The Cabarrus County Board of Education on Sept. 15 approved for first reading five policy revisions that remove diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) language, after staff said the changes were recommended by the district's attorneys in response to a federal "Dear Colleague" guidance letter. The board voted to move the policies forward for public review and a second reading next month; they are not in effect until final adoption.

Board members were briefed by Dr. Sandy Ward, who said the recommendations came from the district's legal advisers and that the policy committee reviewed and accepted the suggested edits. She told the board members the changes are being advanced as a group and that the public will have one month to review the draft language before a second reading and possible adoption.

The matter drew a clarifying request from Board Member Shannon Lancaster and a brief exchange with Vice Chair Greg Mills. Lancaster asked that separate changes she had requested — involving parity in timelines for when parents must be notified and when the district must return notices — not be lost in the broader packet of edits. Mills confirmed that those parity questions would be referred to the policy committee for further review and could return as a separate item.

Board members offered no further substantive edits at the meeting. A motion to approve the policies for first reading was made and seconded and the board voted to advance the items; final adoption will occur only after the public-review period and a second reading next month.

The board and staff framed the vote as a procedural step rather than final action: first reading was approved and the policies will return to the board for a second reading and potential adoption. The superintendent and staff said the district's attorneys had recommended the edits after federal correspondence.

The public will have access to the proposed policy text during the month leading to the second reading. The board's next meeting will include the second-read votes and any additional public comments on the drafts.