VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Some of the changes that will be made in Virginia Beach City Public Schools in the wake of a recent decision to suspend diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the school division are coming to light.
The Virginia Beach School Board, by a 6-5 vote, adopted changes Tuesday to the strategic framework for Compass to 2025 and Compass to 2030.
“The decisions we make here, the trickled down effects to our staff, is important,” said District 5 School Board member Melinda Rogers.
And though many are still calling for the board to keep DEI in place inside Virginia Beach public schools, the board is standing firm in its decision to move forward with the suspension.
The adopted changes will remove words like equity from the framework and replace the word diverse with the phrase, “a wide range.”
Many community members and students are not happy about the decision. There is also lots of uncertainty among board members.
“I’m just concerned that we aren’t as concerned about the job that we were voted in to do to govern the school board and to protect our students,” said at-large board member Sharon Felton. “We’re doing everything in such a rush. What is the rush all about?”
More information on other changes that could possibly happen will come later.