Survey: Stakeholders want to work on equity, inclusion

Report finds mental health resources lacking, more feeling stressed

EAST LYME — Findings from a root cause equity analysis conducted by the Equity Institute showed that stakeholders in East Lyme Public Schools are ready for change, and prepared to put in the work necessary to achieve equity and inclusion.

Findings were presented to the Board of Education at the Sept. 13 meeting by Equity Institute CEO Karla Vigil and partners Kaitlin Moran and Katya Rodriguez, according to the audio recording. While the 72page report dove into details and experiences of stakeholders, the presentation focused on major findings and recommendations.

The findings

Issues the team discovered during their research included students and staff experiencing stress when trying to succeed in a highachieving district, a desire for trade and technical education classes, and the seemingly overidentification of students of color receiving special education services.

Other problem areas cited are students with health impairments or financial hardships facing obstacles in the district, a lack of staff diversity, and female students feeling unsafe and harassed by sexist comments.

The survey was conducted from March to July by the Equity Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Rhode Island that works with institutions to develop and implement innovative solutions for building more equitable, diverse and inclusive learning environments, according to its website.

Vigil said that 2,300 stakeholders, composed of students in grades 3 through 12, alumni, faculty, staff, board members, families, teachers and principals, took part in the survey. This response level was typical with what the organization had seen with other districts, however, this was one of the highest responses they have seen, especially from students.

Then the organization conducted focus groups and interviews. Of the over 140 stakeholders invited to participate, 41 responded. Five principals and three Board of Education members took part in the interviews.

‘Deep value’ in the district

Results focused on three domains, with the first two focused on school and classroom practices, and the third on district-wide practices.

“The vast majority of stakeholders in the East Lyme community found deep value in the school district and the work,” Moran said when presenting the results, according to the recording. “Their positive experience rested on the academic preparation that the school district provides, or provided for them.”

Moran said the survey found that those in power were inconsistent on addressing current events. She said the wavering back and forth makes stakeholders feel unclear on the district’s strategic plan and mission.

In the report, stakeholder groups said staff members and school leaders avoided conversations related to race, equity and social justice.

“That’s an example of what not to do, and the answer isn’t to look away or pretend it didn’t happen, or a slap on the wrist, and I don’t mean throw them to the wolves, but it’s a learning experience, and learning moment to teach kids and to teach your community this is not the right thing to do,” an unidentified board member said.

The Equity Institute redacted the names of participating stakeholders.

Mental health

Findings showed that students and staff faced a high level of stress, and want the district to invest in mental health, something the Equity Institute said could possibly be done at the high school level since the district is reevaluating its portrait of a graduate.

Board member Catherine Steel asked if the stress was because of the pandemic or diversity work — or just in general. Moran replied that alumni from as far back as a decade ago, as well as more recent alums, indicated it was present then, and not unique to the past year and a half.

At the classroom level, stakeholders want more trade and technical education classes for students who are interested in following an alternative route instead of attending college.

“People think of us as having pretty good academic outcomes, but we definitely have students that we miss. We don’t have all that many like technical job training types of opportunities,” one teacher said in a focus group.

Another perception, which the Equity Institute could not support or refute, because they don’t do statistical work, was an overidentification of Black, Indigenous and other students of color receiving special education services.

The perception is problematic, according to Moran, and the organization recommended a curriculum audit, statistical analysis, and gathering feedback from students and staff to see if the special education population is dissimilar to the district population, which is mostly white.

Moran said that since the district is mostly white, there is an expectation that special education services would reflect that.

After conducting the district-wide analysis, it became clear that stakeholders want the district to diversify its staff and leaders. This can be done by actively recruiting teachers outside of Eastern Connecticut and by creating an environment where teachers of color can thrive, according to the recommendations.

Sexist comments

Another finding was that female students often feel unsafe or harassed by sexist comments. The report states that middle and high school students cited to the dress code policy.

“Students reported getting yelled at or being sexually harassed for their clothing choices with little consequences for the people doing the yelling or sexual harassment,” the report said.

Female students also reported feeling unsafe after boys made rude or inappropriate comments that were not addressed, according to a middle school student.