Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Educational Equity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Virginia Beach School Board adopts revised policy 5-4 after months of public comment on DEI
Summary
After more than an hour of public comment and internal debate, the Virginia Beach School Board voted 6-5 to adopt changes to policy 5-4 (educational equity), a measure critics said removes explicit references to diversity, equity and inclusion. The vote followed failed attempts to return the policy to committee and to amend it.
The Virginia Beach School Board voted 6-5 on May 27 to approve revisions to policy 5-4, the division's educational equity policy, after an extended public comment period that centered on whether references to "diversity," "equity" and "inclusion" should remain in school policy.
Supporters of keeping explicit equity language addressed the board in large numbers, including students and teachers who said removing those terms would strip protections and supports from historically marginalized students. Opponents said the policy as written prioritized ideological training over basic academic priorities.
The debate opened during the board's public comment period. "DEI provides essential support and resources so all students can thrive, regardless of race, background, identity, gender, or circumstances," student speaker Liz Daughtry told the board. Several other students and community members reiterated that message, while others urged removal of the DEI language.
Board members repeatedly referenced a April 8 board resolution and a contested executive order in explaining the revisions. Trustee Regina Rogers moved to send the policy back to the Policy Review Committee to ensure the superintendent or designated administrator had reviewed and signed off on the changes; that motion failed on a 5-6 vote. Rogers also proposed a last-minute amendment to add the sentence "the school board values the diversity in our students, families, staff, and volunteers." That amendment failed 5-6 as well.
The final adoption motion was made by Board Member Robert Culpepper and seconded by Board Member Rose Dwyer. After additional discussion about process and compliance with the board's bylaws, the chair called the vote. The clerk announced, "We have 6 ayes and 5 nays. The motion did pass for policy 5 dash 4 as presented."
The record shows the policy changes were contentious throughout the meeting. Speakers opposing the revisions cited procedural concerns, including Bylaw 1-3-2, which requires an administrator's review and signature before a policy is presented for adoption. Supporters said the policy reflected a commitment to addressing systemic barriers to student learning.
Board members and community voices requested clarity about how the changes will affect staff evaluations, curriculum and future training. In the meeting, union leader Heather Sipe, president of the Virginia Beach Education Association, warned that removing culturally responsive teaching expectations from policy and the strategic framework could put staff evaluation tools and performance expectations out of alignment with the board's stated goals.
The action concludes this round of board-level changes to equity policy; the board did not adopt any substitute language in the meeting beyond the package it voted to approve. Implementation questions and the possibility of legal challenge were raised by members of the public and board members during the discussion.
What happens next: The board adopted the revised policy as its official position; implementation details and any administrative guidance were not adopted in the meeting and will be determined by staff and future board direction.
