State school board takes aim at racial bias

The Ohio Board of Education condemned hate speech and racism in schools, directing the Department of Education on Tuesday to review state curriculum models and tests for racial bias and recommend ways to “ensure that racism and the struggle for equality are accurately addressed.”

The resolution, approved by a vote of 12-5, “strongly recommends that all Ohio school districts begin a reflection and internal examination of their own involving teachers, parents, students and community to review curriculum; hiring practices; discipline strategies, suspension and expulsions; classroom resources including text books; and professional development.”

It also requires bias training for Department of Education employees.

The resolution by board President Laura Kohler follows the May 25 killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, while in the custody of Minneapolis police. Floyd’s death and others of Black Americans at the hands of police sparked demonstrations in Ohio and across the country.

“We must confront our own bias. We must learn about how racism impacts society and how to recognize and eliminate racism perhaps even in our own hearts,” Kohler, of New Albany, told colleagues at the board’s monthly meeting, calling the resolution among the most important of her tenure.

“We must begin to understand people who have experienced things that we have not. We must recognize the humanity in each of us, and affirm that each child is equally important and deserves an equal opportunity to thrive.”

In its resolution, “the state Board of Education condemns, in the strongest possible terms, white supremacy ideology, hate speech, hate crimes and violence in the service of hatred. These immoral ideologies and actions deserve no place in our country, state and school system.

“The starting point of our work in racial equity must be reflection and internal examination, whereby the board will look for ways to engage our members in open and courageous conversations on racism and, inequity.”

The resolution cites several inequities, including: Black male students lagging behind their white counterparts in graduation rates and other measures; Black male students disproportionately affected by suspensions, expulsions and zero-tolerance discipline policies; and “systemic inequity in education has relegated millions of children of color to under-resourced, struggling schools; and significant gaps between the performance of Black students compared to their white peers exist even in generously resourced schools.”

In response to objections by some members, the board agreed to drop from the resolution references to “white privilege” and “white supremacy.”

Kohler said Ohio’s 1.7 million students, particularly those living in poverty and students of color, are at a disadvantage because they do not have equal access to resources like internet access and textbooks.

“But Black students often face another, more insidious obstacle to success,” Kohler said. “The long lasting and still present effects of our country’s history of slavery, oppression and exclusion have created barriers to access, opportunity and outcomes . ...

“Generational poverty and the absence of two parent families have depressed Black student’s educational attainment. In addition, some of the people and systems assigned to lift them up have let them down because of their own bias and racism. Is it any wonder that Black students are less likely to perform as well as their white peers? That they are less likely to graduate? That they are less likely to be engaged in fulfilling, meaningful and enjoyable work that earns a living wage?” ccandisky@dispatch.com @ccandisky