Exploring Dirversity, Equity and Inclusion

Exploring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Mary Torres, TASPA Program Director

This June, I joined TASPA as the Program Director and have been delighted and proud to see many sessions focused on Equity at our Summer and Winter Conferences. Prior to working at TASPA, I had the great opportunity to serve as the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at a school in Dallas, TX. As the first Director of DEI at this school, I had many experiences and was part of the process of building this role and program from the ground up. More and more, school districts are finding that they need to be intentional about growing, embracing and teaching our students to celebrate diversity. However, alongside celebrating diversity comes the courage to learn about racism and inequities in society. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion should be intertwined with all aspects of school, including Human Resources, Curriculum, Professional Development, Parent Education, Communication and Marketing, etc. Taking the time to build a strong program through a lot of learning and reflecting will help the work continue to grow and be sustained for many years to come.

WHERE TO BEGIN

So, where to begin? Part of the process in building a sustainable program is to create a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mission Statement. This statement will be the backbone of all the work you decide to do in the future revolving around all aspects of DEI. The DEI Mission Statement will be your WHY and will guide you in your journey in regards to students, faculty/staff and programs. Your mission statement can be created by committees that involve all constituents and should include ALL perspectives on diversity, equity and inclusion work. An integral part of DEI work is providing professional development for faculty and staff so they can be prepared to teach and support our students. There are many professional learning opportunities that cover various topics. Some topics to consider are racial literacy, implicit bias, stereotypes and culturally diverse literature. There are many books that cover these topics that can be a great way to begin the conversation. Our journey begins with self-reflection, personal growth and conversations with each other on our own experiences with diversity, equity and inclusion. By practicing these conversations with each other, we are better prepared to have conversations with our community and students. Identity work is also a way to start the process of getting to know yourself, your history and reflect

on the identity of others. To build a strong selfidentity, we must first reflect on our own experiences and how our environment, culture and upbringing affected our development. Learning about implicit bias and stereotypes is key in accepting how we think and interact with those around us. Professional learning equips our faculty and staff with the tools and knowledge to better develop curriculum that supports and helps facilitate culturally sensitive conversations. These practices will create opportunities for faculty and staff, along with students, to become stewards for positive change. How can we begin this conversation with children that creates positive feelings and a sense of joy around learning about others? We can start small and still make a large impact! Children’s literature is a wonderful place to start. Faculty should practice being intentional about integrating culturally diverse and sensitive literature into their everyday read alouds, classroom libraries and library selections. Books should be “windows and mirrors,” so children may see into the lives of others and see themselves. Through reading diverse literature, students can discuss and ask questions they may not have considered previously. From Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, teachers can select ageappropriate stories and books to celebrate differences and similarities, as well as diversity in culture, race, religion, abilities, and socio-economic statuses.

COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY

Another key area to consider is how you communicate your school district’s ideas and plan to the larger community. Establishing common vocabulary among all areas of your school is imperative to communicate clearly so that there are no misunderstandings. These topics are discussed throughout the media, words are used in a variety of ways and can cause confusion among the community. Consider sharing a common vocabulary reference tool so that faculty, staff, students and parents can refer to it when they are unsure of what is meant by certain words. Along with communication to parents about what your school district has planned, you can also use this opportunity to engage parents in the process. Creating committees and receiving parent feedback about their own experiences in school can give great insight into what it feels like to be a part of the community. Does everyone feel like they are not just included, but that they BELONG in the community? Educating parents around the goals of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion can help create a seamless message from school to home.

Creating equitable hiring practices will also contribute to reaching your school district’s goals on attaining a more diverse faculty and staff that reflects the world around us and creating an inclusive environment for all. Take time to review your school district’s hiring process and whether that process aids in the recruitment, selection and retention of diverse individuals in Pk-12. There are many great professional learning opportunities that can help your Human Resources department learn and grow in this area. TASPA’s upcoming Winter Conference will feature sessions on this topic presented by professionals from around the state. AASPA (American Association of School Personnel Administrators) is holding a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit, April 28-29, 2022 in Chicago, IL In this summit, you will learn about bridging the gap between a diverse workforce and one that is inclusive; new and best practices for diversity recruitment; information that may be shared with school boards and communities regarding diversity, equity and inclusion; and strategies to increase retention of diverse employees. We continue to strive to build and sustain inclusive environments for ALL students, faculty, staff and parents. The actions that school districts take, as mentioned above, will help build inclusive communities that celebrate all individuals, their uniqueness and create a sense of belonging for everyone. At TASPA, we are committed to providing professional learning, support and to develop new and engaging ways that will help Texas public schools infuse the important and ongoing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work across our great state. If you are interested in sharing your ideas and how your school district is moving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work forward, consider submitting a proposal to present at one of our conferences, or contribute an article for our quarterly newsletter. For newsletter submissions, please contact Chandelle Crane at ccrane@taspa.org.