VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Tuesday night a special Virginia Beach school board meeting was held to go over court challenges President Trump's executive order faces on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies in schools along with a motion to pause the current resolution in place at Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS).
As the meeting began Tuesday night, those in attendance heard more on how this executive order has already been challenged in several federal courts due to its vagueness.
During the public comment period, citizens on both sides of the resolution voiced their concerns, many of whom had attended two weeks ago and expressed their frustration over a vote on this resolution without any public hearing.
With the current resolution in place, several changes have already occurred, including the renaming of the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at VBCPS.
Some school leaders argued that not pausing this resolution would harm students who are already disadvantaged.
“Many of you have never experienced in your long lives what six-year-olds in our division have already experienced, and to be so cruel has clearly brought me to tears,” Kim Melnyk, who represents District 2, said.
While other school leaders felt that DEI policies do not adequately push students to reach their potential.
“It serves as an example of what has become one of the euphemisms that has become associated with DEI and that's the lowering of standards," Michael Callan, who represents District 6, said. "I don’t think it’s leading us in the direction that we need to go, and for that reason, I am still in support of this issue of removing DEI."
Ultimately, the board voted 5-5, effectively knocking down the motion to pause the current DEI resolution.
