Submitted by Gail Bardin
Questions have been raised about the use of the words “equity,” “justice,” “inclusion,” and “diversity” in CUSD policies and classrooms. For centuries, scholars, schools and communities have used these words and concepts to imagine a more just, fair, and productive society and to debate the best ways to achieve that ideal.
There is no logical reason to prohibit CUSD students or staff from doing the same. Our students will undoubtedly hear these words in college, in the news, in the books they read, and in the jobs they have. These words are not dangerous or somehow wrong. We can all agree that we want our students to be prepared for life off-island. School is the place to learn how to think, how to reason, how to debate. Let’s prepare our students to be citizens who understand and contribute to a just, fair, and productive society.
Gail Bardin
