During the last Douglas County School District (DCSD) board meeting, Director Susan Meek asked our community to provide suggestions on how to “come together over race and differences.” This was in response to the recent civil rights complaint filed against the school district by three families whose students were the recipients of racial slurs and harassment in their respective schools. This is undoubtedly a very unfortunate incident, and I agree that a community conversation can be beneficial.

There has been a marked change in the Douglas County Schools culture since the educational equity policy was passed in early 2021. Kids are coalescing around identity groups such as sexual orientation, skin color or ethnicity, which I believe is an unhealthy practice. This behavior creates an “us versus them” mentality as it highlights our differences instead of our commonalities. These identity groups further divide students on our college campuses. We now have segregated dorms and graduation ceremonies.

Unfortunately, the educational equity policy that Director Meek voted for and has subsequently defended encourages this divisive behavior. It's very concerning that school administrators and teachers choose to celebrate certain identity groups by way of posters and flags in the classroom and halls. I believe that picking and choosing favorites based on an attribute that can't be changed — such as race — breeds resentment, and we're seeing that play out in mean-spirited, bullying behaviors. I would ask that Director Meek consider the unintended consequences of policies that she continues to endorse.

Susan Renton

Highlands Ranch