A handful of community members turned out at Akron Public Schools’ Board of Education meeting Monday night to defend the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, amid an efforts from the Trump administration to threaten federal funding for schools with DEI policies.
Meanwhile, the board of ed pushed back any final decisions on repealing DEI policies, or creating new positions to replace those the school district administration says it's cutting to avoid the ire of the federal government. Board Member Barbara Sykes noted Board Vice President Bruce Alexander and Board Members Summer Hall and Gregory Harrison have family members who are employees of the DEI office and, as a result, would need to abstain from voting or discussing the matters.
"It is not enough to simply abstain to abstain from the issue when a family member is involved but we need to recuse ourselves," Sykes said.
That led to the resolutions being sent to future committee meetings for consideration, with any board members with conflicts not permitted to discuss or vote during them.
During the public comment period before that decision, Akron community members urged the school district to consider its commitment to students of color and other marginalized groups before eliminating the district's DEI initiatives. The letter from the U.S. Department of Education issued to schools on Feb. 14 gives schools 14 days to comply, although some attorneys have challenged the legality of the directive.
Former board president N.J. Akbar pushed back against the allegation in the letter that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts privilege certain groups over others. He helped form the district’s racial equity policy several year ago, which the board is considering rescinding.
"We deserve, as citizens of this city, for you to be careful, to be thoughtful, to be deliberate, and to be transparent, and most of all, to include the public's input in your process," Akbar said. "There is absolutely no excellence without access, without diversity, equity, and inclusion. There's absolutely no excellence if you're not paying attention intentionally to where our students fall through the cracks."
The district asked the board Monday to create two new positions, including a new one to replace the district's chief diversity officer; that move was also postponed by the board.
"The superintendent and the board continue to work through the directive received from President Trump's administration with a laser sharp focus on how to best serve the 20,000 scholars in our district without jeopardizing $85M in federal funding," spokesperson Stacey Hodoh said in a statement Monday. "There is no playbook for this. We will continue to prioritize the humanitarian work that our students, families, and educators deserve."
William Reynolds, an Akron parent and member of the activist group The Freedom BLOC, said many are mistaken about the true purpose of DEI initiatives.
"It was about recognizing the barriers that exist for many children, barriers rooted in race, economic status, and historical injustices, and ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the resources and opportunities to succeed," he said. "Repealing DEI sends a dangerous message that equity is expendable, that inclusion is optional, and that diversity is a burden rather than a strength."
