In a series of proposed changes that has generated wide community discussion, the Board of Education is poised this week to replace language around diversity, equity and inclusion or “DEI” in the school district’s goals.
Board members agreed at their most recent meeting that the following sentences rightly should be added to a draft version of the goals that the elected body has been discussing since July:
NCPS [New Canaan Public Schools] will strive to deepen students’ understanding of a range of differences among people. NCPS will work to foster empathy and respect for all and to celebrate the unique and varied contributions each of us makes.
Yet the Board of Ed is divided on a third proposed sentence for the goals:
In this regard, NCPS will seek independent expertise, research and develop next steps to advance this initiative.
Four Board members—Secretary Dan Bennett, Julie Toal, Hugo Alves and Phil Hogan—objected to the word ‘expertise,’ saying they were against hiring an outside consultant to assess New Canaan Public Schools and make recommendations.
They stopped short of saying that New Canaan’s lack of diversity is not a problem for the public schools. They said that such a consultant likely would already have a packaged program ready for a district such as New Canaan’s, that the Board should await the results of a “school climate survey,” that the Board should do more of its own research first before such language is written into the district’s goals, that hiring a consultant could start the Board down a road where it could be difficult to stop and that such messages could simply be conveyed to students by their teachers.
“I think the concern with that step is, once we seek the expert advice, what are the probabilities that we decide to accept whatever this person says?” Hogan said during the Aug. 22 meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “Once we get started on this path, I think it’s going to be hard to ever stop it, and I am reluctant to outsource such a huge decision for so many kids in the school district to one expert who has maybe never even set foot in this community.”
Bennett said he did not have confidence that the Board could “find someone who I think has the type of balanced discussion that we want to be having and is not already far down the road on what is away from what we are doing here, what is a cottage industry at the higher education level. We are trying to tackle it ground up and that’s constructive. Let’s just say I’m not as big a believer in ‘experts’ as others.”
Bennett added, “I would definitely not be an advocate to go try and find some DEI expert to come here and try to kind of explain whatever the most current thing is. If we want to spend the time defining some of these terms and understanding how we want them implemented in the school, I think that’s OK. But I don’t know that spending money on a consultant, an expert consultant, is necessarily a good use of resources and I don’t know that it would generate the level of nuance at the local level that we’re targeting.”
Board of Ed Chair Katrina Parkhill, Vice Chair Brendan Hayes and members Erica Schwedel and Penny Rashin said they were comfortable leaving in the word ‘expertise.’ (Board member Bob Naughton was absent.)
Rashin said, “The way this initiative was always envisioned by the Board—this Board is a new board, this Board could decide they want to do something different—but it was always envisioned that we would learn about this. We saw that there was a hole in our education. We don’t know how big it is, but it’s there. It’s persistent. It’s a little bit more than giving teachers a statement, because we’ve always told teachers to nurture students, but yet we hear we’re not doing as good a job as we should to prepare our graduates to enter the world. So we want to learn more about it, and over future years take more steps as we become comfortable about them. So I don’t think it’s a statement and just move on. It’s always been seen as a process.”
Hayes said it didn’t make sense for the Board to decide preemptively that it didn’t want to hear from an expert.
“We are trying to do something that is meaningful, that addresses a serious issue,” he said. “And we’re saying, ‘Well we don’t want to hear from people about their expert views.’ We can choose five [experts], we can choose 30, we can do it for the next 24, 36 months. But to make a decision today that we don’t want to hear from experts regardless of who they may be—and there may be some people who consider themselves experts who we want to hear from who say, ‘None of this stuff works, so don’t do any of it,’ maybe that’s the case. Maybe there’s somebody out there like that. I’m sure there is. Any of those people can come here. We can hear from them and we can make a decision as to what we want to do. Why today we would want to make a decision to not get expert advice, I just don’t understand why we’d ever make that call.”
Members of the school board couldn’t agree on the right language, and scheduled a meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday at New Canaan High School in order to discuss further and possibly take a final vote.
The Board of Ed reviews district goals each summer, typically making changes.
Two years ago, following a summer where NCPS alumni addressed the Board multiple times regarding shortcomings in the district with respect to diversity and inclusion, and post-New Canaan consequences for them, the Board approved the following language under Goal #4, (parts of it tweaked in 2021):
“Understand and communicate efforts to expand and increase educational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the district, with a long-term focus on identifying and remedying gaps and strengthening ongoing efforts.
a. Collaboratively initiate a process, facilitated by a DEI content expert, to develop a district-wide statement along with long- and short-term DEI goals.
b. Continue to provide professional development for faculty and staff focused on increasing awareness of issues of equity, improving cultural humility, and increasing culturally proficient and responsive educational practices.
c. Highlight existing educational opportunities available to students and, with student input, develop plans that are focused on increasing sensitivity towards issues of equity, diversity and inclusion and preparing them as global citizens.
d. Continue partnering with community agencies and experts to develop and/or offer parent education on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
e. Continue to provide students with culturally responsive learning experiences and expand the implementation of culturally responsive literature across the curriculum. NCPS District Goals & Objectives 2020-2021
f. Present update on Social Studies curriculum, including efforts to expand content in alignment with K-12 Social Studies Standards.”
The Board at the time voted 8-1 in favor of the revised goals, with proponents of the changes among both Democrats and Republicans.
Yet for more than one year after that vote, the elected body did not advance the goal around DEI, either during the 2020-21 school year or at the start of the 2021-22 school year.
Though the Board of Ed was largely remade during the municipal election last fall, its makeup in terms of party representation hasn’t changed. It has been reviewing the district’s goals through two meetings (July 18 and Aug. 22) and a workshop (held just before the Aug. 22 regular meeting).
References to DEI were removed from the Board’s working draft following a discussion at the July 18 meeting—for example, objective (b) above became objective (d) as written below. Under a draft shared at the Aug. 22 meeting, a rewritten Goal #4 now reads:
“Continuously strengthen all schools and classroom communities to ensure every student feels safe, connected and engaged in inclusive, respectful and supportive learning environments.
a. Continue providing professional development for faculty and staff focused on raising cultural awareness and enhancing culturally proficient and responsive educational approaches.
b. Continue partnering with community agencies and experts to develop and/or offer parent education on issues impacting our students, families and schools.
c. Research and consider participation in the Open Choice Enrollment Program managed through CES.
d. Research and consideration participation in the Teacher Residency Program managed through CES.
e. Continue to provide students with culturally responsive learning experiences while expanding the implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy.”
During that July meeting, Toal said that the term ‘DEI’ had become “politicized.”
“Is there a way to rephrase this and use words like ‘empathy’ and ‘diversity of background and thought’? Just to kind of depoliticize the schools and the goals.”
Bennett said that what DEI entails in 2022 “is maybe different from where it was two years ago or four years ago.”
“And I think within some of those concepts you have some really good things and then you can also get to some really pernicious things,” he said. “And I think we should have those discussions so that we are as a Board clear about what we’re saying, ‘These are important things that we want as part of the school system.’ And make sure that we are not including things that the community is not supportive of.”
Schwedel said, “I do think the words really matter here and as we talk about this and as we re-craft the language that we want to use, I think we as a Board need to get away from using the term ‘DEI’ for that reason and decide what we call this objective. Is it valuing differences? Is it inclusiveness? But make sure the words that we use, not just in this document, but then externally also reflect the work we actually want to do.”
Members of the public voiced concerns about the changes at the Aug. 22 Board meeting, saying that DEI has been misconstrued with ‘Critical Race Theory,’ that removing DEI works against the basic mission of any educational institution, that the curriculum at NCHS currently has significant gaps, that DEI covers many areas including special education and that failing to implement a DEI initiative will harm the district’s rating and reputation.
Monica Chimera said she’d watched the July Board meeting and was “a little bit disturbed about some of the misinformation that some of us are operating from.”
“I think ‘diversity,’ ‘equity,’ ‘inclusion’—on their own, these words are innocuous,” Chimera said. “It’s political talking points and media soundbites that make them more political than they really are.”
She added, “I don’t know what everyone’s background is, but if more than three-quarters of you are not POC, why are you making decisions that affect us without consulting us? Nothing about us without us. When I want to know about autism, I go talk to autistic kids or parents, or people who have the skill set and the expertise. I don’t know—apart from seeing women on this Board—I don’t know that that exists here. So I just want to know why you are making these decisions to stamp out this curriculum in its entirety without even consulting the people that it’s going to directly affect.”
Lauren Nussbaum said, “Why are we moving backwards? Why have we removed the language that 800 alumni, parents of alumni, current parents and current students and grandparents signed on to say this must be a priority? We are not moving backwards. I implore you. We must move forwards.”
Fatou Niang said that DEI is “not a scary thing.”
“It’s a continuity of what New Canaan has promised to its students,” Niang said.
She added, “We have an issue in New Canaan. We need to address the issue. We need to address it to our community. We need to address it to our students. And from the time I moved to this town, which was 17 years ago, New Canaan has always been the ground for excellence by listening to people who know better than we do. By learning from people who have done the work and gotten results better than what we have. That’s how we have improved ourselves. That’s how we have been serving our students. We have to remember why we are here—this is for the students, not the discomfort of the adults in the room.”
An online petition launched last week, “Keep DEI in NCPS District Goals,” has garnered about 900 digital signatures.
A balanced and thorough article, providing enough context to challenge the presumptions of hyper partisanship, caricatures, and quickness to outrage that some have responded with. Showing this is not solely a partisan issue, Erica Schwedel raises a thoughtful point in saying, “I do think the words really matter here and as we talk about this and as we re-craft the language that we want to use, I think we as a Board need to get away from using the term ‘DEI’ for that reason and decide what we call this objective. Is it valuing differences? Is it inclusiveness?” The questions she poses are largely answered in the language that has already been supported by all BOE members: “NCPS [New Canaan Public Schools] will strive to deepen students’ understanding of a range of differences among people. NCPS will work to foster empathy and respect for all and to celebrate the unique and varied contributions each of us makes.” That goal, along with some decent parenting, goes a long way.
Well said James!
Mike, Thank you very much for the article. You obviously watched this meeting, likely numerous times, and apparently saw what many apparently have not. The BOE is NOT attempting to remove all “DEI” initiatives (Goal #4 has not been removed), despite what recent comments would lead you to believe. I encourage people to take the time to watch the meeting and discussion instead of residing in a bubble of moral outrage. You are not contributing to a constructive path forward for our children if you are unwilling to be fully informed.
Why, at this time, in this politicized time, with this highly politicized RTC and BOE even bother with changing the DEI initiatives AT ALL if NOT to upset the system.
This BOE at THIS time was elected to do just this.
Please do not stand there and attempt to duck, cover and manipulate why this is being done or to pretend it is insignificant and inconsequential.
There may be much to be done regarding Math and Science to secure our top footing, but my guess is DEI issues could likely have waited another few years,
We are fully informed.
The term DEI has become a political lightening rod for many who have different interpretations of what it entails. However, no matter what your political affiliation, or leaning, people are allowed to have opinions and concerns about how and what their children are taught. These concerns should be understood and respected just as DEI advocates should be heard in an open and objective forum. Those who support DEI initiatives (in whatever form that may take) are not instantly vilified for politicizing our education simply because they have a different view. This does not move us forward and only divides us further.
Furthermore, as a new member of the RTC I can assure you that I have not heard of a secret political agenda to take over our schools or some strategy to push a national agenda on our town (of course as a minority maybe they are doing it after I leave the room, although I have to say the Vice Chairman of the RTC is also a minority so these conspirators must really be burning the midnight oil). Frankly, talk of national politics seldom enters our conversations and members of the RTC likely have differing opinions on many national issues. So, I can tell you, despite your assumptions and accusations that I do not see this as a political issue, just differing opinions on how to best educate and raise our children. It is quite simply only a political issue because you choose to make it so. As the saying goes from our childhoods “He who Smelt it, Dealt it”.
As for being fully informed. I was trying to give commentors the benefit of the doubt in their claims that the DEI initiative is simply being removed from BOE goals. If you have truly watched and heard the BOE discussion and continue to make that claim, then you are at best misleading and intellectually dishonest. Again, Goal #4 very much still exists and although we can debate the points, as the BOE has, any claim that this initiative has been removed is factually false.
Let’s try and do better for our kids and show them that accusations and finger pointing is no way to solve problems.
I appreciate your effort to seem reasonable, and I do think reasonableness is what Erica is trying to promote with her statement. However, BOE goals should be about more than platitudes. It’s all well and fine to say we can all agree its good to be nice people and to welcome each other and our differences. But in order to address a weakness, and truly strive to be better, it’s important to include action steps as well. Erica also backed that approach by expressing support for language about the district seeking expert advice around improving NCPS’ efforts in this area . What so many of us object to is the attitude expressed by Dan Bennet when he said “I would rather agree to the first two sentences and then you know pump it out to teachers, have them remind the kids of this and we’re good to go”. There are a huge number of people in New Canaan who feel that addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion requires way more time and thoughtfulness than that. We don’t all agree on exactly what the initiative should be, but we do agree it’s important to learn more about how to effectively address this subject in New Canaan. Dan Bennett, Phil Hogan, and Julie Toal refuse to address the concerns of a very large group of parents, students, and community members and instead, along with you, have signed onto the following not so “reasonable” or “non-partisan” message from the RTC:
Dear New Canaan Republicans,
The New Canaan RTC, like most of you, is appalled with the video of Cos Cob School Assistant Principal boasting of his discriminatory and politically motivated hiring practices. This on the same day when the CT Commissioner of Education announced that only 4 in 10 elementary and middle school students met proficiency standards in math in 2021; 89% of our 195 school districts regressed last year.
ENOUGH.
We have known for too long that the focus of our schools has moved far afield from the academic rigor we need them to provide, and instead become incubators of divisive politics and radically progressive agendas.
It is time to shine light on our school administrators and get CRT, DEI and party politics out of our schools. Bravo to our own BOE for their laser focus on achieving a best in class education for New Canaan’s kids. All of Connecticut deserves the same.
We need all Republicans to come and support our #NewCanaanBOE as they stand strong in defense of our students and curriculum. Join them at the next BOE meeting this Wednesday 9/7, 7pm at NCHS.
Sincerely,
Members of the New Canaan RTC
Sorry- I should clarify that this is in response to James Basche, not The Newcanaanite article.
Yes, the RTC made a political statement. Shocking, I know. Having become a member of the RTC in the last month I will try to maintain my heretofore vice-like grip of all communications going forward. The DTC and Row A for the BOE never made anything but open-minded, thoughtful statements, so it would be impossible for you to “co-sign” such things as calling most of the Republican candidates in the last election “vile, horrible, Q-Anon adjacent people” (words of your former DTC chair) or conflating them with January 6th rioters as the DTC has. How about just owning that this whole subject is ripe for being completely taken out of context, and examining why instead of presuming someone is morally deficient if they have a different viewpoint than you? Some of that may actually be based on valid assumptions from their own life. Such as many, if not most, of DEI “experts” seem to have a politicized agenda far different than what is constructive for any child that doesn’t fully understand nuance or is able to think critically and challenge presumptions because they are too young. A couple of examples from neighboring towns: 1) Darien’s DEI expert (hired for $45,000 of taxpayer money) wrote an essay titled “Grading is Racist, Capitalist, and Exploitative.” Seems a bit extreme, no? 2) Here’s Fairfield’s DEI expert’s “signing off” on white people: https://www.ctinsider.com/fairfield/article/Fairfield-Schools-diversity-director-called-17351811.php. Now someone can say, that there’s some expert out that doesn’t have a politicized agenda and we need to hire that person. To which I would respond that the agreed upon statement below from all BOE members, along with hoped for decent parenting, and well over $100 million in total taxpayer funding to the BOE (including psychologists, school counselors, and social workers capable of implementing any needed changes from a school climate survey) annually should do the trick.
“NCPS [New Canaan Public Schools] will strive to deepen students’ understanding of a range of differences among people. NCPS will work to foster empathy and respect for all and to celebrate the unique and varied contributions each of us makes.”
James- that’s a seriously outsized reaction. A personal post from the former head of the DTC 2 years ago has nothing to do with me. Every time you try to sound like a reasonable moderate I will call you on it. And I’m sure you will squeal every time too.
Jenn, just sticking to facts — which I know is not your strong suit — the Facebook post from the DTC Chair was around a year ago (not 2 years ag0) and James Yao and I were not part of the email distribution you referenced, though I think it had a lot of valid points.
As for my stances on things, whether it be keeping spending under control, unmasking kids, better school start times for all kids instead of just some, local control, etc., I could truly care less what your reaction is other than to serve as a guidepost for how the left wing thinks about an issue. Please do call me out. I look forward to it…along with squealing more, whatever that means.
James, what the former DTC president said in her Facebook post last summer was absolutely unhinged. I was repulsed and embarrassed by it, as was everyone I know, regardless of their political leanings. But if we’re going to start dredging up offensive statements made in the name of hyperpartisanship in this town, I think we’d HAVE to mention the racist letter delivered in the middle of the night to peoples’ mailboxes last fall, right? That was a pretty low moment for rational thought in this town, right?
That whole election cycle felt so rabid and inelegant, it turned me back into an unaffiliated voter.
It would better serve our community to acknowledge the fact that the very hyper-partisanship you claim to wish to keep out of the schools has infected every single corner of this town, including the faux-moderateness of your comment above. It’s fine to be a profligate, daily flag carrier for either side, but let’s please not try and convince anyone that it comes from a neutral or emotionless place. Nobody in this town is foolish enough to think that the DEI conversation is neutral, rational, or evidence-based. It’s just the latest local rejection of expertise, because, being rich people, we just *know* better. Sure seems straight out of the MAGA playbook to me.
James B: The issue is not that the RTC issued a political statement, but that the tone and timing of the statement were clearly geared to divide and politicize our BOE. The majority of our town does not want to see partisanship in our BOE, while the Sept 2 mailer promotes it.
How is our BOE supposed to work collaboratively and productively together when, one week into the school year, the RTC is commanding its members to “stand strong” against things?
If I was one of the Republican members of the BOE, I would be taking the RTC to task for diluting my ability to work productively with my peers and I would be asking them to please stay out of BOE deliberations. Mr. Butterfield was correct in saying that the RNC mailer has inadvertently poisoned the well about some Republican members’ priorities and motivations.
At the end of the day parents want compromise and a functioning, collaborative BOE. The RTC mailer did not move us closer to the goal.
Ms. Nagle, It looks like you might not be aware that three BOE members are also on the RTC – Mr. Bennett, Mr. Hogan and Ms. Toal.
The Board of Education’s debate over DEI (diversity, education, and inclusion) has sparked concern that the dark hyper-partisanship of national politics has infected Town government, making it impossible to come together to resolve important problems. I don’t believe that.
While Republican and Democrat BOE members have taken different sides on a proposal to seek advice from DEI experts, they all agree on the following words that should make all of us proud: “NCPS will strive to deepen students’ understanding of a range of differences among people. NCPS will work to foster empathy and respect for all and to celebrate the unique and varied contributions each of us makes.”
The BOE is entirely capable of navigating the next steps–identifying specific deficits and developing a plan to correct what can be corrected without undermining what works in our schools. All it will take is for members to accept the “range of differences” in their colleagues’ opinions.
Democrats need to accept the value of crafting unique solutions for New Canaan even if that means avoiding terms that some believe have adverse connotations. What’s important is helping students, not the words we use to get there.
Republicans need to accept that the Board must become knowledgeable about best practices and should begin that learning expeditiously.
Every BOE member is sincerely committed to making the right decisions for students and none wants to foster controversy that would cast New Canaan and our schools in a poor light. That’s why I’m confident they will work this out.
In an unfortunate distraction, last Friday the Republican Town Committee sent an email that inflamed the DEI debate to score political points. That’s not a cardinal sin, although in my experience the RTC focuses on elections and doesn’t interfere in the governmental process. Perhaps that’s because they don’t do it well. Laughably the RTC email, which clearly injects party politics into our schools, proclaims that it’s time to keep party politics out of our schools.
The letter’s other consequence is to cast doubt on the priorities of the three members who serve on both the RTC and the BOE. Which role is preeminent, education or getting politicians elected? I’m sure the answer is education, but it would be prudent for them to resign from the RTC to avoid the appearance of a conflict.
Notwithstanding this distraction, I have every confidence that the BOE will come together find the right way to celebrate and protect students with differences.
I’m a Republican member of the New Canaan Town Council but I don’t claim that my opinions represent the view of my colleagues.
What Tom said. The three BOE members who argued for funding (and/or for the board to learn more) bent over backwards to rewrite the goals to accommodate the Republicans’ allergy to specific words, while keeping the same intent and actionable steps. But it doesn’t seem to be about just the words after all, since they also don’t seem to want to take any actions. I hope the R’s will at least agree to learn more and make an evidence-based decision. A bipartisan BOE added these goals for a reason and the new BOE members flippantly cancelled them, not for any specific or evidence-based reason, or to do what is best for students, but because of their personal desire to fight a culture war; they are too inexperienced with our schools to understand that they are tilting at windmills. these decisions and the RTC’s baseless anti-teacher screeds are not harmless – what does it do to our teacher morale when they are accused of doing nefarious things, when they have to worry that if they use the word inclusive it will get back to the BOE? One of the most important things to me is that the people with whom my children spend most of their day enjoy going to work, feel respected and valued and are trusted to do their job professionally and make decisions without having to look over their shoulders. All the same things any of us want in a career. Bc their wellbeing will directly impact the education my child receives and the environment where he spends his days. This invented war can do real harm to the NCPS community and I don’t think that’s what any board member wants.
Well said, Karen.
Karen, thank you for this viewpoint. I agree with most of what you’ve said, especially the unfortunate way our teachers are being second-guessed and grossly devalued. The next item on the chopping block for our BOE is curriculum. Heaven help us. Regarding the removal of the words Diversity, Equity, Inclusion from our district goals… that should never have been suggested in the first place, especially without consulting those of us in the community for whom DEI hits closest to home. Capitulating to removing those key words lends credence to the false assertion made by the far right that DEI is political, when in fact it’s not. That was a huge decision – and one that I would argue had no right being made in a vacuum.
Karen, I am glad you are recognizing the importance and value our teachers provide. I am also happy to hear that you value their opinions and input. However, I do want to point out that during the school start time debate you made it very clear that teachers’ perspectives should not be considered, since they are not taxpayers. You stated in a NewCanaanite comment on May 4th 2021 “People keep saying this option was the least popular in the surveys… Only when you include teachers, who are 90+% opposed to any change, do you get the skewed result you keep describing.”. You seem to make it quite clear that their opinions are creating some “skew”, that should be discounted or ignored. This was my response to your comment “In making the reference (i.e. taxpayers) it implies that the exceptional staff that teach and nurture our children everyday are not integral parts of our children’s lives, but mere cogs in a wheel. Perhaps I am naïve but I very much consider them partners in our children’s upbringing, in the few years that my children have attended our schools I have seen the dedication and effort they put in day in and day out. They don’t punch a clock, often working before and well past the school day. However, if you still view them as mere widget builders consider this, a happy employee is a productive and engaged employee. Also, an employee who feels that they are valued and considered makes better products (better children in our case). So, any way you see our teachers, partners (as I do) or cogs it makes sense to value their feedback.”. I have and always will consider and value teacher concerns in shaping our children’s education. As was the case with start times, I continue to encourage surveys and feedback from stakeholders, teachers included (I believe I recall a school climate survey being discussed, but honestly not sure who was included and if we can see the results).
If we are going to tackle this complex issue, we need honest constructive input from all parties. I have respect for your past efforts and a number of people who have been on opposing sides of issues. Many seem to be intelligent well-intentioned parents and if we work together, we can move the ball forward. I am confident that you would find we are not as far apart on this and many issues as some would think from the vitriol that is being spewed around town.
When we moved to New Canaan eight years ago for the lovely town and outstanding schools, I was concerned about New Canaan’s minimal racial diversity. After my daughter returned from a playdate to ask why our house didn’t have an elevator or tennis court or swimming pool, I also began worrying that the spectrum of our town’s economic diversity spanned the well-off to the ultra-rich.
We live in a bubble of privilege unrepresentative of our wider world. Surrounded by sameness and racial/economic homogeneity, our children can struggle to understand – let alone appreciate – those who don’t look and dress as they do. Some even mistreat the few who look different. For example, the wonderful daughter of an Indian family we know was regularly bullied on her middle school bus.
Diversity is a true blessing. In graduate school, I met my wife (from China) while sharing a house with students from Turkey and Switzerland whose girlfriends were from Egypt and Finland. We had incredible dinner parties where I was the only American in my house. We lack this in New Canaan, as did my hometown of Wayland, MA, a wonderful town much like New Canaan but also lacking in diversity. My parochialism was unmasked by a checkout clerk while studying a year in London. She told me, “I love your accent!” I had never before imagined myself as having an accent. That’s something OTHER people had.
As editorialist John Breunig recently wrote, “You can keep DEI out of New Canaan, but that won’t prepare its students for life outside the town’s borders.” Despite our wealth and many fabulous teachers, we suffer from a diversity deficit. I thank our schools and teachers for helping our students see beyond themselves to better understand the world beyond New Canaan and to better appreciate the diversity our town does enjoy.