When the Idaho State Board of Education meets at the end of August, they will not consider a draft policy defining the terms diversity, educational equity and inclusion at the state’s four-year institutions, as was originally planned. The board says they will instead wait until their meeting in October, to as they want to allow time for input from the public.
Since the draft policy was first discussed at a special Board meeting in late June, the board has received only about a dozen comments from the public. A release written by Kurt Liebich, President, Idaho State Board of Education says:
The State Board of Education wants to ensure that all people from all backgrounds and political ideologies feel welcome and that they belong on our public campuses. In short, we want to be sure that all voices are heard, and that freedom of expression is valued and encouraged.
The release goes on to say, there has been a significant amount of debate in recent months around the merits of our diversity, educational equity and inclusion efforts. We must work from a place of common definitions and understanding if we are to move our state forward. Like our public K-12 schools, our public higher education system belongs to, and must serve all people of Idaho. I encourage you to read the draft policy, draw your own conclusions and let us know what you think.
You can view the draft policy by clicking HERE, and submit comments by emailing “[email protected]”
