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United Teachers of Wichita urges phased community‑schools pilot, defends DEI practices
Summary
United Teachers of Wichita representatives described lessons from an Albuquerque visit and urged Wichita Public Schools to pilot community schools with clear guardrails, local partnerships and teacher leadership; the speaker also pushed back against media reports about DEI and federal funding.
A representative of United Teachers of Wichita urged the Wichita Public Schools board April 7 to pursue a phased community‑schools model that centers teachers, establishes clear guardrails and builds collaborative governance with city and county partners.
Mike (last name not given), speaking for United Teachers of Wichita, described a recent visit to Albuquerque Public Schools and said lessons there included pacing a rollout slowly to build trust, defining nonnegotiables for a community‑schools model, setting transparent guardrails around funding and accountability, and creating formal partnership agreements with municipal and county officials. He recommended local agreements that clarify roles, budgeting and oversight and a teacher advisory group at any pilot site.
Mike also addressed media coverage about recent federal developments related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He argued that characterizing federal guidance as requiring the end of DEI is misleading, and he urged the district to continue practices that promote inclusion. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion practices do not discriminate against any group in favor of another,” Mike said, adding that federal funds exist to “help level the playing field” under Title I, IDEA and the McKinney‑Vento Act.
The presentation urged the board to adopt a community‑schools framework that includes a phased pilot, clear accountability measures, teacher‑led decision‑making at pilot sites and regular reporting on metrics such as attendance, academic outcomes and social‑emotional indicators. The board received the presentation; no formal vote was required.
