If there is one thing that Davis School District excels at, it’s failing to learn from its mistakes. The newest lawsuit added to the list alleges that the district discriminated against another employee, which they were required to hire to find solutions to their seemingly institutional discrimination.
You may be asking yourself how this could happen. Unfortunately, the answer is quite simple. The lack of accountability at the top meant that the issue could be pushed down the chain to make teachers bear the brunt of the punishment. While the old superintendent was forced out, his replacement had been a part of the same institution that failed the students in the first place. The other administrators and board members who had ignored complaints remained. Why would anything change? Especially if the office responsible for investigating racism and discrimination is being hindered. The bad apples have poisoned the tree.
All of this is made worse by Utah’s leaders decrying efforts to improve diversity, inclusion and equity, including the governor saying these efforts are “bordering on evil.”
Sen. John Johnson said he would like initiatives based “on demographic characteristics rather than the color of someone’s skin.” Rep. Katy Hall tried to ban schools “from asking an applicant anything about their work to further inclusion and diversity.”
It isn’t lower-income students being targeted by white supremacist propaganda on our college campuses nor is it whites being subjected to racism in our schools.
In fact, maybe what we need is exactly what they don’t want, new hires promising not to discriminate against students, coworkers, or anyone. Racists have no place in our public education besides the history books. So, while the governor assures us that DEI will not happen in Utah, racism continues, and Utah doesn’t seem to mind.
Nathan Hole, Sunset
