity and inclusion language in school policies.”

Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair, initially brought the issue to the attention of his fellow commissioners, county Public Health Director Shawn Morris wrote in an email. After discussion, the commission referred it to the Board of Health, which voted to send the letter.

“Our goal was to show solidarity with the school board’s decision to uphold diversity, equity and inclusion policies as core values ​​that support the health and well-being of children and their families,” Morris wrote. “Secondly, it was important to support the students, parents, carers and educators affected by this situation.”

Each year, school boards across the state propose revisions to the association’s advocacy policy. Some school board members across the state are pushing for those policy changes, Foster wrote in a text message to The Daily Herald.

“Just a group of over 100 people who want to learn and find solutions to help students thrive in their environment,” he wrote.

This policy guides the association’s efforts to advocate for state legislators.

In a statement, the district’s equity team said it was “disappointed that some members of our elected school board violated their own policy. During the board’s study session, mutual respect was not demonstrated toward students and staff”.

The US Department of Education received nearly 19,000 civil rights complaints covering the nation’s public universities, colleges and schools from October 1, 2021, to September 20, 2022. It was the highest figure recorded during a fiscal year.

Foster’s revisions also called for stronger local control, including a section that said “laws, regulations, and policies should be written to support, never to limit or impede the powers of elected principals and school boards locally”.

He also called for significant changes to the school principals’ association’s diversity position. The association considers revisions to the school boards’ platform at its general meeting in September.

The association of school principals cannot force school boards to adopt a policy. Local control became a major issue during the pandemic, when school districts were required to comply with state health mandates to prevent the spread of disease.

“Betsy Foster emphasizes the importance of a world-class education system in the United States, citing low math proficiency among students,” Foster said in a voice message to The Herald. “She believes equity must be addressed, but first and foremost, quality education must be provided to give children a chance in life and attract students from all over. Foster stresses the need to focus -se in quality education rather than equity, as he believes this will lead to a more inclusive and successful education system.”

“They would not be district positions if they had been voted on and approved,” Foster added in a text message. “It would help advance the general assembly, which will be there regardless of what happens now.”

In a statement last month, district Superintendent Deborah Rumbaugh said that “our district’s educational equity policy, and similar policies across the state, help us strengthen our commitment to our District Promise by providing a framework for dismantling barriers and creating individualized supports.”

“Interactions between board members and our students and staff should align with our policies,” Rumbaugh said. “We haven’t seen that with all the board members this week.”

About 30,000 voters live in the Stanwood-Camano school district. The district’s enrollment is 4,872, according to the state.

The changes to the diversity and equity language did not end up being adopted, but Foster said the amendments he proposed will be discussed at the fall general assembly.

Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jordyhansen.