Residents, NAACP and board debate district diversity and equity materials after teacher training packet was shared

Public commenters at the Manchester School Committee’s May 12 meeting pressed the board over a packet of professional-development materials — including a “wheel of power and privilege” exercise — that the district says was intended for staff training but was inadvertently shared with parents and once with a student.

Supporters and opponents of the materials used the public forum to make sharply different claims: some called the resource a useful tool for teacher reflection and student support, while others called it divisive and inappropriate for use with children. Board members and administrators responded in public, saying the packet was for adult professional development and that the district has acknowledged the distribution mistake and taken steps to prevent recurrence.

The dispute drew a mix of residents, civic leaders and the NAACP. Arnold Mikolo, speaking for the Manchester NAACP, said the materials were meant for staff development, not classroom instruction, and urged the board to remain committed to equity and inclusion. “These materials were not part of the student curriculum,” Mikolo told the committee, adding the district acknowledged the mistake and took remedial steps. Several parents and speakers said they were upset the packet reached families and one student; some framed specific exercises — such as the “wheel of power and privilege” — as…