Shelburne Community School
By Reagan Reese
The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) opened an investigation into a Vermont school district that allegedly created race-based student groups, according to a Friday letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Parents Defending Education (PDE), a group focused on parental rights, filed a civil rights complaint against Shelburne Community School in January for allegedly creating exclusive groups specifically for students and staff who were Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). The OCR notified PDE in a letter that it would be opening an investigation into the school district, Champlain Valley School District, on Friday.
“Creating BIPOC affinity groups for third graders fosters animosity between young children of differing races,” Caroline Moore, vice president of PDE, told the DCNF. “One can only hope an investigation by a federal agency will give Shelburne Community Schools the reality check they need to cease rogue and discriminatory affinity groups and, instead, create clubs that mirror and unify students over common interests, which is the purpose of affinity groups.”
Shelburne Community School allegedly created an “opt-in racial affinity group” for third through eighth grade students “identifying as Black, Indigenous, or people of color,” the January complaint stated. To sign their children up for the affinity group, parents were encouraged to contact the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion coach, according to a school newsletter obtained by PDE.
The OCR has documented a record number of discrimination complaints across the nation’s schools in the past year; from October 2021 to September 2022, the number of complaints almost doubled from the year prior, with nearly 19,000 filed. Most of the complaints the OCR fields pertain to disabilities, race and sex.
Champlain Valley School District did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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This is going on everywhere. In Burlington schools they have BIPOC happy hour gatherings organized by their DEI department. These can only be attended by non-white faculty and staff. It’s a regular, divisive occurrence that tax dollars fund but taxpayers don’t know about.
In Burlington EVERY city employee was mandated to attend several DEI workshops based on skin color.
Inclusive to me is like a coexist bumper sticker on a Prius, everything is opposite of what they say and they call you a bad person if you disagree.
I think it’s okay to create groups like this for individual study of culture and maybe even safe spaces after school for those involved. Maybe a required presentation at the end of semester to the students body would be good thing too to show the rock they’ve done and share what everyone learned and maybe v-even have the orientations all in the same week, one a day or all in one day depending on the school size and time requirements.
Why shouldn’t native Americans be able to from a group to study their culture, past and present together or black Americans or any group of people of similar interest and back ground. We have chess clubs, weight lifting clubs and track and field clubs that are voluntary and attract only those kids who have an interest in these things. I don’t see this as any different.
The comments here so far aren’t very thoughtful at all and reflect more of a common place reactionary response full of divisive language and dogma than anything thoughtful helpful. I also think it’s important to remember that an investigation of anything is not and indictment of anything or anyone and rushing to a judgment before the work is done is usually a mistake with any issue. Sometimes when you look into things you find out everything is okay or just a couple of things need a change and the rest is okay or the whole program doesn’t work well. As of now we don’t know anything but the slim presentation made in the press who just love to get everyone riled up so they can sell more add copy. Why not let this go forward and everyone take breath and be helpful instead of acting as if we all know the truth already and have all the facts and anyone who doesn’t agree with us is wrong and presuming it’s what they think it will before we know anything? I just posted my thoughts and I’m prepared to find out that I might be wrong. Why can’t everyone be like that and just wait for the information to come out and then determine what we should do based on the evidence and put our feelings and biases aside until then?
I believe the issue is more that these groups are “only” for Native Americans, blacks or whatever otherwise, the DOEOCR wouldn’t be involved.
If these groups are inclusionary and “open to all”, then I would agree with you.
Would you think it was okay if it were groups for teachers and students of Caucasian/ European ancestry only? I would be willing to bet you wouldn’t.
As Morgan Freeman famously said:
“If you want to stop Racism, then STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!
I’ll stop calling you a white man if you stop calling me a black man.”
Morgan Freeman and Mike Wallace on Black History Month & Racism Bigotry & Bias.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npex5-nhD9I
John:
First of all, some comments on this site are hard to stomach. It’s best to take note from whom the worse come and not read them. I’ve been there.
It’s also best to be open-minded about sincere concerns.
In Burlington EVERY city employee was mandated to attend several DEI workshops based on skin color. Some appreciated them, some hated them.
Government sponsored political groups divided by identity should be unlawful, if they aren’t already.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with identity groups forming to learn about their history or whatever. They should not be force-fed by the government. Well, not by identity separation anyway.
I’ve been to many public gatherings based on identity and customs. They’re great. I would be greatly upset if they were forced, by skin color, ethnicity, gender – you know all those federally protected categories – -on my children.
It’s nice to see other conservative-minded Vermonters in discussion here. I live in an extremely liberal small town.
How can we connect with other independents / conservatives?! I seem to only meet liberals and it seems that we can hardly relate anymore.
This is another attempt by the powers and the REAL racist in the state government, to include the teachers and all you “woke ” fools to again discriminate against a group.
Pay attention.
They go by these dog whistle code words to do two things. One to separate non whites from whites. Two to WATCH and “reeducate” those same people to be more compliant, ignorant and docile. I am glad someone is standing up for the white kids who are feeling like they did something wrong for just being born. What you folks don’t know is as much as I may spout off about blacks being treated differently i am just as upset over this happening to whites. Why, Cause I am half white always have been. Hell I am actually related to a large portion of Vermont because of my very white mother, God bless her soul.
Great post, Shannon.
Just one more reason to remove the federal overlord of education. They could find more abuse of segregation thru federal policies then they’ll find in local education. Like what was proved by Musk at twitter a business or government can run more smoothly by cutting out unneeded chaff. Dept of ed should be the first in long line of gov agency’s to culled from the over bloated over reaching government payrolls.
FYI, Vermont School Board Association is doing the same thing……
Here is the truth about D.E.I….It astounds me that Liberals are so brainwashed, not to be able to see who they are really are…and what they really do. Buy hey, it’s VT – and VT is full of indoctrinated silly people.
““Diversity is no longer a term to describe the breadth of our differences but a demand to flatter and grant privileges to purportedly oppressed identity groups. Equity assigns desirable positions based on race, sex and sexual orientation rather than character, competence and merit. Inclusion now means creating a social environment where identity groups are celebrated while those who disagree are maligned. ….“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”—the compound form of these modern concepts—is especially toxic. It divides us by social identity groups, ranks those groups on privilege and power, and excludes those who fail to honor the new orthodoxy.”
I agree.
well said
Exactly Jeffrey.