“At the Sept. 21st Board of Education meeting, Nate Rouse, the district’s Director of Equity, Race and Cultural Diversity Initiatives, gave a presentation to the Board about the district’s ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
During the presentation, Rouse shared information about Critical Race Theory in order to provide context to the conversations currently taking place locally and nationally around the concept and its place in K-12 schools. Critical Race Theory is NOT being taught in Barrington 220 schools. It is an academic concept that is generally taught in higher education systems; primarily law schools. Rouse also discussed several ongoing efforts under his leadership, including:
- A new district equity webpage which provides more information and clarity related to the district’s efforts in equity, race, and inclusion.
- The work of the District Equity Team, which is made up of district staff, PTO members, Board of Education members, and representatives from various community organizations.
- Current examples of culturally responsive teaching strategies being implemented throughout the district.
- Upcoming opportunities for district staff to participate in professional development that will deepen their understanding of the district’s commitment to equity and the actions needed to move towards equitable outcomes for all students and staff.
- Collaboration with community organizations in order to keep the community informed about the district’s equity work.
You can listen to Rouse’s full presentation beginning at 1:25:03 in the Board meeting video.”
The new Equity 220 webpage can be found here.