A new Board Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee has been created at River Forest District 90.
During an Oct. 18 board meeting Curriculum Director Alison Hawley announced the creation of two new Board of Education committees, the K-8 Science and Stem Committee and the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee.
A new Board of Education DEI Committee is “an outgrowth of the Willard Elementary Diversity Discussion Group” according to Hawley who said the new committee had already previewed committee goals.
The district already has an Equity Committee and an Inclusiveness Advisory Board which have been instrumental in implementing what the District calls its Vision for Equity.
The new K-8 Science and STEM Committee “will review curriculum and pilot new curricula in Spring and Fall 2022” said Hawley.
Hawley did not respond questions about what goals the committees hope to accomplish beyond the current board nor what curricula will be developed, where it will be piloted and what grades it will affect as well as what curricula it will be replacing.
The original equity committee was chaired by Ralph Martire, who was also the board president at the time in 2016. The Inclusiveness Advisory Board was chaired by Stacy Williams, first appointed by Ralph Martire. Together, these committees recommended the equity initiative.
Martire is socialist who was caught gloating on a Zoom call regarding his political worldview.
The current Equity Committee and Inclusiveness Advisory Board have the stated its purpose.
“The Purpose of the Inclusiveness Advisory Board (IAB) The Inclusiveness Advisory Board (IAB) values and aspires to further become a school community that:
Promotes a culture of individuals who are sensitive, responsive and inclusive of each other
Nurtures, supports and educates every individual stakeholder – students, staff and families – to be intentionally inclusive
Holds in high regard, models and teaches important life-skills of: awareness, self-reflection, sensitivity and responsiveness, so as to practice being inclusive as we relate to each other on a daily basis
The Purpose of the Board of Education Equity Committee: The Equity Committee makes recommendations to the Administration and Board o Education on issues of:
Research-based pedagogy that will foster increasingly strong student engagement
Targeted professional development to support the goal of equitable instruction for all learners
Improved equity in recruiting and hiring practices”
Membership on the current committees includes those below.
Inclusiveness Advisory Board Members
Nausheen Akhter
Juan Alegria
Katie Avalos
Heather Brauckman
Kim Briggs
Phillip Buta
Peter Chien
U-Jong Choe
Ed Condon
Cal Davis
Rashida Dairyko
Rebecca DeGroff
Alicia Driskill
Ron Dubois
Blaire Goldstein
Casey Godfrey
Sarah Hampson
Alison Hawley
Gina Hardy
Melissa Healy
Lynda Holliday
Liz Huber
Allison Jack
Stephanie Kang
Nikki Kidd
Marsha Leibundguth
Patti Marino
Denise Matthews
Rebecca McFall
Suzanne McLeese
Janeice Millon
Kelly O'Keefe
Roshni Ricchetti
Mandy Ross
Renee Sichlau
Dawne Simmons
Eric Simon
Kristin Sneeringer
Louisa Starr
Deb Steiner
Lori Suzuki
Respicio Vazquez
Annie Wallis
Danielle Watkins
Deb Wolkstein
Equity Committee Members
Victoria Bynum
Laura Hardwicke
Rich Moore
Barbara Stoldt
Stacey Williams
Diane Wood
Ed Condon*
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